Did you know that 80% of children injuries on playgrounds are caused by falling from equipment? Do you know that it is the legal obligation of the owner of the playground to keep it safe? Do you know who owns the playground where your child plays?
As a part of the project “EU for Serbia – support for safer products” a campaign on the safety of children’s playgrounds was launched “For safe children on all playgrounds – let’s maintain playgrounds, keep children safe!” through animated TV spot and promotion on Social Media channels.
The European Union supports the Ministry of Economy and other line ministries in harmonizing Serbian legislation with the EU in the area of free movements of goods. The free movements of goods, together with free movement of people, services and capital, is one of the main freedoms on which the European Union is bases, because, the single and common market is the essence of the European integration.
The goal of the campaign is to point out the importance and the obligation of the owners to make children’s playground safe for play. A major turnaround in the way children’s playgrounds is managed is necessary, according to the Ministry of Economy. “Communal inspection, as well as the republican market inspection, are responsible for inspection, and in most cases the owner of the playground is the local self-government, i.e., the city, or they are the owners/users of the facilities where the playground is located (restaurants, gas stations, hotels, private kindergartens and similarly). They have an obligation to keep the playground safe throughout its lifetime”.
The majority of injuries on playgrounds are caused by falls, and therefore the surface on playgrounds must be suitable. All openings on playground equipment must be examined and checked, as entrapment is the third leading cause of playground fatalities. There must not be any obstacle on the playground that could cause injuries. Children often trip over deep pits or damage to the playground’s floor/surface. In order to avoid any damage to the playground equipment, it must be regularly controlled and maintained, which is the legal obligation of the playground owner.
When national product regulations are harmonized with European Union legislation, equal treatment, increased competitiveness, lower prices and greater and wider choice for consumers are ensured. This ensures an equal level of protection of public health, consumers and the environment in the internal European market.
“Products placed on the market should meet high health, safety and environmental requirements. We need to assure not only institutional and social, but also corporate responsibility, as all, institutions, citizens and companies have important role in this process. The same is applicable to the safety of children’s playground as the same legislative framework cover this type of products”, says Martin Klaucke, Head of Sector in the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia.
The European Union provides continuous support to Serbia in removing technical barriers to trade and the free movement of goods. The process of harmonization with EU regulations and standards was achieved, among other things, through technical support to institutions through several projects whose value is more than ten million euros.