Handbook for Public Playground Safety 55 Examples of partially bound openings. Note, these examples are intended to illustrate the principle of partially bound openings and may or may not require testing. Identifying partially bound openings varies depending on the age range of the playground. Openings that should be tested include any opening where: For toddlers: • The perimeter of the opening is not closed • The lowest leg of the opening is tilted upward (i.e. above horizontal) or 45 degrees below horizontal. For preschool- and school-age: • The perimeter of the opening is not closed • The lowest leg of the opening is tilted upward (i.e. above horizontal) B.2.5. Partially bound openings A partially bound opening is any opening which has at least one side or portion open, such as a U- or V-shaped opening. These openings can still pose an entrapment hazard by allowing the neck to enter but not allowing the head to slip out. A partially bound opening can be any part of the playground equipment where a child could get his or her neck caught, so it includes not only two- or three-sided openings, but also areas of large openings (large enough for the head template to enter) that have the characteristics that can entrap a child’s neck. Several examples outlines of this situation are shown in the figures below. Openings that have an outline similar to these figures are often found when two parts of a playground meet, for example, the top of a slide and the side of a guardrail.
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