Background: Approximately 10-25% of child and adolescent injuries occur at school. Little is known about school-related injuries to teachers and other adults or about the direct cost of injuries to schools. This study examined the characteristics of cases involving injuries resulting in lawsuits against schools, compared cases in which schools…

Background: There is a need for greater international understanding of student safety in schools. This New Zealand study investigated the causes and school location of fractures sustained by students attending elementary school, with special emphasis on the types of fractures sustained following falls from playground equipment of various heights.…

Article reviewed a book which focused on the role of the teacher in the case of students who injure themselves in school accidents. (RK)

Brief information is presented about life-threatening traumatic injuries (blunt trauma and penetrating injury) which may occur in the classroom and on how teachers can respond before medical help arrives. Suggestions include evaluating the student's responsiveness, checking breathing ability and circulation, and keeping the situation as calm as…

To reduce playground accidents, schools should (1) audit their playgrounds for compliance with current safety guidelines; (2) employ a risk manager; (3) develop a safety curriculum; and (4) put more emphasis on teaching basic movement competence to students. (MLF)

Presented before the Section on Athletic Medicine, American College Health Association, Forty-sixth Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 1, 1968.

In 1998, an estimated 3.4 million uninsured children were of high school age. Among highly populated states, there were wide differences in the percentage of these uninsured children, ranging from 28 percent in Texas to 6 percent in Massachusetts. Ten states and the District of Columbia require high school students to have health insurance before…

Noting that 90 percent of serious playground injuries result from falls to hard surfaces, this paper reviews the advantages and disadvantages of various playground surfacing materials in terms of cost, climate, durability, aesthetics, and play value. Findings are based on the personal experience of the author, government documents, laboratory…

For this study, information was obtained about accidential injuries among children in day care centers (DCC) and family day care homes (DCH) in North Carolina. An Accident Survey Questionnaire was used to report injuries that required treatment by a staff member, doctor, or nurse. Results of data analyses showed that: (1) falls were the leading…

This article provides teachers with an overview on tort liability as it applies to their profession, especially in relation to student injuries. Such legal concepts as tort, negligence, and in loco parentis are discussed and guidelines are drawn from selected court cases. (SJL)

Discusses the 1997 collapse of a balcony on a historic building at the University of Virginia, which resulted in a death and several injuries. Explores the balcony structure and cause of the collapse, any possibly preventative measures, and the resolution of legal proceedings resulting from the collapse. (EV)

Describes an epidemiology of school injuries in Utah's public schools, analyzing 1990-97 school injury data from a standardized Student Injury Report form. Results find that 85 percent of the state's 44,565 school injuries were evaluated at a medical facility. High risk students were males and students in 4th-6th grades. Contributing factors…

Compares and contrasts two recent court cases concerning injuries to school children resulting from a lack of adult supervision. Although in Louisiana the courts awarded financial compensation to the family of the injured child, North Carolina courts dismissed the claims of a similar suit. (JBM)

This guide has been developed to provide resources to teachers to address injury prevention in their classrooms. Entries in this guide represent materials which the Injury Prevention Program has identified. Chapters are divided by their target grade and age level. Curricula are listed by the youngest grade which they target. For each entry,…

Epidemiologic features of playground equipment-related injuries were studied in Tucson, Arizona, over a two-year period. One-fourth of the injuries were severe, and climbing equipment was involved in a disproportionate number of accidents. Schools with smaller enrollments and alternative schools had more injuries than larger or traditional…