Slides that pose amputation risk removed from Calgary playgrounds

The city has removed 55 slides from playgrounds around Calgary that were recalled by the U.S. manufacturer after two children lost their fingers due tobroken welds.

All of the slides were removed by the end of April following the recall by Playworld Systems Inc. at the end of last year, said Matthew Blair, the city's parks infrastructure lead.

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"The weld between the slidebedwayand sidewall can crack and separate. A child's fingers can get caught in the space, posing an amputation hazard," the company'swebsitesays.

"Playworld is aware of 13 incidents of broken welds, including two children who have suffered finger amputations."

School slides

There are another 25 of the faulty slides at Calgary Catholic School District playgrounds, and 20 owned by the Calgary Board of Education, he said.

Slides on school properties were also removed earlier this year, said CCSD spokesperson Karen Ryorchuk, and barriers have been placed over the openings so kids can still use the playgrounds until the replacements arecompete.

The CBE isn't sure whether it's removed all the affected slides at this point in time, saying the person in charge of that process is currently unavailable.

350 playgrounds in North America

The Pennsylvania-based company is replacing the slides at its own expense. The recall affects 350 playgrounds in the U.S. and Canada.

Blair said he expects all of the slides in Calgary will be replaced before the end of this year, as the company delivers new ones at the rate of about two or three per week beginning next month.

"The City of Calgary has over 1,100 playgrounds city wide so it's not affected hugely by having 55 slides removed," said Blair.