Slides that pose amputation risk removed from Calgary playgrounds

CBC News | Posted: June 7, 2017 9:45 PM | Last Updated: June 7, 2017

Playground equipment was recalled by the manufacturer after incidents in the U.S.

Image | Slide Calgary

Caption: The City of Calgary says replacement slides at 55 playgrounds will start arriving in July. (Julien Lecacheur/CBC)

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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 to broken 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 slide bedway and sidewall can crack and separate. A child's fingers can get caught in the space, posing an amputation hazard," the company's website says.

"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.

Image | Calgary slides removed

Caption: Slides have been removed at dozens of parks around the city after a manufacturer recall due to an amputation risk. Barriers have been put up until the slides are replaced later this year. (Julien Lecacheur/CBC)

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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 are compete.

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.