WASHINGTON, June 12, 2001 -- Burger King Corporation and its franchisees have announced a voluntary safety program to replace the nets on enclosed indoor and outdoor play structures throughout the United States with no-climb nets. Burger King restaurants will install "no-climb" nets from the floor up to 7 feet to prevent children from climbing into areas not meant for play.
The action follows the death of a 4-year-old boy who was playing in a net-enclosed play structure in a St. Louis Burger King restaurant on April 29. The boy gained access to an area of the enclosed playground not intended for play, became entrapped between parts of the structure, and died.
The "no-climb" nets, which have holes that are about one-quarter inch, will be installed on the sides of the play structures that are accessible to children. "No-climb" nets will replace box-type nets, which have two-inch square holes. The smaller holes in the "no-climb" netting prevent children from climbing the nets.
The action is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
"We applaud Burger King Corporation for launching this program to replace these nets and improve playground safety at its restaurants nationwide," said CPSC Chairman Ann Brown.
Of the approximately 3200 Burger King playgrounds, only those playgrounds that do not have "no-climb" netting around the entrance and exit tubes, and do not have ceiling nets or other barriers to prevent access into non-play areas, will be temporarily closed until "no-climb" netting is installed.
The Burger King net-enclosed play structures keep children within the play area, and use nets, sliding and crawling tubes and other soft, flexible materials. The enclosed play structure at the Burger King restaurant in St. Louis was manufactured by Atrox Systems Inc. Atrox, which ceased operations in 1997, distributed products under the brand name of Tenderfun Soft Playgrounds.
