Will Your Playground’s Surface Measure Up to Today’s Standards?

TASA ID:

On April 7, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. (ET), The TASA Group in conjunction with recreation expert Tom Bowler, presented a free, one-hour interactive webinar presentation, Will Your Playground’s Surface Measure Up to Today’s Standards?, for all legal professionals.

Our presenter, Tom Bowler, explained the accident rates for playgrounds throughout the United States.  He distinguished between public playgrounds, backyard playgrounds and soft contained playgrounds. Mr. Bowler also discussed:

• Types of materials for protective surfacing
• Pros and cons of each material
• Standards of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American Society for Testing and Materials International
• Examples of cases, in which the protective surfacing was the proximate cause of the injury
• Site inspection needs
• Preserving evidence
• Pros and cons of caregivers maintaining a paper trail

About the Presenter:

Tom Bowler received his B.S. in Physical Education from the University of Connecticut.  He received his Master’s Degree in Physical Education from Springfield College. Mr. Bowler also has a certificate of advanced graduate studies from UConn in the area of administration and supervision of special education.

Tom Bowler taught elementary physical education for 33 years in Vernon, Connecticut.  He has also been a high school coach in the areas of cross-country and track. Mr. Bowler was also an adjunct at two state universities in Connecticut. Mr. Bowler taught a graduate course on sports law and an undergraduate class on tort law and physical activity to exercise science majors. At one university, he served as an adjunct in the capacity of the director of intramurals and recreation.

Mr. Bowler has been an expert witness for plaintiff and defense attorneys throughout the United States for 22 years. He has handled approximately 350 cases within that time span and has dealt with physical education, recreation, athletics, and playgrounds cases.