Play it Safe How children can grow up safely - Hazardous Substances Voice Assistants Micromobility - DEKRA solutions
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Magazine
On the safe side 2/2019
Play it Safe
How children can grow up safely
Hazardous Substances The silent dangers in your home
Voice Assistants In dialog with artificial intelligence systems
Micromobility Electric scooters’ domination of the city streets
Editorial Contents
A safe
childhood Contents 22
Interviewing
Digital
2/2019 Don Martin
8
hat do
Alexa, w f Siri?
o
you think
E-paper
Fancy reading DEKRA
solutions on your tablet,
Child safety I like all A.Is! and clicking on links and
24
Stefan Kölbl videos directly? No prob-
A few words lem – download for free!
on child safety
with voice
assistants
24 An (Artificially) Intelligent Conversation
They make our lives easier, but owners should You can also access
Dear Reader, be cognizant in how they use them, and how the e-paper at:
dekra-solutions.com
they work.
Would you have guessed it? Around two thirds
of all accidents involving children happen at 28 Swings and Roundabouts
home or on the playground. Playground testers Michael Brandt and Lars
Every injury to a child, be it minor, major Steiger inspect play apparatus and ground
28
or even fatal, is one injury too many. For this conditions for safety.
Playground
reason, DEKRA has been committed to fur- safety
thering safety for more than 90 years. This 31 Before the Paramedics Arrive
applies in particular to safety on the road, 08 Play it Safe Cover Story A rescue professional explains what is critical
at work and at home. Our employees – num- Pools, sockets, traffic. There are hazards when it’s a matter of life or death.
33
bering over 45,000 – work daily with great everywhere for children. Is one-hundred- solutions online
enthusiasm to ensure that people around percent safety even possible? 33 Just Roll with It! The DEKRA magazine
the world can lead safe lives, wherever they Are e-scooters and hoverboards has its own website
may be. This is especially the case for chil- 18 Silent Killers the solution to transport chaos? complete with daily
dren – we ensure their safety with rigorous At first glance, many things appear harmless. Electric city updates from the exciting
product testing and expert inspections. For an But just one weekly shop is enough to bring speedsters 38 The Exciting World of Technology world of DEKRA. We look
PHOTOS: K.-H. AUGUSTIN, HANIBARAM/ISTOCK, SEE ARTICLES FOR OTHERS
forward to your visit!
example of this, read our report on the play- hazards into the home. These museums offer remarkable exhibits
ground test (page 28). And if you’re after a tip on our technological advancement.
as to which of the world’s one-of-a-kind tech- 22 A False Sense of Security
nology museums are definitely worth a visit, Don Martin, Senior Vice President DEKRA 40 Tomorrow, Today
we have some great suggestions in store for OSR, explains how to sensitize people to the Exciting concepts and clever ideas from More information on
you (page 38). hidden dangers in the home. the major technology expos. this topic:
dekra-solutions.com
18
I wish you a gripping, entertaining and – Standards
in any case – safe read. 02 Editorial
04 News
Yours, Hazardous 43 Masthead Icons
Stefan Kölbl materials in
the home
Web Link
Information
40
Chairman of the Management Board
DEKRA e. V. and DEKRA SE Future
trends Profile
3 DEKRA solutions 2/2019
News
PARKING ASSISTANT Briefly noted
Robots at the Airport
50%
GREEN TRACK
Environmental Audits for Chinese Industry London Gatwick Airport has adopted the
assistance of a robot to maneuver passen-
gers’ vehicles to a parking lot from now on.
improve use of existing space. The robot
will park the vehicles closer than human
drivers would be able to, and thereby
T
he topic of sustainability was a focus of the BBAC Sup- The test phase, taking place at one of the accommodate up to a third more cars. of all Building Damage
plier Day in Hanghzou. DEKRA was also involved, inform- airports long-term parking lots, is planned The battery-powered and GPS-controlled in Germany is classed as water
ing those in attendance of the requirements and possible to last around three months This approach robot – nicknamed ‘Stan’ – takes vehicles damage, according to the
approaches to a solution. In order to also inform partners of Ger- should not only eliminate travelers’ annoy- from their parking space and lifts them German Insurance Association
many’s original equipment manufacturing industry on environ- ing hunt for free parking spaces, but also by means of a platform. (GDV). It is in spring that
mental policy and China’s ‘Blue Sky Initiative,’ Daimler (Daimler home-owners and residents
Greater China & Mercedes-Benz Cars, Procurement and Supplier must be especially vigilant,
Quality) and BBAC invited these to the ‘Environmental Sustain- advise DEKRA experts. Every
ability Forum – Green Track’ in Stuttgart. 30 seconds, a house water
pipe springs a leak. When the
Also in attendance were DEKRA experts, who explained the
DEKRA analysts are called
challenges and the necessary actions to overcome them. Rep- in, they often discover pipe
resentatives from more than 150 suppliers attended the event. and fitting failures that can be
Keynote speeches were provided by the hosts – notably Wilko attributed to frost damage.
Stark, Procurement and Supplier Quality, Member of the Board
Mercedes-Benz Cars of Daimler AG; Marcus Grund, Executive
Vice President Daimler Greater China, Mercedes-Benz Cars, Pro-
curement and Supplier Quality China; and Mu Wen, Executive
Vice President Purchasing & Supplier Management in the Daim-
ler Joint Venture Beijing Benz Automotive (BBAC). “Sustainably
is a must,” states Wilko Stark. In his opening address, he made
it abundantly clear where the ‘Green Track’ is heading: 100 per-
cent sustainability throughout the supply chain.
ELECTRIC STROLLERS 350,000
Baby Power New Carsharers
Carsharing in Germany has
been experiencing a noticeable
CARBON MONOXIDE Smart electromobility can improve life boom. In 2018 alone, 350,000
Invisible Danger in many different areas – and now this
includes kids’ strollers. The world’s
first eStroller drive system from Bosch
user accounts were created.
This is one result from a 2019
carsharing statistic report.
The DEKRA experts recommend the instal- often confused with the onset of the flu. and fireplaces. In the case of gas heaters, increases child safety and the comfort After stagnating for some time,
lation of carbon monoxide (CO) detectors According to the German Federal Statis- insufficient ventilation can also lead to of the parents. Sensors recognize the the market has grown again
in private residences too. These life-sav- tical Office, 648 people died as a incomplete combustion. Carbon mon- terrain type, and the intelligent motors considerably, according to the
ing alarms are especially advisable in result of carbon monoxide oxide detectors monitor the CO deliver more power when the stroller is industry’s umbrella organiza-
enclosed spaces in which gas, oil or coal poisoning in 2015. concentration in a space heavily laden or being pushed uphill. Con- tion. Most users are registered
to so-called free-floating
is burned – for example apartments with The invisible and and emit an alarm when versely, when going downhill or when the
services. In this service model,
wood-burning ovens, gas heaters or open odorless CO can be the threshold value handlebars are released, the brakes are customers do not have to use
fireplaces. They are also recommended for emitted by defec- is crossed. They are activated. The associated mobile app acts specific stations to collect
places where people smoke shisha. tive heating sys- mounted to the wall as a key and offers additional functions. and return the vehicles. 1.81
Carbon monoxide poisoning leads to tems, incorrectly at head height. Prices Manufacturer Emmaljunga intends to million of the 2.46 million total
headaches, dizziness, nausea and even maintained gas lie between 20 and 50 bring the first model to market by the user accounts are for these
death in extreme cases. Symptoms are heaters, coal fires euros per device. end of 2019. station-independent services.
4 DEKRA solutions 2/2019 5 DEKRA solutions 2/2019
News
Briefly noted SMART HOME ALTERNATIVE FUEL
Theft of The Power of Water Power Control Unit
55 Private Data
Motor
Fuel Cell Stack
An Australian-Israeli start-up promises
a cost-effective and emission-free alter-
PHOTOS: PETMAL/ISTOCK, DANNY HOOKS/ISTOCK, FRED MARGUERON 2018, EMMALJUNGA, IRINA STRELNIKOVA/ISTOCK, ELLENM/ISTOCK, VTRUST, ZEISS, ELECTRIQ GLOBAL, MILINDRI/ISTOCK, PETMAL/ISTOCK
Home-based smart applications can native to fossil fuels. According to the
Hours be manipulated to spy on private data, company Electriq~Global, the so-called
experts warn. Security Researcher ‘Electriq~Fuel’ consists of 60% water, as
Many executives across
Michael Steigerwald from VTRUST GmbH well as hydrogen. The water-based fuel
Germany would like to reduce
their working hours. In a survey
used the platform of the Chaos Commu- is stored in a tank within the vehicle. In
of managers and directors nication Congress in Leipzig to demon- the ‘Electriq~Switch’ catalyst, hydrogen
carried out by energy provider strate this with an impressive example: is then released and directed to a fuel cell
EON, the respondents cited The security expert had installed a T
rojan to produce power. The vehicle’s electric
an average working week of on a smart lightbulb the Chinese man- motors are in turn driven by the electric-
55 hours. Those surveyed ufacturer calls ‘particularly secure’ and ity generated.
identified the ideal working bypassed the encryption of the WiFi pass- The company claims that the p otential
week as being 43 hours. words, thus gaining access to a private energy density is as much as 15 times
Participating in the study were network. higher than batteries currently employed Electriq~Fuel Tank
50 executives from companies Electriq~Switch
The expert’s experiment provided in electric vehicles. For buses and trucks,
employing at least 50 staff.
a strong warning about security loop- firmware unbeknownst to the customer, the ‘Electriq~Fuel’ should allow effec-
holes in smart home device production. represent an especially high risk. These tive ranges of over 1,000 kilometers the costs involved in creating its new rojects in the Netherlands. To this end,
p
So-called silent updates, which change make life especially easy for data thieves. without an issue. Electriq~Global is fuel. In 2020, the goal is to commence Electriq~Global has formed a partnership
yet to make any statements regarding multiple demonstration and prototype with Dutch company Eleqtec.
SMART OPTICS
VOICE ASSISTANT BATTERY STORAGE
Intelligent Glassware Siri, the Lifesaver tabilizing
S
Voice assistant Siri has saved the life the Grid
of a US accident victim. ‘Hey Siri, call
Entry into China 911’ – with these words, an accident According to transmission
The global number one in victim in Nevada was able to place system operator TenneT and
vehicle inspection has entered an emergency call with the help of Daimler AG, automotive battery storage
the Chinese market. DEKRA Apple’s voice assistant. The victim systems may be able to fulfill some of the
has opened its first Chinese
was trapped in their vehicle but duties of large power stations and serve
inspection station in the south-
ern Chinese city of Shenzhen.
was able to activate their smart- to s tabilize the network and assist in reac-
A second station, currently phone with a simple command. tivating the system after outages. Both
under construction in Beijing, As a result, they were located firms have explored innovative system
is scheduled to commence and subsequently freed from services on the power grid in a develop-
operations in the second half this life-threatening s ituation. ment partnership. According to the com-
of the year. China is the world’s With their intelligent glass, the fine- temperature measurements and eye track- Just like other smartphones, panies, the results have been ground-
largest automotive market. At mechanical and optical technology ing are all possible. The most impressive iPhones are designed to allow breaking.
the new location in Shenzhen, experts at Carl Zeiss AG have succeeded part? These optical systems are invisible. them to call emergency ser- The study has proven that automotive
DEKRA experts inspect in making clear materials functional for Zeiss foresees possible application vices without activation and Lithium-Ion battery storage systems can
passenger cars for exhaust
a number of large-scale and varied appli- areas in the automobile industry, as when roaming on different be used to restart deactivated systems
emissions and vehicle safety.
With the opening of the testing
cations. According to the specialists, large well as in smart home solutions. For networks. Even if there is no in power plants. Such measures are nec-
station Shenzhen, DEKRA is glass surfaces are layered with optical sen- example, window panes could monitor a credit, the SIM is locked or essary when, for example, a power sta-
one of the first international sors. A special method had to be developed home, both on the interior and exterior. has been removed, this will tion needs to resume operation after an
expert organizations to to achieve this, changing the way in which This smart and multifunctional glass can still work. outage. The battery storage can, in such
commence vehicle microscopic optics are applied to glass. simultaneously illuminate, identify, filter cases, guarantee the fully autonomous
inspections in China. Among other things, gesture recognition, and project. resumption of electricity generation.
6 DEKRA solutions 2/2019
Safe Childhood
afe
it S
lay
P
Nowadays, parents keep a close watch on everything that may even come close to harming
their children: food, clothing, toys, their way to school, the list goes on. But is one-hundred-
percent safety even achievable? Educators and psychologists even call for ‘the right to risk.’
It’s part of ensuring childhood is adventurous, not boring.
Text Peter Knoll
8 DEKRA solutions 2/2019 9 DEKRA solutions 2/2019
Safe Childhood
I
t is a dramatic few minutes as two cially high concentrations in the sunny is made to make carpets, wallpaper and
bathers fight for the life of a young boy states of California, Florida and Ari- cots as ‘eco’ as the apples from the local
NIEHOFF/PICTURE ALLIANCE, TIM EVANSON/CC BY-SA 2.0, LEGO, MATTEL, KETTLER, WESTEND61/IMAGO,
in the hot Summer of 2018 in a public zona. Staggeringly, 95 percent of those organic farm. As furniture and shelves
LEAD PHOTOS: CAIAIMAGE/MARTIN BARRAUD/GETTY IMAGES + KANOK SULAIMAN/GETTY IMAGES (M)
swimming pool in Hamburg. The four- accidents occur in familiar surround- are essentially invitations to climb, they
PHOTOS ON THIS SPREAD: DAVID SUCSY/GETTY IMAGES, SERGEY NALIUKHIN/ISTOCK, ULRICH
year-old has gone for a little adventure ings, in one of the six million private are bolted to the wall with a variety of
DAVID HECKER/DDP IMAGES, LENNY IGNELZI/AP/PICTURE ALLIANCE, STEFAN KIEFER/VISUM
– entirely unnoticed – to the 1.3-meter- pools, often belonging to one’s own fam- systems, where the grandparents would
deep ‘fun pool,’ and is now floating life- ily. According to the German Life S aving have used a simple bracket from the
lessly at the bottom. A 13-year-old girl Association, 14 preschool- and elemen- hardware store. Nowadays, internal mag-
realizes what is happening, jumps into tary-school-aged children drowned in net systems can be used to secure every
the pool and pulls the boy out of the pool-poor Germany in 2017. single drawer.
water. Immediately, another bather is While it isn’t always a case of life or As invisible as a magnetic field is the
on the scene and begins the resuscita- death, there is no such thing as a risk- danger from electrical sockets, which
tion. Successfully. By the time the ambu- free childhood! This is the belief of has been remedied for decades with self-
lance arrives to whisk the boy to hospi- British Childhood Researcher Tim Gill, adhesive inserts. In Germany, the VDE
tal, he is conscious again. Pool country famed for his book ‘No Fear.’ However, Association for Electrical Technologies
While this case ended positively, In the Southern States of the US, he demands that parents take a certain now urgently advises the use of sock-
this same situation is a major cause a private pool is basically the norm amount of risk, so that children can ets with integrated protection – espe-
of child death in the US. In June 2018, come into contact with hazards and cially the installation of residual cur-
a case involving US Olympic Skier learn to handle them. This helps the kids rent circuit breakers (RCDs or Residual
Bode Miller and his six-month-preg- to become confident and self-aware and Current Devices) in the home electrics.
nant wife Morgan hit the headlines. exercise control over their lives. According to statistics, these devices There are, of course, other dangers.
They tragically lost their 18-month-old have reduced the number of fatal elec- The garish cat ‘Hello Kitty’ – origi-
daughter in a pool accident. According Modern harm prevention trical accidents by more than 75 percent nally from Japan but long produced in
Child-safe
to the Consumer Product Safety Com- For parents, the quest for safety begins since the 1960s. An RCD already trips at Circuit breakers and China, as are more than 70 percent of
mission (CPSC), 350 children under the long before the birth of their first child. currents in the range of 10 milliamperes. socket protectors prevent all toys – was part of a test for harmful
age of five drown in swimming acci- Hardly any room is more lovingly fur- (Additional silent dangers can be found fatal electrical accidents substances in 2010. It was awarded as
dents each year in the US, with espe- nished than the first child’s room. Effort from page 18 on.) the only stuffed animal to contain zero
Icons from the World of Toys
1949 1962 1963 1965
Lego – Building Blocks Kettcar – Pedal Car Carrera – Fischertechnik –
from Ole Kirk from Heinz Kettler (DE) Model Race Track Building Block System
Christiansen (DK) from JNF (DE) from Fischer (DE)
1962
Skateboard
from surf shop
‘Val Surf’ (US)
1964
1902 1959 G. I. Joe –
Teddy Bear – Stuffed Toy Barbie – Doll Action Figure
from Richard Steiff (DE) from Ruth Handler (US) from Hasbro (US)
1900s 1940s 1950s 1960s
10 DEKRA solutions 2/2019 11 DEKRA solutions 2/2019
Safe Childhood
azardous compounds! The 29 others
h PRODUCT SAFETY but also radio and telecom-
were contaminated with polycyclic aro- Toyed and Tested munications guidelines.
matic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalates,
nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) and CE
Risk regions
JOHO345/GEMEINFREI, SCHWINN, UNDERWORLD/SHUTTERSTOCK, EVAN-AMOS/GEMEINFREI (2)
even lead. One stuffed monkey received Identifier with European validity – manufac- Every five seconds somewhere
PHOTOS IN THIS SPREAD: JOHN KASAWA/SHUTTERSTOCK, DDP IMAGES, PLAYMOBIL, MB,
the following death sentence: ‘Goes up turers use this seal to state that their prod- and Manager Responsible for on Earth, a child dies. This is stated
in flames too quickly. Not for market dis- ucts conform with relevant EU guidelines. Toys at DEKRA Testing and Certifi- in a United Nations Children’s Fund
tribution!’ GS cation GmbH. However, Marx empha- (UNICEF) report. Often, these deaths
“In such tests, you must consider that This seal of approval stands for ‘Geprüfte sizes: “If a manufacturer has opted to are in underdeveloped regions and in
Head Protection
there are toys on trial that aren’t even Sicherheit,’ or ‘safety tested,’ and can use plastic, then they know that there the first five years of life. Most deaths
Bicycle helmets
allowed to be sold here,” says Ulrich Bro- “DEKRA supports toy only be issued by an authorized testing
organization such as DEKRA.
are chemicals present that may bring must be produced could be avoided through simple solu-
beil, Managing Director of the German disadvantages in the long run.” Accord- tions such as access to medicine, clean
Toy Manufacturer’s Association, before
manufacturers right Internationally recognized ing to Marx, a developing market and
in line with strict
safety standards water, electricity, vaccines, more health
adding: “Unfortunately, Internet plat- from the development seals of approval the mechanization of toys and chil- facilities and doctors. Between the ages
DEKRA inspects and certifies toys in line
forms bring toys into the EU that do phase, testing for with all relevant laws and regulations.
dren’s products is leading to test meth- of five and fourteen, the planet’s chil-
not comply with our regulations.” He ods being modified accordingly. dren die more frequently from injuries,
emphasizes that parents should always the requisite safety For the US market, the DEKRA laborato- The safety requirements of toys are drownings and traffic accidents. But for
pay attention to the CE mark when buy- standards in our labs in ries in China and Germany are developing
third-party tests in line with the Consumer
becoming ever more complex: physical a child in sub-Saharan Africa, that risk
ing toys: “This is essentially the pass- and mechanical attributes; their flam- remains 15 times higher than in Europe.
port for all toys!”
China and Germany” Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).
mability; chemical, electrical and elec- In Germany, around 1.7 million chil-
Find out which other international norms
Daniel Marx DEKRA tests for as follows: tromagnetic characteristics are all in dren receive medical treatment follow-
Materials under close scrutiny Test Engineer, DEKRA Testing focus. More and more classic toys now ing accidents, with nearly 200,000 of
“It always depends on the use. For and Certification GmbH On our website at: contain electronics. A pacifier that reads them hospitalized. Two thirds of acci-
example, where phthalate plasticiz- dekra-testing-and-certification.de/en the baby’s body temperature and trans- dents happen in the home. Up to the age
ers have proven to be unsuitable, oth- mits this to the parents’ smartphones of five, falls, poisoning, burns and scald-
erwise plasticized materials could be Or send an email to: must not just conform with mechanical ing are the main causes – a ccording
used,” says Daniel Marx, Test Engineer products.de@dekra.com and chemical composition regulations, to German federal association ‘Mehr
1974 1975 1980 1988
Playmobil – Toy System BMX Bicycle Disco Roller Skates – with Toy Cars with
from Brandstätter (DE) from Schwinn (US) solid shoe and plastic wheels Color Changer
from various brands (US) from Mattel (US)
1978
1972 1974 Senso – 1983
Bobby-Car – Connect Four – Electronic Entertainment System –
Walker Car Strategy Game Reaction Game Gaming Console
from BIG (DE) from MB (US) from MB (US) from Nintendo (JP)
1970s 1980s
12 DEKRA solutions 2/2019 13 DEKRA solutions 2/2019
Safe Childhood
INTERVIEW
Sicherheit für Kinder e. V.’ (More Safety group, there were 89 deaths for every
3 Questions for…
for Children). 100,000 registered vehicles, compared
At around the age of ten, when chil- with 22 in older age brackets. Statisti-
dren become more mobile without paren- cally, boys account for around two-thirds
tal supervision, road traffic becomes the of the total number of accident victims
greatest risk. Figures from the German because they are less risk-averse. Girls
Federal Statistical Office reveal that of are more likely to be injured in accidents
the approximately 14,500 such acci- involving animals, predominantly rid-
dents each year in Germany, 7,000 were ing accidents.
on bicycles, and 3,000 were pedestrians.
However, road traffic has become Changing leisure behaviors
safer. Speed limits, traffic-calmed zones, The behavior of children in leisure time
increased pedestrian crossings and traf- has changed dramatically. One obvious the US point to the
fic lights have helped reduce the num- cause of this is smartphone ownership – consequences of Tim Gill,
ber of incidents involving children from Excluded 97 percent of German twelve to 18-year- excessive screen Scientist and Author of ‘No Fear’
around 70,000 to 30,000 over the last Bullying is an increasing olds own a smartphone, and when laz- consumption, which
three decades. The contrast is especially problem in schools ing around on the couch, the phone is include a lack of exercise
great in the number of fatal accidents. in constant use. This is a picture that (and the typical consequences), and The book author pleads for a self-aware and fearless
While in 1960, approximately 1,500 chil- unites kids across many countries, with even demonstrable learning disabilities childhood. The native Englishman is a long-time advo-
dren were killed on German roads, this studies and figures from New Zealand, with screen consumption of two hours cate of child-friendly urban design. In 2017, he received a
Traveling Fellowship from the Winston Churchill Memorial
number had fallen to 61 by 2017. South Korea, China, Kenya and India or more per day.
Trust and studied how cities including Calgary, Freiburg,
Having said this, there is particu- highlighting the global omnipresence “We cannot condemn computer Oslo, Rotterdam and Vancouver account for children’s
lar danger when young people are put of these seductive mobile devices. The games,” says Herbert Scheithauer, needs. Gill has advised political parties and think tanks
in charge of a motor vehicle as novice smartphone has become the most impor- Professor of Developmental Psychology across the political spectrum and is also listed as co-
drivers. One third of moped and scooter tant item in the lives of many young peo- at the Freie Universität Berlin. Studies author of a study to create livable neighborhoods for
riders injured in 2016 fell in the 15 to ple, especially in industrialized coun- have shown that computer games can London children.
24-year-old age bracket. In this age tries. Recent studies from Canada and boost creativity, speed, and reason-
PHOTOS IN THIS SPREAD: LSOPHOTO/ISTOCK, KASPER FUGLSANG, DEKRA, TOMASZ SIENICKI/CC3.0,
In your opinion, what are the biggest health problems
ing, and that multiplayer, team-based or hazards for big-city kids?
Childhood risk
games also promote social skills. So, Even on safe Gill: Vehicles are to blame for huge health concerns for
what is it that makes these games dan- playgrounds, all city residents, but primarily for children. Around the
gerous? “Real-time rewards instantly accidents cannot globe, road traffic is the leading cause of death for 10 to
trigger a positive player reaction, with be ruled out 19-year-olds. A lack of activity and childhood obesity is
1996 2014 ever-higher levels leading to losing all increasing in many cities, and not just in countries with
higher incomes. While the causes are complex, sitting
Tamagotchi – Hoverboard – Self- concept of time.” This represents a real
and car-reliant lifestyles are certainly a factor.
Digital Pet Balancing Monoaxle
MATTEL (2), INVENTIST, EVAN-AMOS/VANAMO MEDIA/PUBLIC DOMAIN
potential for addiction. As with most
from Bandai (JP) from Hovertrax (US) things, it all depends on the dose. How can we make cities more livable for children?
The psychologist has also made a Gill: Children don’t live in cities; they live in neighbor-
name for himself in the arena of bul- hoods. Of utmost importance is making the neighbor-
lying prevention. Here once again, hood as a whole more child-friendly. Many adults think
the smartphone plays a decisive role. that playgrounds are the key. Indeed, children need and
want space to play and meet up with friends. But this
According to a current PISA study,
does not have to take the form of a playground. It may be
almost one in six German 15-year-olds a square, a street or a green area.
is regularly the victim of physical or
1989 mental abuse by classmates. Often, the In your opinion, what are the most important aspects
Game Boy – Portable 2001 boundary between offender and vic- of more child-friendly cities?
Gaming Console X-Box – Gaming Console tim gets blurred. Scheithauer pleads Gill: Firstly, the neighborhood level. These should be
from Nintendo (JP) from Microsoft (US) for a reinforcement to adolescents’ constructed compact enough so that nothing is too
far from the rest of the neighborhood, but also not so
moral compass, self-confidence and dense that there isn’t enough public space. Between the
social competencies. An over-empha- various places and facilities such as schools and busi-
1990s 2000s sis on risks and hazards is leading to nesses, pathways and cycle routes – uninterrupted by
the extinction of ‘childhood innocence.’ main traffic arteries – should be created.
14 DEKRA solutions 2/2019 15 DEKRA solutions 2/2019
Children in Danger
Additional Safety in the Smart Home
Trend: Smart
Motion detectors
Smoke alarms can provide automatic lighting,
Homes
200,000 times each year, the such as for a stumble-free
Children in Germany and most other western nations fire department is called out night-time trip to the toilet.
Young adults
have – viewed statistically – remarkably safe lives. to a house or apartment fire especially interested
in Germany. Smart smoke
This is partly due to the standards and regulations detectors fetch help quickly.
Global smart home users
Cameras
in place, as well as the good access to medical give parents more
by age, in percent
care. Childhood curiosity, inexperience and inatten- Cooker guards insight into the 18 – 24 18.2
25 – 34 34.5
tiveness do, however, continue to cause accidents. recognize flammable activities of a
materials on hot baby than a baby 35 – 44 25.9
The consequences range from minor to grave. For cookers. monitor. 45 – 54 14.9
parents, it isn’t the statistics that matter, it is the Motion zone 55 – 64 6.5
wellbeing of their own children. Depending on their Smart locks Field motion
detectors
age bracket, the major risks change too. secure doors, Geofencing
even from afar. The virtual fence Most popular
sounds the alarm applications
when children globally, in percent
Door and window sensors
make an unsuper-
automatically set off Secure Safety 45
vised ‘adventure.’
Advice
80
80
Hg Hg
80 Mercury
Mercury
Hg
80
Mercury
Hg
Quecksilber
82
Pb
Lead
82
82 Pb
Pb
Lead
82
Pb Lead
Silent Killers
82
Lead
Pb
Blei
W
Just a regular trip to the grocery store is hen the fire department arrives shortly after
enough to bring a great many potentially midnight at the three-story apartment build-
ing in Duisburg, a room on the second floor
hazardous substances into the home: Glass is on fire. The fire is rapidly extinguished, the cause
cleaner, adhesives, dishwashing liquid, stain identified just as quickly: A tenant had varnished his
balcony furniture with linseed oil and left the rag
remover. At first glance harmless, belying the in a room. He hadn’t expected that the oil-soaked
dangers within. rag would react with oxygen overnight so violently
Text Peter Knoll
that it would go up in flames. After all, how can lin-
seed oil present such a risk? ‘Natural product’ was
written in large text on the front of the container –
17 with a very small warning on the back: spontane-
ously combustible!
Cl 17 More and more people are trying to make their
everyday lives as environmentally friendly as pos-
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ChlorineAdvice
10 Common Hazardous
Substances in the Home
sible and to avoid pollutants. In everyday parlance, within should not be taken lightly, even if the initial
harmful substances include substances and com- impact is only nausea. An acute risk is presented
pounds that are found in nature, and that can be by carelessly placed medicines, be they painkill-
harmful to humans, animals, plants or other organ- ers or grandparents’ heart medication. The poison
isms as well as entire ecosystems. These may include emergency hotline of the Berlin Charité University
car emissions, for example, or fine dust pollution. Clinic alone receives in excess of 50,000 calls each
1 7
Pictograms identify hazardous substances
year due to such mix-ups or cases of children imi-
tating adults. Mercury
from energy saving lamps can
4 Plasticizers
are often found in plastic
Hazardous substances under the definition of the CLP Curiosity and an appetite for sweet treats led to
have massive health impacts,
Lead goods, making these soft and
Regulation (EC No. 1272/2008 CLP) are substances a dramatic increase in childhood accidents when in drinking water can lead
even in minute doses. Energy to health issues. The usage flexible. Phthalates and other
and mixtures (products) that have ‘hazardous char- the now-popular detergent pods were introduced. saving lamps must not be such substances can be found
acteristics.’ For example: toxic, irritant, corrosive, Between 2011 and 2013, the number of detergent of lead piping for drinking
allowed to break, and are to water has been prohibited in in floor coverings, wallpaper,
carcinogenic, highly flammable or dangerous for poisonings in the US tripled from 2,862 to 9,004 be disposed of gym shoes, packaging and
Germany since 1973, but these
the environment. The hazards are marked on prod- cases, reports online magazine fortune.com. The in the recycling pipes are still found in older even cosmetic products.
uct packaging with a rhombus-shaped pictorial icon. American Association for Poison Control Center bin. Mercury buildings. If lead is suspected, Plasticizers can leach out of
They are found on many clean- (AAPCC) blamed the colorful pods evaporates health authorities or water these items and transfer on
ing products but are often ignored for 80 percent of accidents in 2017, quickly. Ventilate corporations perform analyses. contact with fats and oils.
immediately!
8
in everyday life. This can sometimes despite only commanding a market
be to disastrous effect, exempli- share of 16 percent.
fied by the sad case of a 30-year-old
woman from Madrid. She had spent For a Safe Home
There are also hidden dangers in
many cosmetics. For example, lip-
2 5 Solvents
two hours cleaning her kitchen in the sticks often owe their smooth texture Mold are predominantly found
in places where you would
Summer of 2018, inhaling ammonia Be it harmful compounds in toys, ambient to paraffins, which are considered sus- Asbestos is the nightmare of
also find plasticizers and
air or in the ground; dangerous household was previously used in any household. It is
vapors from the cleaning products, pected carcinogens in their frequent formaldehyde: on floor and
cleaning products or building technology: residential construction due to caused by moisture
explains a spokesman for the Agen- DEKRA works to ensure a safe home with combination with mineral oil aro- in poorly ventilated wall coverings, but also in the
its insulative characteristics.
cia de Seguridad y Emergencias. Fol- on-site inspections, laboratory analyses matic hydrocarbons (MOAH). Ameri- spaces. Breathing interior trim of vehicles. Trust
The fibers are carcinogenic,
lowing this, she felt very unwell and and product tests. In handling hazardous can firm Raw Natural Beauty has cal- the spores in large your nose – out into the fresh
and their usage prohibited in
called the emergency services. Sadly, substances too, DEKRA is at your side. culated that women swallow up to quantities can lead to air with anything that smells
many countries, e.g. Germany,
PHOTOS: DAVID TSAY PHOTOGRAPHY/OTTO ARCHIVE, STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON/OTTO ARCHIVE
the paramedics arrived only to testify three kilograms of these substances respiratory illnesses strongly of plastic!
France, Italy, Australia, Japan,
her death. Contact during their lifetime. South Korea and South Africa. and allergic reactions.
Often, poor ventilation results in
the dangerous accumulation of haz-
testlab@dekra.com
Let furniture dry out
Asbestos-contaminated
materials from older buildings
need to be removed by
9
ardous substances in the air. Besides Pollutants that can be harmful over trained specialists.
Pyrethroids
ammonia, there are numerous other substances that long exposure times can be found in buildings and are used in textiles, in order
pose similar threats. Chlorine-based cleaners not their fittings: floor coverings, wallpaper and furni- to prevent them becoming
3
moth-eaten. They can cause
only irritate skin, eyes and the respiratory tract – ture can leach solvents such as formaldehyde over
skin irritation and headaches.
they can become downright dangerous when they are many years. Some older buildings also still have lead They are also highly toxic to
used in conjunction with acidic cleaners or de-scal- water pipes. Chemicals
6
water-borne organisms.
ers. This can cause the formation of toxic chlorine More serious are cases in which entire schools are found in cleaning products –
10
gas. Chlorine gas can be irritating and even caustic need to be closed after asbestos fibers or mold alkalines, for example, dissolve
to the skin, eyes and respiratory system. High con- strains are detected. Hundreds of cases of school fats and oils. Biocides Formaldehyde
centrations can even lead to death. closure due to the discovery of asbestos, PCB, radon tackle viruses and fungi. is processed into many every-
On the other hand, toxins without any warning and mold can be found in the archives of the Euro- Enzymes, silicates, day products, out of which it Carbon Monoxide
detergents etc. – the leaches into the air over time: is an odorless gas and
label are often found in ornamental plants such pean Society for Healthy Construction and Indoor
list is long. Human life Paints and lacquers, adhesives, often responsible for
as daphnes, lily-of-the-valley, castor oil plants and Hygiene (EGGBI). and the environment disinfective and cleaning fluids, fatalities in poorly venti-
laburnum, the berries of which are easily mistaken Kindergartens are also not spared. In 2013 in benefit from the use furniture, carpets and particle lated rooms that are heated
for peas or beans by children. Incidents of such Hürth, Germany, a brand-new kindergarten was of biodegradable board. Cigarette smoke also with wood-burning stoves or
occurrences regularly occupy emergency physicians. temporarily closed due to contamination of the products. contains formaldehyde. open gas flames.
While rarely as severe, but not without conse- new building with the carcinogen butanone oxime. 17
quence is sipping from fruity-fragranced bottles According to the local building authorities, the toxin
of shampoo. The cocktail of harmful substances was present in a substance used to seal floor joints. Cl
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17
ChlorineInterview
Mr. Martin, how do you get people to start I have to stop and plan the job. That process pushes
thinking about safety in the home? my thinking into what we call the ‘slow brain.’ The
Martin: We ask people to describe something they slow brain is logical, it plans things, it thinks about
did at home that exposed them to risk. Most of the steps in sequence. It’s a very methodical approach to
time they describe a situation where their life was in safety. But most of the time we’re functioning in fast
jeopardy but nothing bad happened. So a guy climbs brain mode because it’s more efficient and gets things
a tree with a ladder carrying a chainsaw to saw some done faster. When we are at home and have to do a
branches. And the ladder falls, they fall, and the chain- task, we just want to get it done and over with. There
saw almost hits them. They describe this and say ‘OK, are no triggers to say you’re not allowed to do that job
that was close, no harm, no foul. Let’s get back up without a working plan or risk assessment. None of
there and finish the job.’ But something did happen! that is in place at home. Instead I put the chair on the
It’s what we call a ‘near miss.’ We’re trying to get table to change a lightbulb and I get the job done, no
people to reflect on the near misses that could lead safety problems. And then six months later another
to life-altering outcomes. And then get them to take a lightbulb goes out and I do the same thing. If I do that
step back and figure out a different way to approach behavior 100 times and the consequences are always
that job. the same, I will continue to do that behavior that way.
What are the greatest safety risks outside So how do you break that pattern?
the workplace? Martin: You have to have a new behavior in order to
Martin: According to National Safety Council data, change that lightbulb. I may get my son to help me
the number one cause of unintentional death in the and he’ll hold the ladder. If every time we do the job
U.S. is accidental poisoning. Motor vehicle crashes that way and we have positive consequences, that’s
are the second. Accidental falls are the third. Are our the behavior we’ll reinforce in the future. At work,
drugs and cleaning chemicals locked away? Do we put safety is expected, encouraged, and reinforced and
our mobile phones away while we are driving? Do we at home you can take at-risk behavior and get very
A False Sense of Security have a properly secured ladder from which to work?
Fires are number six on the list. How often do we see
news stories where someone has emptied gasoline out
of a lawnmower into a container, only for the vapors
positive rewards for it. Change can’t involve one per-
son — everyone has to be in it together. That’s really
important when you’re engaging in a life-threaten-
ing activity. You have to step back, plan the job out
In our workplaces, safety is spelled with a capital S. What we regard as a matter of course at to find their way to a hot water heater and cause an in proper sequence, and engage your family in the
explosion? A person wouldn’t do it that way at work in conversation.
work can be vastly different once we step through our own front door. It’s because we feel safe a million years. Yet at home their environment is dif-
here. So how does one sensitize people to the hidden dangers in our homes? Don Martin from ferent and they’re thinking and behaving differently.
DEKRA Organizational Safety & Reliability (OSR) gives the answers in our interview. We’re trying to get people to instill this behavior
from work in the home.
Interview Mark Guarino
How does leading by example help
reinforce safety?
PHOTO: BEN ROLLINS PHOTOGRAPHY/FOTOGLORIA
Martin: Let’s say I’m at a crowded intersec-
tion with my five kids and the sign says ‘Don’t
Walk.’ And I look around and I walk through Don Martin
the intersection because I know better than The Senior Vice President of DEKRA OSR brings over four
the light. What behavior did I just model for decades of experience as a safety industry veteran. His areas of
my kids? So we have to be thinking about what expertise include fatality prevention programs; safety leadership
impression our behaviors are leaving on other development; elimination of fatalities, injuries and catastrophic
people, especially young people. incidents; and accident investigations. At the beginning of April he
spoke on ‘Addressing the SIF Potential At Home’ at the ‘Safety in
Action Conference’ in Nashville.
Why is it difficult for people to connect prac-
ticing safety at work with practicing it at home?
More information at: www.safetyinaction.com
Martin: At work we have a process. Which means
22 DEKRA solutions 2/2019 23 DEKRA solutions 2/2019Technology
An (Artificially) Intelli gent Conversation
Wherever you will find a smart device nowadays, you can be sure that Alexa, Siri and
co. aren’t far away. Their duty: listen, understand and perform commands. Those
who use them should do this cognizantly, and understand the various functions.
Text Hannes Rügheimer
Alexa, what do
you want to be when
you grow up? I want to be
the computer
Alexa, what do I like all A.Is!* from Star Trek.
you think of Siri?
* The Alexa and Siri dialogs
pictured here are transcripts
of authentic conversations
Hey Siri, are
you keeping Alexa,
my data safe? wash the
dishes! Cleaning the dishes
Sorry, I don’t isn’t something I
really know. can help with.Technology
Alexa, do
you have
a brain?
Amazon Echo
Market Launch: I don’t have a
V
oice assistants are on a triumphant march USA 06/2015 such issues, one should either completely deactivate
through the world of consumer electronics and Voice Assistant: the order function, or secure it by means of an addi- brain like you do.
seem unstoppable. They can play a requested
track on command, or even create a playlist. They
Alexa
Additional Variants:
tional pin code. And if you happen to have an Alex-
ander or Alexandra at home, it may be a wise idea to
My intelligence
know the weather forecast and provide traffic updates Echo Dot (to be change the Amazon device’s trigger word ‘Alexa’ to a lives in the cloud.
and route guidance. They can also turn the lights on connected to external term less likely to cause confusion, such as ‘Amazon’
speakers), Echo Plus
and off in smart homes and activate the heating in or ‘Echo.’
with integrated smart
connected luxury cars. On our computers, they assist home base station, Whether voice assistants should be placed in the
in finding documents and starting programs. Echo Stereo-System bedrooms of younger children is of considerable
PHOTOS: AP PHOTO/PICTURE ALLIANCE + AMAZON (M), AMAZON, APPLE, FRANZISKA GABBERT/PICTURE ALLIANCE, HARMAN KARDON/AP PHOTO/PICTURE ALLIANCE, ISTOCK
Those using these digital underlings are, however, plus Subwoofer. doubt. Indeed, functions such as joke-telling are very
all too aware of their shortcomings. Manufacturers 13.7 Million Echos were popular with children. But to prevent cost-incurring
like to advertise that their voice assistants feature sold globally in the orders, music subscriptions and access to inappro- many children. Still, voice assistants – just like any
artificial intelligence. But these software-based abil- fourth quarter of 2018 priate and harmful content, parents must change other smart home device – allow their manufactur-
ities are primarily used to recognize the spoken com- several of the device settings. Settings for Alexa, ers to create comprehensive data profiles on their
mands. The reactions that follow are highly limited. customers.
Alexa is well-acquainted with the repertoire of her Part of using the obliging helpers in a consid-
creator, Amazon, and can rattle off results from an ered manner is also the usage of the mute button
Internet search on trickier questions. A real under- for what it was designed to do – deactivate record-
standing of the questions or logical deductions from ing at inopportune moments. The devices should be
the context of the current conversation cannot be banned from sensitive places such as doctor’s prac-
expected. In a study by German consumer watchdog tices and bedrooms. If sensitive voice recordings
Stiftung Warentest, not one of the 18 voice assis- aren’t possible in the first place, they can’t be inad-
tants on trial were able to register a score better than Google Home vertently transmitted to a Apple, Google or Micro-
‘satisfactory.’ This was not so much a result of the Market Launch: soft data center.
user experience or functions, rather it was consider- USA 11/2016
able data security flaws that resulted in the devices
Voice Assistant:
being marked down in the test results. Google Assistant
For the considered usage of the attractive help-
Additional Variants:
ers, one should be aware of what is enabling their Google Home Mini
reactions: devices such as Amazon’s Echo speakers (smaller speaker).
or their counterparts from other providers are lis- 11.5 Million devices
tening around the clock, ready to identify the trigger were sold globally in the
phrase ‘Alexa,’ ‘Hey Siri,’ ‘Cortana,’ or ‘OK Google.’ last quarter of 2018
What they hear after those phrases is sent to their Harman
Apple creators’ centralized processing centers for analy- Kardon Invoke
Homepod sis. The programmers assert that only voice clips
Market Launch:
Market Launch: that are triggered by the corresponding command USA 10/2017
USA 02/2018 will be sent to the servers.
Voice Assistant:
Voice Assistant: According to the manufacturers, no one need Cortana (Microsoft)
Siri worry that dialog stored by Amazon, Apple, Google Siri and the Google Assistant can be adjusted in Additional Variants:
Additional Variants: or Microsoft is at any risk of landing in the wrong the associated apps, while the Cortana configuration None as yet. Cortana
None as yet. Apple sold hands. But one thing that cannot be disputed is that options are to be found in the Windows 10 Control is installed on 700
600,000 Homepods on voice recording can be started as a result of digi- Panel under ‘Cortana and Search Settings.’ In the million Windows 10
launch. Siri is featured tal misunderstandings – such as when the trigger same place, the user can find the complete history PCs around the globe.
in almost every Apple phrase is played on television. In one such case in of analyzed voice recordings. Here, one can check Cortana can also be
product: iPhone, iPad, San Diego in early 2017, US news anchor Jim Pat- what has actually been sent to the central server. installed as a skill on
Apple TV, Apple Watch Amazon’s Echo, and
and Mac computers.
ton reported that a young girl had ordered a doll Should something have been sent to the server unin- Microsoft also intends
According to Apple, on house and many kilograms of cookies via Amazon. tentionally, this can be selected and deleted. Ama- to offer Cortana on
more than 500 million The result? The Alexa devices of hundreds of viewers zon also offers the additional ‘Free Time’ child pro- rival Google and Apple
devices worldwide initiated the exact same order. In order to prevent tection program, which accommodates the needs of devices
26 DEKRA solutions 2/2019 27 DEKRA solutions 2/2019Safety Testing
The ground covering must
feature a certain granularity
and coverage depth
A
grown man on a swing set? level. This is checked by means of a measuring
DEKRA playground testers stick. At this playground, it reveals that the
Michael Brandt and his col- flooring does not reach the required level in
league Lars Steiger are used to all areas. In some spots, the ground has so lit-
receiving curious looks and ques- tle coverage, that after a quick scuff with the
tions from child and parent alike, foot, the small pebbles are all but gone.
including here, at the Franco-Ger- “It needs to be topped up here,” explains
man garden in Saarbrücken. They Michael Brandt.
take it all in their stride. Thanks Following this, additional sources of
to the logos on their uniforms, it is hazard are examined. Where is there a fall
quickly apparent that the pair are on The netting risk? Are there pinch points? Sharp objects
spacing is checked
official business. They take slides, see- with test devices that may cause injury? What is the condi-
saws, jungle gyms and the like at play- tion of the play equipment? Is the pitch
grounds and recreational areas under the of the slide still correct? Are there loose
magnifying glass. Their mission? To find or uncovered screws? Worn ropes, rusted
and eliminate all possible hazards. chains? Concentration, good observational
Once the blue skies, sunshine and skills and precision are all necessary. The
milder temperatures of spring begin surrounding environment, fences, climb-
to lure you back outdoors, it is high able trees, potentially poisonous plants,
season for about 120 DEKRA and the paths to the playground are all
experts. They tour Germany’s play- examined in the inspection.
grounds to ensure everything is in
order and any damage sustained Safe, touch wood
during the winter is remedied. This device “Beneath the seat of the swing, there must
ters are
The DEKRA playground tes They manage to visit five or six hunts out the
bad wood
be at least 35 centimeters of ground clearance,”
ds.
once again doing their roun
play facilities every day. Clients explains Brandt, while fetching the measuring
mainly constitute local author- tape from his rucksack. The clearance is correct.
ce their
Each spring, they commen ities, but also include private “You can also hear by the sound, whether the
unds and
tour of Germany’s playgro operators. wood is in good condition,” he reports and per-
test the apparatus’ safety.
Each year, 16,000 playground forms the knocking test with a hammer. Next
accidents are reported. “Play- up is a special device with a fine needle for bor-
Text Jennifer Klein grounds, playground equipment ing into wood. With this device, one can identify
and recreational facilities such whether the wooden swing frame is
as swimming pools are all subject rotting or decayed. By now, the two
to particularly stringent safety experts have the full attention of the
requirements,” explains Michael children and their parents, who grad-
Brandt. The bar is set high as far ually edge closer. They get into a con-
as quality is concerned, and applies equally versation – communication is also an
to manufacturers, operators and inspec- important part of the job. “This board
tion staff. Michael Brandt is a DIN-certified is wobbly, too,” a small girl tells help-
DEKRA playground expert. To achieve this fully contributes.
certification, a special training course is Brandt and Steiger examine the
necessary – Lars Steiger is currently in the apparatus. Luckily, the all-clear is
thick of it. announced. The wobbly board is
Upon entering a playground, their first designed as such. “After all, play-
glance is often a downward one. The flooring The guy ropes ground equipment should also pro-
also acts as fall protection, and the material for the play vide the opportunity to learn how
apparatus must
must feature a certain grain size and filling not show any to deal with risks appropriately,”
The swing test is damage
part of the job for
DEKRA playground
tester Michael
Brandt
29 DEKRA solutions 2/2019Safety Testing
A wobble board should
also be able to hold an
adult without an issue
Brandt points out. This is how chil-
dren train their motor skills and
their protective reflexes. Falling For Brandt, his job is far more than just that.
safely is something that needs to He finds himself unable to switch off his ‘x-ray
be learned. Who dares climb over vision’ for possible danger situations even in
the roof of the jungle gym? Who is his private life and when on vaca-
the best at balancing, when three tion. “It’s just part of me now,”
stand on the seesaw together? he says with a laugh, pointing to
Testing boundaries is a part of life. the iron fence surrounding the
However, it is necessary to prevent the possibil- playground. “These sharp burrs
ity serious accidents that cause injury or perma- on the edges are just unaccept-
nent damage. able.” He rubs his finger over
For this reason, all those parts subject to ele- them. Another note on the list
vated stress are checked for wear and degradation. of required improvements. After
Frayed ropes and rusted chain links are indicative their deployment out in the
that parts need to be replaced. Depending on how fresh air, the playground testers
poor their condition is, the DEKRA experts are return to the office. They must
able to close off certain playground equipment, or This cord identifies spots that write a detailed report – includ-
even the entire playground itself if clothing may get caught ing recommendations for action
the situation is that dire. Damages and requirements for the oper-
must be repaired in a very short ator. And then the next job is
time frame. If this isn’t possible, already waiting.
the apparatus must be disassem-
bled and removed.
Keeping an eye on the kids
Parents are also able to contrib-
NO RISK, NO FUN
ute to the safety of their children.
While their offspring are playing Safety Through Sound
on slides and conquering jungle Fencing around the play Judgment
gyms, they must make sure not area is closely inspected
to get distracted and entranced for rust patches
Playgrounds are permitted to feature a certain,
by their mobile phone. Chains limited amount of risk. That is the opinion of
or cords on clothing can easily many experts around the globe, who see play-
become nooses. As can bicycle hel- grounds as testing areas in which children
mets, which can get caught while are able to train their motor skills and defen-
climbing or playing and become a sive reflexes. At the famous Diana, Princess
of Wales’ Memorial Playground on Bayswater
strangle risk. Road in London, which receives over one
Then Michael Brandt and million annual visitors, there is a sign inform-
Lars Steiger reveal the secret of ing parents that the hazards are intentional.
ILLUSTRATIONS: MICHAEL STACH
the bright red plastic parts in the In Australia too, there are standards for chil-
testers’ rucksack – ‘child size’ test dren’s play areas that reinforce the advan-
devices. These are used to test tages of physical development, and don’t just
nets, rung spacings and possible identify possible hazards. That isn’t to say that
Back in the play equipment isn’t constructed and installed
pinch points. A thin metal cord is with the goal of ensuring the best-possible
office, the
used to check possible points in test report safety. It is the individual’s usage that harbors
which the drawstrings of hooded is prepared risk, and follows the simple logic ‘more train-
for the
sweaters may get caught. operator ing, better safety.’
30 DEKRA solutions 2/2019You can also read
