California Code § 101238.2(d)(2): Outdoor Area Safety

This regulation requires your outdoor play area to be free from hazards that could injure children. Specifically, you must eliminate holes that children could trip in or twist ankles, broken glass or sharp debris that could cut them, and dry grasses that create fire danger. This means daily inspections of your outdoor space before children use it, immediate removal of any dangerous materials or debris, filling holes promptly, and maintaining landscaping to prevent fire hazards. The outdoor environment must be as safe as your indoor space.

As of November 23, 2025, 19 facilities have been cited for this violation across 10 counties. This represents about 1 in 2,100 facilities statewide (0.25% of the 7,551 facilities inspected in the past 90 days). Orange County had the most citations with 4 facilities, followed by Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties with 3 each. The geographic spread across multiple counties suggests this is an issue that can affect any facility, regardless of location, especially those with aging outdoor spaces or insufficient maintenance routines.

Inspectors cite this when they observe hazards during their outdoor area walk-through. Common findings include uneven ground with holes or depressions where children could trip, broken glass from nearby buildings or thrown bottles, sharp objects like nails or metal pieces, splintered wood chips with exposed nails, overgrown dry grass creating fire danger (especially in California's hot months), or general debris like rocks, branches, or construction materials. Even one piece of broken glass is enough for a citation because of the serious injury risk. Inspectors pay extra attention to areas under play equipment, along fence lines, and near entry points where debris tends to accumulate.

Conduct a thorough outdoor safety check every morning before children arrive. Walk the entire play area looking for anything that doesn't belong - glass, sharp objects, holes, or debris. Keep a maintenance checklist and assign this responsibility to a specific staff member. Fill any holes or depressions immediately with appropriate materials and level the surface. After storms or windy days, do an extra check for blown-in debris or fallen branches. Maintain proper landscaping - trim dry grasses regularly, especially before summer fire season. Keep the area around your fence line clear and check what might be thrown over from adjacent properties. Store outdoor maintenance tools securely. Consider installing a border around your play area to catch debris before it reaches where children play.

Address the specific hazards immediately - remove all glass and debris, fill holes, and clear dry vegetation. Document the corrected conditions with dated photos from multiple angles. Implement a formal daily outdoor inspection checklist if you don't already have one, and keep completed checklists to show your ongoing monitoring system. If the citation involved something like broken glass repeatedly appearing from a neighboring property, document your communication with the property owner and any steps you're taking to prevent recurrence (like installing protective barriers). During your follow-up inspection, walk the licensing worker through your outdoor area and explain your new inspection routine to demonstrate this won't happen again.