McDonald's Settles Safety Suit

The world's largest fast food chain, McDonald's, will pay millions of dollars in damages to settle a government safety complaint dealing with dangerous playground equipment at its restaurants.

When parents think of McDonald's, they think of quick food and a place for kids to play. It turns out, however, that a lot of kids were getting hurt on one piece of equipment at these playgrounds, the Big Mac climber gym, a platform resembling a hamburger.

According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, McDonald's knew that 400 children fell off the jungle gyms. Many injuries included broken bones and concussions.

McDonald's failed to notify the Safety Commission, as is required.

The good news for parents is these Big Mac climber gyms were removed from all McDonald's playgrounds and the updated equipment is much safer. McDonald's says the settlement with the government, which will be officially announced Tuesday morning, closes the book on old issues dealing with bureaucratic reporting requirements.

This is the second time that McDonald's failed to report
dangerous playground equipment to the Consumer Products Safety Commission. In 1995, the company paid $5 million because of its defective merry-go-rounds at its playgrounds.