Safety and Clearance Guidelines
For more information regarding public playground safety and your responsibilities as the
purchaser, owner, manager or installer of this equipment, please contact the US Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and obtain the newest version of the Handbook for Public
Playground Safety. This handbook is available by visiting
www.cpsc.gov,
or by calling
Component Playgrounds at 1-877-530-0222.
The entire area under and around the playground must be covered with some form of impact
attenuating ground cover. The surfacing selected must have a critical fall height rating value of
at least the highest designated play surface on the equipment. The critical fall height rating of
the selected material must be in accordance with
A.S.T.M. Standard F1292. You may order A.S.T.M. Standard F1292, Standard specification for
impact attenuation of surface systems under and around playground equipment, by contacting
the American Society for testing and Materials (A.S.T.M.). by calling 610-832-9585, or by
visiting their web site at
• Component Playgrounds recommends that a minimum of 12" of proper impact
attenuating surfacing be installed prior to opening the playground for use by children.
• Component Playgrounds also recommends that a regular maintenance program be
implemented.
• We also recommend that the equipment be regularly and properly maintained and that
the ground cover remains at the recommended depth and the area is kept clean from
debris or other items that may present a safety hazard.
Clearance guidelines are important to help reduce the risk of congestion on the playground and
to reduce the risk of accidental impact with adjacent structures, other children or the edge of the
playground pit. Please refer to the CPSC Handbook for Public Playground Safety for more detail
of the safety guidelines.
• There should be a minimum fall zone surrounding the structure of no less than 6'.
• Slides must have a use zone from the exit of the chute equal to the deck height that the
slide is mounted from. This distance must be no less than 6' and does not need to
exceed 14'. The use zones for slides must not overlap the use zone of another
component.
• Swings have a use zone that extends to the front and rear of the top rail pivot point a
minimum distance of twice the height of the top rail. This measurement is made from the
pivot point to the level of the protective surfacing. The swings also require a minimum
distance of 6' from the sides of the structure.
• Multi-axis swings have a use zone that extends 360 degrees from the pivot point for a
minimum distance of 6' plus the length of the suspending members.
• Most other components on the structure will require a minimum 6' clearance from the
edge of the pit, edging or adjacent use zones.
• We recommend that parts or individual playground components not approved or
manufactured by Component Playgrounds, should not be attached or added to the
playground.
