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GENERAL COMMERCIAL PLAYGROUND SAFETY GUIDELINES
IMPORTANT: This structure is designed to comply with the ASTM F1487 standard for users
6 months through 23 months of age.
Maintaining your playground equipment and its surrounding area is essential to minimizing the risk of
injury to users as well as maximizing its useful lifespan. Manufacture STRONGLY recommends that
you follow these Safety Guidelines in conjunction with conducting periodic maintenance inspections
using the accompanying
Playground Maintenance Checklist.
When installing your playground, always consider local conditions. Good common sense works
hand-in-hand with the instructions.
LOCATING YOUR PLAY STRUCTURE:
Comply with the following when choosing the location for your new equipment:
Equipment shall be positioned to eliminate conflicting traffic patterns. As a general rule, allow at least
3' of free space around the entire structure. This minimum area should be filled with the appropriate
surface material. Read further for surfacing recommendations.
Never overlap the safety zones of adjacent equipment. All separate play equipment must have its own
safety zone, and these cannot overlap. So, if you have an existing structure with a slide exit oriented
toward your new one, add a minimum safety zone to that of the existing slide to determine how far
away you need to be. Never install playground equipment near, around, or in conjunction with
swimming pools, ponds, lakes, or any other bodies of water.
CHOOSING RESILIENT SURFACE MATERIAL:
According to ASTM guidelines: "Unacceptable material for use zones of play structures with fall
heights of 18 in. or less shall include all hard or abrasive materials such as asphalt, concrete,
terrazzo, or other materials with similar characteristics. "Other standards apply for equipment with
fall heights greater than 18 in.
Acceptable surfacing should be placed in the use zones of all equipment, as specified for each type
of equipment, and at depths to meet the critical fall heights as specified by the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission, ASTM standard F-2373 and Canadian Standard CAN/CSA-Z-614.
For more information on the proper surfacing materials, call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
Worn surfaces around equipment should be restored. Concrete footing should never be exposed.
Refer to the attached PLAYGROUND MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST.
Check for erosion and cratering of surfaces in heavy traffic areas and restore surfacing as necessary.
Surfacing leading to play opportunities for children with disabilities should be firm, stable, slip
resistant, and resilient.
