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Spiro Hop
CONSUMER INFORMATION SHEET FOR PLAYGROUND
SURFACING MATERIALS
Playground equipment should never be placed on hard surfaces such as concrete or
asphalt and while grass may appear to be acceptable it may quickly turn to hard packed
earth in areas of high traffic. Shredded bark mulch, wood chips, fine sand or fine gravel are
considered to be acceptable shock absorbing surfaces when installed and maintained at a
sufficient depth under and around playground equipment.
X3.2 Table X3.1 lists the maximum height from which a child would not be expected to sustain a life-
threatening head injury in a fall onto four different loose-fill surfacing materials if they are installed and
maintained at depths of 6, 9, and 12 in. However, it should be recognized that all injuries due to falls cannot be
prevented no matter what surfacing material is used.
X3.3 It is recommended that a shock absorbing material should extend a minimum of 6 ft in all directions from
the perimeter of stationary equipment such as climbers and slides. However, because children may deliberately
jump from a moving swing, the shock absorbing material should extend in the front and rear of a swing a
minimum distance of 2 times the height of the pivot point measured from a point directly beneath the pivot on the
supporting structure.
X3.4 This information is intended to assist in comparing the relative shock-absorbing properties of various
materials. No particular material is recommended over another. However, each material is only effective when
properly maintained. Materials should be checked periodically and replenished to maintain correct depth as
determined necessary for your equipment. The choice of a material depends on the type and height of the
playground equipment, the availability of the material in your area, and its cost.
9 This information has been extracted from the CPSC publications “Playground Surfacing -Technical Information
Guide” and “Handbook for Public Playground Safety.”
TABLE X3.1
Fall Height in Feet From Which a Life Threatening Head Injury Would Not Be Expected
Type of Material
6 inch. depth
9 inch. depth
12 inch. depth
Double Shredded Bark Mulch
6
10
11
Wood
Chips 6 7 12
Fine
Sand
5 5 9
Fine
Gravel
6 7 10
AU
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TP960 Spiro Hop Aus IN9728 06 08 23/6/08 11:37 Page 2
