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Consumer Information Sheet for Playground Surfacing Materials
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that about 100 000 playground
equipment-related injuries resulting from falls to the ground surface are treated annually in US
hospital emergency rooms. Injuries involving this hazard pattern tend to be among the most serious
of all playground injuries, and have the potential to be fatal, particularly when the injury is to the head.
The surface under and around playground equipment can be a major factor in determining the injury-
causing potential of a fall. It is self-evident that a fall on to a shock-absorbing surface is less likely to
cause a serious injury than a fall onto a hard surface. 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, tine sand
or the gravel are considered to be acceptable shock absorbing surfaces when installed and
maintained at a sufficient depth under and around playground equipment.
Table B.1 lists the maximum height from which a child would not be expected to sustain a life-
threatening head injury in a fall on to four different loose-fill surfacing materials if they are Installed
and maintained at depths of 150 mm, 225 mm and 300 mm.
Table B.1: Fall height in millimetres from which a life-threatening head injury would not be
expected
However, it should be recognised that all injuries due to falls cannot be prevented, no matter what
surfacing material is used.
It is recommended that a shock absorbing material extend a minimum of 1 800 mm in all directions
from the perimeter of stationary equipment such as climbing frames 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 twice the height of the pivot point measured from
a point directly beneath the pivot on the supporting structure.
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 the equipment in question. The choice of a
material depends on the type and height of the playground equipment, the availability of the material
in a particular area, and its cost.
Type of Material
Depth of surfacing material
150mm
225mm
300mm
Double Shredded Bark Mulch
1800
3000
3300
Wood Chips
1800
2100
3600
Fine Sand
1500
1500
2700
Fine Gravel
1800
2100
3000
