3
w w w . s w i n g s e s h . c o m
Playground Surfacing Materials
The following information is from Section 4 of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (USCPSC) Outdoor
Home Playground Safety Handbook for playground surfacing material. This guide to home playground safety can be downloaded
at
https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/324.pdf
. Section 4 “Select Protective Surfacing” of the USCPSC Outdoor Home Playground
Safety Handbook states:
One of the most important things you can do to reduce the likelihood of serious head injuries is to install shock-absorbing protec-
tive surfacing under and around your play equipment. The protective surfacing should be applied to a depth that is suitable for the
equipment height in accordance with ASTM F1292. There are different types of surfacing to choose from; whichever product you
select, follow these guidelines:
Loose-Fill Materials
•
Maintain a minimum depth of 9 inches of loose-fill materials such as wood mulch/chips, engineered wood fiber (EWF), or
shredded/recycled rubber mulch for equipment up to 8 feet high; and 9 inches of sand or pea gravel for equipment up to 5 feet
high. NOTE: An initial fill level of 12 inches will compress to about a 9-inch depth of surfacing over time. The surfacing will also
compact, displace, and settle, and should be periodically refilled to maintain at least a 9-inch depth.
• Use a minimum of 6 inches of protective surfacing for play equipment less than 4 feet in height. If maintained properly, this
should be adequate. (At depths less than 6 inches, the protective material is too easily displaced or compacted.)
•
Use containment, such as digging out around the perimeter and/or lining the perimeter with landscape edging. Don’t forget to
account for water drainage.
•
Check and maintain the depth of the loose-fill surfacing material. To maintain the right amount of loose-fill materials, mark the
correct level on play equipment support posts. That way you can easily see when to replenish and/or redistribute the surfacing.
•
Do not install loose fill surfacing over hard surfaces such as concrete or asphalt.
Poured-In-Place Surfaces or Pre-Manufactured Rubber Tiles
You may be interested in using surfacing other than loose-fill materials—like rubber tiles or pouredin-place surfaces. Installations of
these surfaces generally require a professional and are not “do-it-yourself” projects.
•
Review surface specifications before purchasing this type of surfacing. Ask the installer/ manufacturer for a report showing
that the product has been tested to the following safety standard: ASTM F1292 Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation
of Surfacing Materials within the Use Zone of Playground Equipment. This report should show the specific height for which the
surface is intended to protect against serious head injury. This height should be equal to or greater than the fall height—vertical
distance between a designated play surface (elevated surface for standing, sitting, or climbing) and the protective surfacing
below—of your play equipment.
• Check the protective surfacing frequently for wear.
Содержание SlimSesh SS2
Страница 2: ......
Страница 29: ...27 w w w s w i n g s e s h c o m...