S.A.F.E. — FALL SURFACING
Many outdoor memories are filled with laughter, enjoyment, and excitement. How high can I get the swing to go? How far did I climb? We want those same challenges and memories for our children. However, parents and educators need to remember that playground equipment that is not developmentally appropriate or has not been maintained can contribute to serious injuries due to falls.
Statistics indicate that nearly 70 percent of all playground injuries are related to falls to the surface. An important aspect of reducing playground injuries is to provide cushioned surfaces beneath and around equipment at depths appropriate to equipment height. Surfaces such as asphalt, cement, dirt, and grass are not acceptable surfaces under and around playground equipment.
NPPS strongly recommends that parents and other adults become proactive regarding the provision of appropriate surfaces at adequate depths. Parents can visually inspect the surfaces for any safety problems and be sure that children do not play on unsafe surfaces.
What are appropriate surfaces for playgrounds?
There are no perfect playground surfaces. Playground safety experts highly recommend the use of various loose-fill or synthetic surface materials. The selection of cushioned surfacing varies from playground to playground. Purchasers need to ask the following questions. Does it meet American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM) standards and CPSC guidelines? Does it have a proven track record in similar climates? Is it readily available? What are the maintenance costs? Will it meet the playground's needs as far as durability, drainage, and accessibility?
Acceptable loose-fill materials include hardwood wooden fiber, shredded rubber, sand, and pea gravel. Recommended synthetic surfaces include rubber tiles, rubber mats, or synthetic poured surfaces.
Loose-fill surfaces should be maintained to a depth proportionate to the height of the equipment. Manufacturers should provide testing results to indicate appropriate depth of surfacing materials.
New surface materials are being developed daily to help meet accessibility needs for disabled persons. Currently, the most generally accepted surfaces for wheelchair accessibility are uniform wood chips, rubber tiles, and poured-in-place surfaces. Playground planners should note that the whole play area may not need accessible surfacing. However, an accessible path should be provided to the equipment and accessibility should be made so that play opportunities are given to all children.
Where should surfacing be placed?
Cushioned surfaces should be placed in all playground use zones. Use zones are defined as the area under and around playground equipment where children may fall. The total surfacing space is dependent on the type of equipment at the playground. In general, the surface should extend a minimum of 6 feet in all directions from the edge of stationary playground equipment.
The use zones for slides higher than 6 feet can be determined by the height of the slide. For example, a 7 foot slide should have 7 foot of surfacing extending beyond the exit of the slide. The maximum amount of surfacing for the end of any slide is 8 feet.
The use zones for swings are twice the height of the pivot or swing hanger in front and in back of the swing seats. For example, if the hanger pivot height is10 feet, the use zone must be 20 feet in front and 20 feet in back of the swing structure. Surfacing should also extend six feet to each side of the swing.
What maintenance needs do surfacing materials have?
Maintenance costs and needs of surfacing materials vary. Loose-fill surfacing materials such as wood chips, sand, pea gravel, and shredded rubber have a lower initial cost, but tend to have higher maintenance needs.
In high-use areas, loose materials may need to be raked daily or tilled periodically to loosen compaction and replace materials that have been pushed away. Loads of loose material may need to be trucked in on an annual or semi-annual basis to keep the surface at an appropriate depth.
Synthetic materials such as rubber tiles and pour-in-place rubber also have maintenance needs. Repairs may need to be made to gouges, burns, and loose areas. Synthetic materials also may need to be swept frequently to prevent sand, dirt, rocks, or other loose materials from becoming a slipping hazard.
All surfacing material should provide good drainage. Drainage problems can cause inaccessibility and slipping hazards.
To learn more about playground surfacing materials, watch Safe Surfaces video.
