Swing-N-Slide Scout - Playground Surfacing Materials

To Next Page

To Previous Page

PLAYGROUND SURFACING MATERIALS

SECTION 4 OF THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION'S OUTDOOR HOME

PLAYGROUND SAFETY HANDBOOK

Select Protective Surfacing

Oneofthemostimportantthingsyoucandotoreducethelikelihoodofseriousheadinjuriesistoinstallshock-absorbingprotective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

SpecificationF1292.Therearedifferenttypesofsurfacingtochoosefrom;whicheverproductyouselect,followtheseguidelines:

NOTE:Donotinstallhomeplaygroundequipmentoverconcrete,asphalt,oranyotherhardsurface.Afallontoahardsurfacecanresultinserious

injurytotheequipmentuser.Grassanddirtarenotconsideredprotectivesurfacingbecausewearandenvironmentalfactorscanreducetheir

shockabsorbingeffectiveness.Carpetingandthinmatsaregenerallynotadequateprotectivesurfacing.Groundlevelequipment-suchasa

sandbox,activitywall,playhouseorotherequipmentthathasnoelevatedplaysurface-doesnotneedanyprotectivesurfacing.

Maximum fall height for this playset is 85''.

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poured-in-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F1292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.

Placement

Properplacementandmaintenanceofprotectivesurfacingisessential.Besureto



Extendsurfacingatleast6feetfromtheequipmentinalldirections.



Forto-froswings,extendprotectivesurfacinginfrontofandbehindtheswingtoadistanceequaltotwicetheheightofthetopbarfromwhichthe

swingissuspended.

