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CONSUMER INFORMATION SHEET FOR PLAYGROUND SURFACING MATERIALS*
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 F1292. There are
diff erent 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 eff ectiveness. 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.
Loose-Fill Materials—Maintain a minimum depth of 23 cm (9 inches) of
loose-fi ll materials such as wood mulch/chips, engineered wood fi ber
(EWF), or shredded/recycled rubber mulch for equipment up to 244 cm
(8 feet) high; and 23 cm (9 inches) of sand or pea gravel for equipment
up to 152 cm (5 feet) high. NOTE: An initial fi ll level of 30 cm (12 inches)
will compress to about a 23 cm (9 inches) depth of surfacing over time.
The surfacing will also compact, displace, and settle, and should be
periodically refi lled to maintain at least a 23 cm (9 inches) depth.
Use a minimum of 15 cm (6 inches) of protective surfacing for play
equipment less than 122 cm (4 feet) in height. If maintained properly,
this should be adequate. (At depths less than 15 cm (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 fi ll surfacing material. To
**The maximum fall height for this product is 63 5/16 in (161 cm).
We recommend using 6 in (15 cm) of Double Shredded Bark Mulch. * *
TABLE 1 — Depth of surfacing material required based on fall heights
Material / Fall Height
Wood Mulch
Wood Chips
Fine Sand
Fine Gravel
Shredded Rubber**
*This information has been extracted from the CPSC publication "Outdoor Home Playground Safety Handbook". A copy of
this publication can be obtained by contacting U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission at www.cpsc.gov or calling the
toll-free hotline: 1-800-638-2772
**Shredded/recycled rubber loose-fi ll surfacing does not compress in the same manner as other loose-fi ll materials. However, care
should be taken to maintain a constant depth as displacement may still occur. This information has been extracted from the CPSC
publication "Public Playground Safety Handbook". A copy of this publication can be obtained at www.cpsc.gov or calling the toll-
free hotline: 1-800-638-2772. Protective surfacing requirements can be found in ASTM F1292, Standard Specifi cation for Impact
Attenuation of Surfacing Material within the Use Zone of Playground Equipment. These standards can be ordered from ASTM
International at www.astm.org.
maintain the right amount of loose fi ll 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-fi ll 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 fi ll materials – like
rubber tiles or poured-in-place surfaces. Installation of these surfaces
generally requires a professional and is not a"do-it-yourself" project.
Review surface specifi cations 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
Specifi cation for Impact Attenuation of Surfacing Materials within
the Use Zone of Playground Equipment. This report should show the
specifi c 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 2 m (6.6 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.
For tire swings, extend surfacing in a circle whose radius is equal to
the height of the suspending chain or rope, plus 2 m (6.6 feet) in all
directions.
(122 cm)
(152 cm) (183 cm) (213 cm) (244 cm) (274 cm) (305 cm)
4 ft
5 ft
(15 cm)
(23 cm)
(23 cm)
6 in
9 in
(15 cm)
(23 cm)
(23 cm)
6 in
9 in
--
(15 cm)
6 in
(15 cm)
(23 cm)
6 in
9 in
(15 cm)
(15 cm)
(15 cm)
6 in
6 in
7
6 ft
7 ft
8 ft
(23 cm)
(23 cm)
9 in
9 in
9 in
(23 cm)
(23 cm)
9 in
9 in
9 in
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--
--
--
--
--
(15 cm)
(15 cm)
6 in
6 in
6 in
9 ft
10 ft
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--
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(15 cm)
(15 cm)
6 in
6 in
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