Playground Surfacing (Last Updated 07/16/2008)
U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) staff is supporting voluntary standard activities associated with playground surfacing for:
- ASTM F1292, Method to Test Attenuation of Safety Surfacing for Playgrounds,
- ASTM F2223, Standard Guide for ASTM Standards on Playground Surfacing,
- ASTM F2373, Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Public Use Play Equipment for Children 6 Months through 23 Months, and
- ASTM F2479, Standard Guide for Specification, Purchase, Installation and Maintenance of Poured-In-Place Playground Surfacing.
A 2001 special study of playground-related injuries found an estimated 205,850 injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments in 1999. Most injuries were related to falls from equipment, and fractures were the most commonly reported injury. Only about 9 percent of home locations where injuries occurred had proper protective surfacing, most often sand. Dirt and grass were, by far, the most prevalent surfaces present under the equipment; these are surfaces that do not adequately protect children from serious head injury when they fall.
Safety Handbook: In 2008, CPSC staff revised the Public Playground Safety Handbook to address hazards associated with public playgrounds. This handbook highlights the most important safety information that code officials, builders, child care facility operators, and consumers can use to plan, construct, and maintain an outdoor playground. This handbook is intended as guidance for playgrounds in public areas, parks, and commercial child care facilities.
Additional Information
Fact Sheets:
Incident Data:
CPSC Staff Reports, Memoranda and Contracts:
Contact ASTM International
For additional information, contact Len Morrissey at lmorriss@astm.org or ASTM International at http://www.astm.org
Contact CPSC
For additional information or to comment, please contact cpsc-os@cpsc.gov
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