Each year, U.S. hospital emergency rooms see more than 200,000 children with injuries associated with playgrounds, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The most common injuries occur when a child falls from the equipment onto the ground, which is why it is so crucial to install proper playground safety surfacing beneath equipment.
There are several different types of playground safety surfacing. Here are a few reasons to consider poured-in-place safety surfacing.
Maintenance Matters
While loose-fill surfacing like wood mulch comes with the lowest price tag, it is very maintenance-intensive. Loose-fill surfacing gets dispersed from critical areas, such as under swings, at slide runouts and in other areas of heavy use. In order to maintain the necessary depth of the loose-fill, it must be regularly raked back into place—a maintenance-intensive task for your staff. Poured in-place surfacing stays where it’s installed, making it virtually maintenance-free.
In addition, hazardous materials like needles and other sharp items might be dropped and quickly lost on loose-fill surfacing. Such objects are easily seen and swept or picked up from the top of poured-in-place surfaces.
Accessibility
If you want to ensure that your play area is as inclusive as possible, poured-in-place surfacing offers the most accessible option. It is much more easily traversed by children using mobility devices like wheelchairs and walkers.
It’s also important to keep caregivers in mind. Many children visit the playground with their grandparents or older caregivers. Loose-fill surfacing is less steady under foot, making it
less appealing for these older visitors as well as children. Poured-in-place surfacing, on the other hand, provides an even, steady surface, with no trip hazards.
Eye-Catching Designs
When you really want your playground to pop, poured-in-place surfacing provides a colorful, appealing design element. Because it is available in a variety of colors, poured-in-place gives you the ability to extend your playground’s aesthetic to the surface below. You can complement your playground’s theme by adding colorful stars, flowers or other elements, add a different color to create a spiraling pathway—the only limit is your creativity.
For More Information
Surface America
800-999-0555
www.surfaceamerica.com