Matching articles for Playgrounds - Playground Safety Surfaces: 32
Feature Article - January 2016
Play equipment is meticulously designed to protect children from catastrophic injury, but it shouldn't eliminate risk entirely. Finding the right balance is important to encouraging children's growth without risking their health.
Problem Solver - August 2015
Talk to your manufacturer about the various elements that can affect the performance of your surface, from maintenance to weather, and more. And, don't forget that the more the surface is used, the less effective it may become. Some manufacturers offer post-installation field testing as part of the contract for a new surface. This can demonstrate the surface's effectiveness at your specific site. The clearest way to evaluate any safety surface is to conduct post-installation drop testing.
You'll occasionally need to top off the surface, adding more wood fiber, to maintain proper protection. Keep a schedule for staff members, and be sure to conduct regular inspections of the surface. Remove foreign objects and rake the fiber to keep the surface level.
Web Exclusive - March 2015
When First Baptist Church in Neches, Texas, decided to surface their playground with rubber mulch, they turned the whole installation experience into a fun time for all.
Feature Article - January 2015
Playground equipment and surfaces from well-known and respected manufacturers is designed with children's safety in mind, but the context of your site and the way products are installed can also have an impact, both now and over the life cycle of your equipment.
Supplement Feature - September 2014
Falls to the surface are the number one cause of injury on the playground, which is why it's so important that those surfaces are maintained regularly and composed of the appropriate materials to maximize safety and prevent serious injuries.
Feature Article - January 2014
From safety surfaces to properly designed equipment, there are myriad ways to decrease the likelihood that children will be injured on the playground.
Supplement Feature - September 2013
It wasn't always that way. In fact, not until 1975, when the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) analyzed playground safety hazards and guidelines, did the trend toward installing safer, shock-attenuating surfaces begin. After that study, woodchips, gravel, rubber and other "softer" materials began to replace harder surfacing materials like concrete, asphalt, hard-packed earth, grass and sand. And all those surfaces eventually had to meet guidelines first outlined in 1990, when the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed by Congress.
Facility Profile - September 2013
Here's how one community researched and found the right playground surface to meet their patrons' needs.
Problem Solver - August 2013
Talk with your manufacturer about making post-installation field testing a part of your contract for your new surface. Such testing will demonstrate how well the surface is performing for your specific site.
