Other News Video |
Underfoot At The Playground -- Smart, Safe Choices
Content Provided By IPEMA
IPEMA (ARA) - Ask any child about their favorite playground activities and they may mention the swings, slides, bars or various other playground games and equipment. What you are not likely to hear from anyone, though, is anything about the surface they play on. Yet it is the foundation of all safe play on the playground, and something parents need to pay close attention to as their kids trot off to swing, jump and play games.
Often, playground maintenance activities performed by a community or playground owner include checking for obvious signs of wear and tear on playground equipment. These all need to be reviewed and repaired, but the most common threat of noncompliance on playgrounds is right under kids' feet -- the surfacing. Playground surfacing is also susceptible to weather and wear and tear, and some surfaces need constant maintenance to ensure safety. More than 80 percent of injuries on playgrounds occur from falls. Installation and proper maintenance of an International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) certified, American with Disabilities (ADA) compliant and shock-absorbent surface material can help minimize this risk of injury.
Kids today can have very different experiences on the playground than many parents did as children. Parents remember the days of asphalt, concrete and grass surfacing on playgrounds -- these are no longer considered compliant. The new, impact attenuating surface materials on playgrounds are the result of extensive research to determine the best ways to prevent life-threatening injuries from falls while maintaining universal functionality.
Types of Surfacing
According to the IPEMA, there are several types of modern playground surfacing you're likely to see on playgrounds today:
* Engineered Wood Fiber -- Engineered wood fiber (EWF) is manufactured from natural wood fibers that are often surplus "cut offs" that are a part of the lumber manufacturing process. It is non-toxic and does not contain chemicals or artificial ingredients. EWF is typically made of virgin wood and scientifically manufactured to meet American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards.
* Poured-in-Place -- Poured-in-place (PIP) surfacing is made from rubber granules, urethane and recycled tire buffings that are mixed and installed on site. Generally PIP consists of a cushion layer of resilient rubber that is bound together with a top wear course installed over the cushion layer. The wear course is typically made from a durable and colorful rubber or can be a synthetic turf grass-like material.
* Rubber Mulch -- Rubber mulch consists of granular rubber particles, also referred to as rubber chunks, nuggets and shredded rubber. It is primarily made from recycled tire rubber that is cleaned and often colored.
* Rubber Tiles -- Rubber tiles consist of granular rubber particles that are cleaned and formed together into a uniform tile. They are primarily made from processed recycled rubber tires combined with a colorful binding agent.
Importance of Safe Play
The biggest mistake in the modern playground is that not enough attention is paid to the surfacing. Too often, there are very tall playground structures towering over a surface of sand or pea gravel which does not afford adequate impact attenuation for the fall heights of the equipment nor meet ADA requirements for accessibility. Other times there are wood chips and mulch that are made from a city's wood chipper and dispersed under a playground -- it may offer some impact attenuation but generally has not been tested and can decompose rapidly and can give the children, parents and owner operators a false sense of security.
The most important action to take to ensure a safe playground surface is to work with IPEMA member companies for adequate, safe surfacing material and require that the products that you're putting in your play environment are IPEMA-certified.
To learn more about IPEMA's playground equipment and surfacing program, visit www.ipema.org. To learn more about the important benefits of play for children, visit www.voiceofplay.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Often, playground maintenance activities performed by a community or playground owner include checking for obvious signs of wear and tear on playground equipment. These all need to be reviewed and repaired, but the most common threat of noncompliance on playgrounds is right under kids' feet -- the surfacing. Playground surfacing is also susceptible to weather and wear and tear, and some surfaces need constant maintenance to ensure safety. More than 80 percent of injuries on playgrounds occur from falls. Installation and proper maintenance of an International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) certified, American with Disabilities (ADA) compliant and shock-absorbent surface material can help minimize this risk of injury.
Kids today can have very different experiences on the playground than many parents did as children. Parents remember the days of asphalt, concrete and grass surfacing on playgrounds -- these are no longer considered compliant. The new, impact attenuating surface materials on playgrounds are the result of extensive research to determine the best ways to prevent life-threatening injuries from falls while maintaining universal functionality.
Types of Surfacing
According to the IPEMA, there are several types of modern playground surfacing you're likely to see on playgrounds today:
* Engineered Wood Fiber -- Engineered wood fiber (EWF) is manufactured from natural wood fibers that are often surplus "cut offs" that are a part of the lumber manufacturing process. It is non-toxic and does not contain chemicals or artificial ingredients. EWF is typically made of virgin wood and scientifically manufactured to meet American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards.
* Poured-in-Place -- Poured-in-place (PIP) surfacing is made from rubber granules, urethane and recycled tire buffings that are mixed and installed on site. Generally PIP consists of a cushion layer of resilient rubber that is bound together with a top wear course installed over the cushion layer. The wear course is typically made from a durable and colorful rubber or can be a synthetic turf grass-like material.
* Rubber Mulch -- Rubber mulch consists of granular rubber particles, also referred to as rubber chunks, nuggets and shredded rubber. It is primarily made from recycled tire rubber that is cleaned and often colored.
* Rubber Tiles -- Rubber tiles consist of granular rubber particles that are cleaned and formed together into a uniform tile. They are primarily made from processed recycled rubber tires combined with a colorful binding agent.
Importance of Safe Play
The biggest mistake in the modern playground is that not enough attention is paid to the surfacing. Too often, there are very tall playground structures towering over a surface of sand or pea gravel which does not afford adequate impact attenuation for the fall heights of the equipment nor meet ADA requirements for accessibility. Other times there are wood chips and mulch that are made from a city's wood chipper and dispersed under a playground -- it may offer some impact attenuation but generally has not been tested and can decompose rapidly and can give the children, parents and owner operators a false sense of security.
The most important action to take to ensure a safe playground surface is to work with IPEMA member companies for adequate, safe surfacing material and require that the products that you're putting in your play environment are IPEMA-certified.
To learn more about IPEMA's playground equipment and surfacing program, visit www.ipema.org. To learn more about the important benefits of play for children, visit www.voiceofplay.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
