Owner’s Manual Play Set
Rev5/20/10 BRS
APPENDIX A
Information on Playground Surfacing Materials:
The following information is from the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission’s
Information Sheet for playground surfacing material; also see the following website for additional
information: www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/323.html.
X3. CONSUMER INFORMATION SHEET FOR PLAYGROUND SURFACING MATERIALS
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X3.1 The U.S. Consumer Pro uct Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that about 100,000 playgroun equipment-
relate injuries resulting from falls to the groun surface are treate annually in U.S. hospital emergency rooms. Injuries
involving this hazar pattern ten to be among the most serious of all playgroun injuries, an have the potential to be
fatal, particularly when the injury is to the hea . The surface un er an aroun playgroun equipment can be a major
factor in etermining the injury-causing potential of a fall. It is self evi ent that a fall onto a shock-absorbing surface is
less likely to cause a serious injury than a fall onto a har surface. Playgroun equipment shoul never be place on
har surfaces such as concrete or asphalt an while grass may appear to be acceptable it may quickly turn to har
packe earth in areas of high traffic. Shre e bark mulch, woo chips, fine san or fin gravel are consi ere to be
acceptable shock absorbing surfaces when installe an maintaine at a sufficient epth un er an aroun playgroun
equipment.
X3.2 Table X3.1 lists the maximum height from which a chil woul not be expecte to sustain a life-threatening hea
injury in a fall onto four ifferent loose-fill surfacing materials if they are installe an maintaine at epths of 6, 9, an 12
in. However, it shoul be recognize that all injuries ue to falls cannot be prevente no matter what surfacing material
is use .
X3.3 It is recommen e that a shock absorbing material shoul exten a minimum of 6 ft in all irections from the
perimeter of stationary equipment such as climbers an sli es. However, because chil ren may eliberately jump from a
moving swing, the shock absorbing material shoul exten in the front an rear of a swing a minimum istance of 2
times the height of the pivot point measure from a point irectly beneath the pivot on the supporting structure.
X3.4 This information is inten e to assist in comparing the relative shock-absorbing properties of various materials. No
particular material is recommen e over another. However, each material is only effective when properly maintaine .
Materials shoul be checke perio ically an replenishe to maintain correct epth as etermine necessary for your
equipment. The choice of a material epen s on the type an height of the playgroun equipment, the availability of the
material in your area, an its cost.
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This information has been extracte from the CPSC publications “Playgroun Surfacing — Technical
Information Gui e” an “Han book for Public Playgroun Safety.” Copies of these reports can be obtaine by sen ing
a postcar to: Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Consumer Pro uct Safety Commission, Washington, D.C., 20207 or call the
toll-free hotline: 1-800-638-2772.
The American Society for Testing an Materials takes no position respecting the vali ity of any parent right
asserte in connection with any item mentione in this stan ar . Users of this stan ar are expressly a vise that
etermination of the vali ity of any such parent rights, an the risk of infringement of such rights, are entirely their own
responsibility.
The stan ar is subject to revision at any time by the responsible technical committee an must be reviewe
every five years an if not revise , either approve or with rawn. Your comments are invite either for revision of this
stan ar or for a itional stan ar s an shoul be a resse to ASTM Hea quarters. Your comments will receive
careful consi eration at a meeting of the responsible technical committee, which you may atten . If you feel that your
comments have not receive a fair hearing you shoul make your views known to the ASTM Committee on Stan ar s.
100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428.
