
Owner’s Manual Play Set
Rev5/09/12
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. SECTION 4 OF THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION’S OUTDOOR HOME PLAYGROUND SAFETY
HANDBOOK
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X3.1 Select Protective Surfacing—One f the m st imp rtant things y u can d t reduce the likelih d f
seri us head injuries is t install sh ck-abs rbing pr tective surfacing under and ar und y ur play equipment. The
pr tective surfacing sh uld be applied t a depth that is suitable f r the equipment height in acc rdance with ASTM
Specificati n F 1292. There are different types f surfacing t ch se fr m; whichever pr duct y u select, f ll w these
guidelines:
X3.1.1 Loose-Fill Materials:
X3.1.1.1 Maintain a minimum depth f 9 inches f l se-fill materials such as w d mulch/chips, engineered
w d fiber (EWF), r shredded/recycled rubber mulch f r equipment up t 8 feet high; and 9 inches f sand r pea
gravel f r equipment up t 5 feet high. NOTE: An initial fill level f 12 inches will c mpress t ab ut a 9-inch depth f
surfacing vertime. The surfacing will als c mpact, displace, and settle, and sh uld be peri dically refilled t maintain at
least a 9-inch depth.
X3.1.2 Use a minimum f 6 inches f pr tective surfacing f r play equipment less than 4 feet in height. If
maintained pr perly, this sh uld be adequate. (At depths less than 6 inches, the pr tective material is t easily
displaced r c mpacted.) NOTE: D n t install h me playgr und equipment ver c ncrete, asphalt, r any ther hard
surface. A fall nt a hard surface can result in seri us injury t the equipment user. Grass and dirt are n t c nsidered
pr tective surfacing because wear and envir nmental fact rs can reduce their sh ck abs rbing effectiveness. Carpeting
and thin mats are generally n t adequate pr tective surfacing. Gr und level equipment such as a sandb x, activity wall,
playh use r ther equipment that has n elevated play surface – d es n t need any pr tective surfacing.
X3.1.3 Use c ntainment, such as digging ut ar und the perimeter and/ r lining the perimeter with landscape
edging. D n’t f rget t acc unt f r water drainage.
X3.1.3.1 Check and maintain the depth f the l se-fill surfacing material. T maintain the right am unt f l se-
fill materials, mark the c rrect level n play equipment supp rt p sts. That way y u can easily see when t replenish
and/ r redistribute the surfacing.
X3.1.3.2 Do not install l se-fill surfacing ver hard surfaces such as c ncrete r asphalt.
X3.1.4 Poured-In-Place Surfaces or Pre-Manufactured Rubber Tiles — Y u may be interested in using surfacing
ther than l se-fill materials – like rubber tiles r p ured-in-place surfaces.
X3.1.4.1 Installati ns f these surfaces generally require a pr fessi nal and are n t “d -it-y urself” pr jects.
X3.1.4.2 Review surface specificati n bef re purchasing this type f surfacing. Ask the installer/manufacturer f r
a rep rt sh wing that the pr duct has been tested t the f ll wing safety standard: ASTM F 1292 Standard Specificati n
f r Impact Attenuati n f Surfacing Materials within the Use Z ne f Playgr und Equipment. This rep rt sh uld sh w the
specific height f r which the surface is intended t pr tect against seri us head injury. This height sh uld be equal t r
greater than the fall height – vertical distance between a designated play surface (elevated surface f r standing, sitting, r
climbing) and the pr tective surfacing bel w – f y ur play equipment.
X3.1.4.3 Check the pr tective surfacing frequently f r wear.
X3.1.5 Placement — Pr per placement and maintenance f pr tective surfacing is essential. Be sure t :
X3.1.5.1 Extend surfacing at least 6 feet fr m the equipment in all directi ns.
X3.1.5.2 F r t -fr swings, extend pr tective surfacing in fr nt f and behind the swing t a distance equal t
twice the height f the t p bar fr m which the swing is suspended.
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This inf rmati n has been extracted fr m the CPSC publicati ns “Playgr und Surfacing — Technical
Inf rmati n Guide” and “Handb k f r Public Playgr und Safety.” C pies f these rep rts can be btained by sending a
p stcard t the: Office f Public Affairs, U.S. C nsumer Pr duct Safety C mmissi n, Washingt n, D.C., 20207 r call the
t ll-free h tline: 1-800-638-2772.