Page 5 - Manual – Construction frame G21 – for garden swing

CONSUMER INFORMATION SHEET FOR PLAYGROUND SURFACING MATERIALS
Injuries from falling to the ground surface tend to be among the most serious of all playground
injuries and have the potential to be fatal, particularly when it is head injury. The surface under and
around playground equipment can be a major factor in determining the injury-causing potential of
a fall. It is self-evident that a fall on to a shock-absorbing surface is less likely to cause a serious
injury than a fall onto a hard surface. Playground equipment should never be placed on hard
surface such as concrete or asphalt. While grass may appear to be acceptable, it may quickly turn
to hard-packed earth in areas of high traffic. Shredded bark mulch, wood chips, fine sand or fine
gravel are considered to be acceptable shock absorbing surfaces when installed and maintained
at a sufficient depth under and around playground equipment.
Table B.1 lists the maximum height from which a child would not be expected to sustain a life-
threatening head injury in a fall on to four different loose-fill surfacing materials if they are installed
and maintained at depths of 150 mm, 225 mm and 300 mm.
Table B.1 – Fall height in millimeters from which a life-threatening head injury would not be expected
Depth of surfacing material
150 mm 225 mm 300 mm
Double shredded bark mulch 1800 3000 3300
Type of Wood chips 1800 2100 3600
material Fine sand 1500 1500 2700
Fine gravel 1800 2100 3000

However, it just be recognized that all injuries due to falls cannot be prevented, no matter what
surfacing material is used.
It is recommended that a shock absorbing material extend a minimum of 180 cm in all directions
from the perimeter of stationary equipment such as climbing frames and slides. However, because
children may deliberately jump from a moving swing, the shock absorbing material should extend
in the front and rear of a swing a minimum distance of twice the height of the pivot point measured
from a point directly beneath the pivot on the supporting structure.
This information is intended to assist in comparing the relative shock-absorbing properties of
various materials. No particular material is recommended over another. However, each material is
only effective when properly maintained. Materials should be checked periodically and replenished
to maintain correct depth as determined necessary for the equipment in question. The choice
of material depends on the type and height of the playground equipment, the availability of the
material in a particular area and its cost.
This information has been extracted from the CPSC publications “Playground Surfacing – Technical
Information Guide” and “Handbook for Public Playground Safety”.

The English version of the manual is an exact translation of the original manufacturer‘s instructions.
Images used in this manual are for illustrational purposes only and may differ from the actual product.