6 ft. Slide Exit Zone H Denotes Use Zone with Protective Surfacing 6 ft. 6 ft. min, 8 ft. max Figure 21. Use zone for stand-alone slides 3 Handbook for Public Playground Safety • Projections up to 3 inches in diameter should not stick up more than 1/8 inch from the slide. • There should be no gaps at the tops of slides where the slide chute connects with the platform that can entangle clothing or strings. • See Appendix B for full recommendations and details of the protrusion test procedure. 5.3. . Other sliding equipment Equipment where it is foreseeable that a primary use of the component is sliding should follow the same guidelines for entanglement that are in 5.3.6.7. 5.3.7 Spring rockers Toddlers and preschool-age children enjoy the bouncing and rocking activities presented by spring rockers, and they are the primary users of rocking equipment. See Figure 22. Older children may not find it challenging enough. • Seat design should not allow the rocker to be used by more than the intended number of users. 5.3. .5 Slide use zone Toddlers: • In a limited access environment – The use zone should be at least 3 feet around the perimeter of the slide. – The area at the end of the slide should not overlap with the use zone for any other equipment. • In public areas with unlimited access – For a stand-alone slide, the use zone should be at least 6 feet around the perimeter. – For slides that are part of a composite structure, the minimum use zone between the access components and the side of the slide chute should be 3 feet. – The use zone at the end of the slide should be at least 6 feet from the end of the slide and not overlap with the use zone for any other equipment. Preschool- and school-age (see Figure 21): • The use zone in front of the access and to the sides of a slide should extend a minimum of 6 feet from the perimeter of the equipment. This recommendation does not apply to embankment slides or slides that are part of a composite structure (see §5.3.9). • The use zone in front of the exit of a slide should never overlap the use zone of any other equipment; however, two or more slide use zones may overlap if their sliding paths are parallel. • For slides less than or equal to 6 feet high, the use zone in front of the exit should be at least 6 feet. • For slides greater than 6 feet high, the use zone in front of the exit should be at least as long as the slide is high up to a maximum of 8 feet. 5.3. . Fall height The fall height for slides is the distance between the transition platform and the protective surfacing beneath it. 5.3. . Entanglement hazard Children have suffered serious injuries and died by getting parts of their clothing tangled on protrusions or gaps on slides. To reduce the chance of clothing entanglement:
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