1. INTRODUCTION In recent years, it is estimated that there were more than 200,000 injuries annually on public playgrounds across the country that required emergency room treatment. By following the recommended guidelines in this handbook, you and your community can create a safer playground environment for all children and contribute to the reduction of playground-related deaths and injuries. 1.1 Scope This handbook presents safety information for public playground equipment in the form of guidelines. Publication of this handbook is expected to promote greater safety awareness among those who purchase, install, and maintain public playground equipment. Because many factors may affect playground safety, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) staff believes that guidelines, rather than a mandatory rule, are appropriate. These guidelines are not being issued as the sole method to minimize injuries associated with playground equipment. However, the Commission believes that the recommendations in this handbook along with the technical information in the ASTM standards for public playgrounds will contribute to greater playground safety. Some states and local jurisdictions may require compliance with this handbook and/or ASTM voluntary standards. Additionally, risk managers, insurance companies, or others may require compliance at a particular site; check with state/local jurisdictions and insurance companies for specific requirements. 1.2 Intended Audience This handbook is intended for use by childcare personnel, school officials, parks and recreation personnel, equipment purchasers and installers, playground designers, and any other members of the general public (e.g., parents and school groups) concerned with public playground safety and interested in evaluating their respective playgrounds. Due to the wide range of possible users, some information provided may be more appropriate for certain users than others. The voluntary standards listed in 1.4.1 contain more technical requirements than this handbook and are primarily intended for use by equipment manufacturers, architects, designers, and any others requiring more technical information. 1.3 What is a Public Playground? “Public” playground equipment refers to equipment for use by children ages 6 months through 12 years in the playground areas of: • Commercial (non-residential) child care facilities • Institutions • Multiple family dwellings, such as apartment and condominium buildings • Parks, such as city, state, and community maintained parks • Restaurants • Resorts and recreational developments • Schools • Other areas of public use These guidelines are not intended for amusement park equipment, sports or fitness equipment normally intended for users over the age of 12 years, soft contained play equipment, constant air inflatable play devices for home use, art and museum sculptures (not otherwise designed, intended and installed as playground equipment), equipment found in water play facilities, or home playground equipment. Equipment components intended solely for children with disabilities and modified to accommodate such users also are not covered by these guidelines. Child care facilities, especially indoor, should refer to ASTM F2373 —Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Public Use Play Equipment for Children 6 Months Through 23 Months, for more guidance on areas unique to their facilities. 1.4 Public Playground Safety Voluntary Standards and CPSC Handbook History • 1981 – First CPSCHandbook for Public Playground Safety was published, a two-volume set. • 1991 – Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surface Systems Under and Around Playground Equipment, ASTM F1292, was first published. • 1991 – Two-volume set was replaced by a single-volume handbook, which contained recommendations based on a COMSIS Corporation report to the CPSC(Development of Human Factors Criteria for Playground Equipment Safety). Handbook for Public Playground Safety 1
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTkzMzk=