Playground Fall Surfacing
It has been reported that more than 70% of all injuries that occur on the playground involve falls, and the majority of those injuries involve children falling onto unsafe surfaces. It's imperative that the appropriate safety surface is installed, taking into consideration the fall height of each structure. With the proper amount of safety surfacing serious injuries from falls can be prevented or minimized.
Start with the correct materials
At Struthers we recommend Engineered Wood Fiber, Poured-in-Place Rubber, or Synthetic Turf for most applications. As with all things there's different pros and cons for each. Engineered Wood Fiber safety surfacing is probably the most popular. It's the most economical to start with, but does require more maintenance and additional material fill-ins over the years. Poured-in-Place Rubber surfacing may be more expensive to being with, but has less maintenance costs over the lifetime of the playground. Synthetic Turf is also another great option and is cooler to the touch than some other surfaces.
Depending on the budget restraints and other factors we can help you decide which will be best for your project.
Fall Heights are Major Influencers
Equipment that is more than five feet high can more than double the probability of injury on a playground. Choosing the correct surfacing for the fall height of the playstructure is extremely important. Also, different materials will protect better for higher or lower fall heights.
If you are unsure if your playground surfacing is appropriate we can help.
Keep an Eye on the Depth of Loose-Fill Materials
Over time the depth of loose-fill materials can be reduced to dangerous levels. While EWF (engineered wood fiber) is expected to compact and provide a safe surface for your play area, over time it can become too compacted or be thrown out. For maximum fall protection check with your installer to see when you'll need to add more EWF to your site. Our plastic border has an inside measurement line that can help monitor your current fill-level which can make monitoring your EWF levels much simpler.
At Struthers Recreation we're #SeriousAboutSafety and want to ensure your children the best play experience while being safe at the same time.
