Consumer Information Sheet for Playground Surfacing Materials(1)

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that about 100,000 playground equipment-related injuries resulting from falls to the ground surface are treated annually in U.S. hospital emergency rooms. Injuries involving this hazard pattern tend to be among the most serious of all playground injuries, and have the potential to be fatal, particularly when the injury is to the head. The surface under and around playground equipment can be a major factor in determining the injurycausing potential of a fall. It is self evident that a fall onto 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 surfaces such as concrete or asphalt and 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.

The following table lists the maximum height from which a child would not be expected to sustain a life-threatening head injury in a fall onto four different loose-fill surfacing materials if they are installed and maintained at depths of 6, 9 and 12 inches. However, it should be recognized that all injuries due to falls cannot be prevented no matter what surfacing material is used.

* This product was referred to as Wood Mulch in previous versions of this handbook. The term Wood Chips more accurately describes the product.
** This product was referred to as Uniform Wood Chips in previous versions of this handbook. In the playground industry, the product is more commonly known as Engineered Wood Fibers.
*** This data is from tests conducted by independent testing laboratories on a 6 inch depth of uncompressed shredded tire samples produced by four manufacturers. The tests reported critical heights which varied from 10 feet to greater than 12 feet. It is recommended that persons seeking to install shredded tires as a protective surface request test data from the supplier showing the critical height of the material when it was tested in accordance with ASTM F1292.

It is recommended that a shock absorbing material should extend a minimum of 6 feet in all directions from the perimeter of stationary equipment such as climbers 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 2 times 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 your equipment. The choice of a material depends on the type and height of the playground equipment, the availability of the material in your area, and its cost.

(1) This information has been extracted from CPSC publications “Playground Surfacing - Technical Information Guide” and “Handbook for Public Playground Safety.” Copies of these reports can be obtained by sending a post card to the: Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207 or call the toll-free hotline: 1-800-638-2772.