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\Ves Sutton, director of <br />engineering for Gametime, <br />Fort Pa)ne, AIa., says to look <br />out for any tripping hazards <br />inside and outside the play- <br />ground area. Tree roots and <br />borders are common problems <br />that should be minimized as <br />much as possible. Low-hang* <br />ing trees can also be a hazard. <br /> "The Consumer Product <br />Safety Commission has done <br />studies on different surface <br />materials and has a chart that <br />references the fall height that <br />would relate to the surfacing <br />material, The park owner would refer to <br />that chart to maintain their surfacing to <br />that leveL" says Darryt Rarich, compli- <br />ance manager for Playworld Systems, <br />Lewisburg, Pa. <br /> <br /> ~7 <br /> <br />Surfacing should be as uniform and smooth as possible with <br />an even depth, and well-drained. Poor surfacing maintenance <br />is cited as one of the major causes of playground injuries. <br /> <br />enough so that wheelchairs can ride on <br />it; it may be the only natural surface <br />that's ADA-compliant." <br /> After surfacing, the playground <br />equipment needs to be checked for pro- <br /> <br /> Curtis Cleveland, director of engi-:; ,trusions and sharp edges. Moving parts <br />neering for Playworld adds, "There's also n~ed to be looked at to make sure they're <br />engineered wood fiber, a shredded operating Correctly and that there are no <br />wood product sized correctly to create a stress cracks or fractures in such things as <br />matted surface that's resilient, yet firm S-hooks that could cause a failure. <br /> <br /> A good idea is to do an <br /> audit of the equipment to <br /> make sure that it's compliant <br /> with current standards, like <br /> ASTM and CPSC. Keep good <br /> maintenance records so that <br /> future audits pay specie{ atten- <br /> tion to items of note. It may be <br /> a slight crack that doesn't cur- <br /> rently pose a problem, but may <br /> down the road. Good records <br /> ensure that the item in ques- <br /> tion is eyed more closely on <br /> subsequent audits. <br /> According to American <br />Playground Corporation, <br />Anderson, Ind., the following is a suggest- <br />ed general maintenance checklist of pri- <br />mary items... Surfacing, general hazards <br />(like sharp points, protrusions and entrap- <br />ments), equipment deterioration (like <br />rust, cracks and splinters), hardware secu- <br />rity (like loose or worn pieces), drainage, <br />paint (look out for cracking paint and <br />paint chips) and general upkeep (keeping <br />the park free from debris and litter). ~,~ <br /> <br />Take a <br />doser look <br />at RCI... <br /> <br />HERE'S WHERE THE FUN BEGINS! <br />Our one-piece 'triple thrill' Tri-Wing Flyer slide is <br />only one of many innovative, age appropriate ideas <br />you'll find in our 2002 catalog. See dozens of park <br />and playground innovations, theme structures and <br />high-activity play centers. Ask about our exclusive <br />earth-friendly PlasTECH® recycled plastic uprights. <br /> <br /> RECR rlON <br /> CR rlONS inc. <br /> P.O. 80;4 76S Hilisdaie, k,l149242 <br /> FAX: 5 ! 7.439.1878 <br />Visit our Web site: www. rec-creatio~s,c~m <br />or phone 800.766.9458 <br /> <br />Circle Reader Service 11706 <br /> I .... Ix~rks.ndreebusi ........ I August 2002 I PAI:IKS~REC BUSII,11~SS ~ <br /> <br /> <br />