Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 06/10/2021

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Handbook for Playground Safety • 1994 — Minor revisions to the Handbook. • 1997 — Handbook was updated based on (1) staff review of ASTM F1487, (2) playground safety roundtable meet- ing held October 1996, and (3) public comment received to a May 1997 CPSC staff request. • 2005 — First version of voluntary standard for playground equipment intended for children under two years old, ASTM F2373 — Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Public Use Play Equipment for Children 6 Months Through 23 Months, was published. • 2008 — Handbook was updated based on comments received from members of the ASTM F15 Playground Committees in response to a CPSC staff request for sug- gested revisions. Significant revisions are listed below. 1.4.1 ASTM playground standards Below is a list of ASTM standards that relate to playgrounds: • F1487 Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use. • F2373 Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Public Use Play Equipment for Children 6 Months through 23 Months. • F1292 Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surface Systems Under and Around Playground Equipment. • F2075 Standard Specification for Engineered Wood Fiber for Use as a Playground Safety Surface Under and Around Playground Equipment. • F2223 Standard Guide for ASTM Standards on Playground Surfacing. • F2479 Standard Guide for Specification, Purchase, Installation and Maintenance of Poured -In -Place Playground Surfacing. • F1951 Standard Specification for Determination of Accessibility of Surface Systems Under and Around Playground Equipment. • F1816 Standard Safety Specification for Drawstrings on Children's Upper Outerwear. • F2049 Standard Guide for Fences/Barriers for Public, Commercial, and Multi -Family Residential Use Outdoor Play Areas. • F1148 Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Home Playground Equipment. • F1918 Standard Safety Performance Specification for Soft Contained Play Equipment. 1.5 Significant Revisions for 2008 1.5.1 Equipment guidelines • Age ranges expanded to include children as young as 6 months based on ASTM F2373 • Guidelines for track rides and log rolls added • Exit zone requirements for slides harmonized with ASTM F1487 1.5.2 Surfacing guidelines • Critical height table revised • Suggestions for surfacing over asphalt added 1.5.3 General guidelines • Suggestions on sun exposure added 1.5.4 Other revisions • Editorial changes to make the Handbook easier to under- stand and use 1.6 Background The safety of each individual piece of playground equipment as well as the layout of the entire play area should be consid- ered when designing or evaluating a playground for safety. Since falls are a very common playground hazard pattern, the installation and maintenance of protective surfacing under and around all equipment is crucial to protect chil- dren from severe head injuries. Because all playgrounds present some challenge and because children can be expected to use equipment in unintended and unanticipated ways, adult supervision is highly recom- mended. The handbook provides some guidance on supervi- sory practices that adults should follow. Appropriate equip- ment design, layout, and maintenance, as discussed in this handbook, are also essential for increasing public playground safety. A playground should allow children to develop gradually and test their skills by providing a series of graduated challenges. The challenges presented should be appropriate for age - related abilities and should be ones that children can per- 2