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

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Handbook for Playground Safety 2.5.4 Paints and finishes • Metals not inherently corrosion resistant should be paint- ed, galvanized, or otherwise treated to prevent rust. • The manufacturer should ensure that the users cannot ingest, inhale, or absorb potentially hazardous amounts of preservative chemicals or other treatments applied to the equipment as a result of contact with playground equipment. • All paints and other similar finishes must meet the current CPSC regulation for lead in paint (0.06% [600ppm] maximum lead by dry weight).' • Painted surfaces should be maintained to prevent corrosion and deterioration. • Paint and other finishes should be maintained to prevent rusting of exposed metals and to minimize children play- ing with peeling paint and paint flakes. • Older playgrounds with lead based paints should be iden- tified and a strategy to control lead paint exposure should be developed. Playground managers should consult the October 1996 report, CPSC Staff Recommendations for Identifying and Controlling Lead Paint on Public Playground Equipment.' 2.5.5 Wood • Wood should be either naturally rot- and insect -resistant (e.g., cedar or redwood) or should be treated to avoid such deterioration. • Creosote -treated wood and coatings that contain pesticides should not be used. 2.5.5.1 Pressure -treated wood A significant amount of older playground wood was pres- sure -treated with chemicals to prevent damage from insects and fungi. Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) was a chemi- cal used for decades in structures (including playgrounds). Since December 31, 2003, CCA-treated wood is no longer processed for use in playground applications. Other rot- and insect -resistant pressure treatments are available that do not contain arsenic; however, when using any of the new treated wood products, be sure to use hardware that is compatible with the wood treatment chemicals. These chemicals are known to corrode certain materials faster than others. Existing playgrounds with CCA-treated wood Various groups have made suggestions concerning the appli- cation of surface coatings to CCA-treated wood (e.g., stains and sealants) to reduce a child's potential exposure to arsenic from the wood surface. Data from CPSC staff and EPA studies suggest that regular (at least once a year) use of an oil- or water -based, penetrating sealant or stain can reduce arsenic migration from CCA-treated wood. Installers, builders, and consumers who perform woodworking opera- tions, such as sanding, sawing, or sawdust disposal, on pres- sure -treated wood should read the consumer information sheet available at the point of sale. This sheet contains important health precautions and disposal information. When selecting wood products and finishes for public play- grounds, CPSC staff recommends: • Avoid "film -forming" or non -penetrating stains (latex semi -transparent, latex opaque and oil -based opaque stains) on outdoor surfaces because peeling and flaking may occur later, which will ultimately have an impact on durability as well as exposure to the preservatives in the wood. • Creosote, pentachlorophenol, and tributyl tin oxide are too toxic or irritating and should not be used as preserva- tives for playground equipment wood. • Pesticide -containing finishes should not be used. • CCA-treated wood should not be used as playground mulch. 2.6 Assembly and Installation • Strictly follow all instructions from the manufacturer when assembling and installing equipment. • After assembly and before its first use, equipment should be thoroughly inspected by a person qualified to inspect playgrounds for safety. • The manufacturer's assembly and installation instructions, and all other materials collected concerning the equip- ment, should be kept in a permanent file. • Secure anchoring is a key factor to stable installation, and the anchoring process should be completed in strict accor- dance with the manufacturer's specifications. ' Title 16, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1303; Ban of Lead -Containing Paint and Certain Consumer Products Bearing Lead -Containing Paint; Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office: Washington, DC. CPSC Staff Recommendations for Identifying and Controlling Lead Paint on Public Playground Equipment; U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Washington, DC, October 1996. 12