Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 07/08/2021

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Handbook for Playground Safety Layer 5: Impact mats under swings Layer 4: Loose -fill surfacing material Layer 3: Geotextile cloth Figure 1. Installation layers for loose -fill over a hard surface 2.5 Equipment Materials 2.5.1 Durability and finish • Use equipment that is manufactured and constructed only of materials that have a demonstrated record of durability in a playground or similar setting. • Finishes, treatments, and preservatives should be selected carefully so that they do not present a health hazard to users. 2.5.2 Hardware When installed and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions: • All fasteners, connectors, and covering devices should not loosen or be removable without the use of tools. • All fasteners, connectors, and covering devices that are exposed to the user should be smooth and should not be likely to cause laceration, penetration, or present a cloth- ing entanglement hazard (see also §3.2 and Appendix B) . • Lock washers, self-locking nuts, or other locking means should be provided for all nuts and bolts to protect them from detachment. • Hardware in moving joints should also be secured against unintentional or unauthorized loosening. • All fasteners should be corrosion resistant and be selected to minimize corrosion of the materials they connect. This is particularly important when using wood treated with ACQ/CBA/CA-B2 as the chemicals in the wood preserva- tive corrode certain metals faster than others. • Bearings or bushings used in moving joints should be easy to lubricate or be self-lubricating. • All hooks, such as S-hooks and C-hooks, should be closed (see also §5.3.8.1). A hook is considered closed if there is no gap or space greater than 0.04 inches, about the thick- ness of a dime. 2.5.3 Metals • Avoid using bare metal for platforms, slides, or steps. When exposed to direct sunlight they may reach tempera- tures high enough to cause serious contact burn injuries in a matter of seconds. Use other materials that may reduce the surface temperature, such as but not limited to wood, plastic, or coated metal (see also Slides in §5.3.6) . • If bare or painted metal surfaces are used on platforms, steps, and slide beds, they should be oriented so that the surface is not exposed to direct sun year round. Ammoniacal copper quat (ACQ), copper boron azole (CBA), copper azole type B (CA-B), etc. 11