According to ASTM F1292, the ability of any surfacing system to cushion falls and reduce injury will diminish over the systems life cycle due to regular wear and tear, aging, UV exposure, temperature fluctuations and other factors
Courtesy of GroundsDek

Playground safety surfacing is governed by a standard called ASTM F1292. The technical name for the document is the Standard specification for impact attenuation of surfacing materials within the use zone of playground equipment.

The ASTM F1292 standard was designed to ensure that all materials used as playground safety surfacing meet a minimum level of fall protection. The standard contains information regarding minimum levels of safety performance as well as methods of testing potential surfacing materials both in a laboratory setting as well as at the playground after installation.

ASTM F1292 is a 23-page highly technical document and even a careful read can prove to be too technical to provide meaningful information to the average reader. In spite of its technical nature it is an extremely important and relevant document for anyone considering the purchase of playground safety surfacing. For this reason GroundsDek provided five things that you should know about the standard before evaluating playground surfacing materials.

1. The standard is based on scientifically proven methods for testing safety performance. In order determine whether or not a surfacing material is acceptable for use as playground safety surfacing, each surface must be tested according to the guidelines set forth in the standard.

2. The key concept here is that these values are the maximum threshold which must never be exceeded at any time over the entire life cycle of the product.

3. The standard Illustrates the relationship between HIC and Gmax levels and the likelihood of various type of injuries.

4. The standard allows for stricter guidelines. The 1292 standard recognizes that the safety values set forth within it are the maximum allowable limits and are also limits designed around the prevention of serious head trauma only. When evaluating playground surface materials it is wise to look for products that that provide the lowest possible HIC ratings that are achievable within your budget.

5. The standard allows for testing in the field. Most users evaluate the safety performance of a surfacing material based primarily on the test documents provided by the manufacturer before purchase. The test documents provided from the manufacturer should be certified documents from a third party accredited laboratory. Many owners and specifiers are requiring a post installation field test of the surface as a mandatory deliverable within the contract.