The Value of Shade on the Playground

The Consumer Products Safety Commission in their publication "Handbook for Playground Safety"  (publication 325) cites a reference to the American Academy of Dermatology research indicating that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer during their lifetime.  Sunburn, heated bare metal, hot platforms, hot steps and ground surfacing heated enough to burn children are all referenced concerns.   Sun exposure is one of the major risk factors for melanoma, others forms of cancer and early aging of the skin.  Sunlight, whether direct of reflected contains ultraviolet rays, known as UVA and UVB.  UVA rays damage the skin by drying and creating wrinkles.  UVB rays are the cancer causing type, and damage can last a lifetime.   This isn't an issue only referring to sun bathing or tanning salon visits.   Sun exposure during early childhood may account for up to 80% of our lifetime totals.   The UVA and UVB rays seem to take most of the publicity and blame.  Sunscreens are recommended with high SPF ratings when our children are outdoors.   Perhaps UV rays aren't the only risk.

One line in the CPSC recommendations stands out as somewhat odd, if not impossible.  While conducting a playground inspection for a client, I stopped on the entry referring to a slide being oriented so it is out of direct sunlight.   I was a bit confused by the thought of trying to somehow rotate the structure I was looking at so that the slide wouldn't be in direct sunlight.  In my longitude and latitude, direct or indirect sunlight is going to strike that slide from sunrise to sunset.     I have now started paying attention to exactly how hot things are on the playground.   

Using an infrared laser thermometer I obtained a temperature from every surface I could think of during a playground inspection.  The results are nothing less than shocking:

Ambient Temperature   96F (as a reference point, the thermometer on the wall outside this building would say it was this temperature outside)

Concrete Sidewalk enroute to playground 102F

Blue ramp into playground         (in sun)               125F

                                                         (in shade)           90.8F

Black border timber perimeter  (in sun)               130F

                                                         (in shade)           99.9F

Engineered Wood Surfacing       (in sun)               128.3F

                                                         (in shade)           87.7F

Coated metal deck                        (in sun)              105F,111.5F

                                                         (in shade)           91F,92.4F

PVC Roto-Molded Slide               (in sun)                100.8F

                                                         (in shade)           86F

PowderCoated Steel Post            (in sun)               93.9F

                                                          (in shade)          89.3F

Metal Climber                                (in sun)               90.4F                    

I remember learning to dip my wrist or elbow into the bath water to ensure the water temperature wasn't too hot, around 100F or less.  I learned to set my hot water heater to 110F to prevent scalds.  Some of the temperatures above are far higher than what would be expected to cause a first degree burn.   Children have thinner skin than adults and will react to these temperatures more quickly or more severely than to the adults supervising the children at play on the playground.     I was able to find a reference (burnfoundation.org) that states a 3rd degree burn can occur from hot water at 140F in 15 seconds.   With the temperature reading on the wood surfacing under the playground at 128F, the very material meant to protect lives may be causing a risk.    More than 15 seconds on the playground seems like a somewhat regular occurrence.  While the burn statistics I can find seem to be water related, 20 minutes on a playground with temperature readings this high seems to be somewhat more than only a risk to our children. 

I will continue to look for a way to orient a slide out of direct sunlight.  In the meanwhile, I think we need a shade cover over the playground!

Playground Accessibility Requirements

In 2010 ADA standards were announced and scheduled to take effect (compliance) by March 15, 2012.   Recreation facilities are included in this new standard and include exercise and play areas.    The standards were orginally published in 2004 by the U.S. Access Board and now these areas must meet all of the same requirements as other public and commercial areas.  Routes must now be considered to allow children access not only in a wheelchair, but with many other physical impairments. We must now include ground play components on an accessible route. 

There is a huge up front cost difference in engineered wood fiber (also known as EWF or playground mulch) and unitary surfacing (tile or poured in place).  While the surfacing choice is not mandated, accessibility and maintenance is.   Trying to maintain wood surfacing in a play area requires more attention and regular replenishment.   Keeping all areas filled to required depth of material is complicated along the main path to the entrance (stairs) and around slides or other exits.   Areas beneath swings, like around slide exits, seem to have perpetual ruts.   Using unitary surface materials keeps this more consistent in impact protection.   At a minimum consider traffic or wear pads at these high traffic areas. 

For more information, recently published 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design (U.S. Department of Justice)  helps to identify, highlight and illustrate areas that should be considered when planning, designing, maintaining or retrofitting of a playground.  The 2005 U.S. Access Board, Summary of Accessibility Guidelines for Play Areas is also a good tool with illustrations and examples to aid in your planning. 

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DunRite Playgrounds welcomes...

SMITHVILLE ISD	Smithville	12/20/2011	13a	TX
DIBOLL ISD	Diboll	01/02/2012	07a	TX
BUFFALO PUBLIC SCHOOLS	Buffalo	01/02/2012	24a	OK
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MADISONVILLE, CITY OF	Madisonville	01/02/2012	04c	TX
PROSPER, TOWN OF	Prosper	01/02/2012	10c	TX
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BUFFALO ISD	Buffalo	01/02/2012	06a	TX

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What is HOT DIP GALVANIZATION

HOT-DIPPED GALVANIZING requires vent holes in all closed channel or pipe prior to dipping, which allows galvanizing to occur both inside and out.  The metallic coating produced by the hot-dipped galvanizing process is the result of a metallurgical reaction called diffusion. The finished product consists of four layers adhered to the steel. The outer layer is pure zinc and the three inner layers are separate intermetallic layers that are metallurgically bonded to each other and the steel. The galvanized coating literally becomes part of the steel substrate, thus creating a superior adhesion bond between the two materials, which provides excellent abrasion resistance. Hot-dipped zinc galvanizing provides cathodic protection to the underlying steel. This means that in the event of a scratch or chip (1/4" length and/or width) the zinc will corrode instead of the steel. Hot-dipped galvanization substantially increases the useful life of steel.

Added by Nasir 12/31/2011
Hot-dip galvanizing is a form of galvanization. It is the process of coating iron, steel, or aluminum with a thin zinc layer, by passing the metal through a molten bath of zinc at a temperature of around 860 °F (460 °C).

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What is POWDER Coating?

POWDER COATING is an advanced method of applying a decorative and protective finish to a wide range of materials and products that are utilized by both industry and consumers. The powder used for the process is a mixture of finely ground particles of pigment and resin, which is sprayed onto the surface to be coated. The charged powder particles adhere to the electrically grounded surfaces until heated and fused into a smooth coating in a curing oven. The result is a uniform, durable, high-quality, and attractive finish. This outer layer of material is often applied over other coatings or primed surfaces, such as zinc or polymer layers

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Why & How to get a Playground Inspected

(from nrpa.org document 5141)
The Why... In the time that it will take you to surf our website and learn about playground safety, a child will be severely injured and admitted to an emergency room as a result of a playground accident. It is estimated that each year, over 205,850 such injuries occur in the United States. This year, approximately fifteen children will die from injuries as a result of a playground accident.


The National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI) has identified twelve of the leading causes of injuries on playgrounds, and have subsequently published The Dirty Dozen - A Checklist for Safe Playgrounds, a brochure that identifies and discusses these twelve most common safety concerns of playgrounds. By familiarizing yourself with The Dirty Dozen, you can inspect your local playground to see how safe it is.

As parents and caregivers, we are responsible for providing safe play opportunities for our children. Should you identify any of the issues brought up in The Dirty Dozen, notify the owner/operator of the play area of the condition so that they may take steps to eliminate the hazards.

Being knowledgeable about the 12 most common hazards found among play areas gives you the upper edge in the fight to help keep children safe. However, this does not give you the right to "inspect" playgrounds to the point where you've now become a "playground cop".

This is where Certified Playground Safety Inspectors come into play. Certified Playground Safety Inspectors (CPSI's) are trained professionals who have the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to complete playground audits and inspections once hired by an owner/operated to do so. The role of the CPSI is to provide an insight into unsafe conditions, and provide recommendations on how to alleviate and correct potential problems. This is generally done in the form of a written report. It is then up to the owner/operator of the play area to make the corrections.

The How... CPSI's inspect and perform audits on PUBLIC playgrounds only. This does not include residential or "private" playgrounds. What defines a public playground, are two things: Generally, a public playground is anchored into the substrate or surface - as opposed to the playground equipment pieces that simply 'sit' on top of the ground.

Generally speaking, if there may be 6 or more children who are not related to each other in one play area, the playground may be considered "Public". Often times, public playgrounds include daycare facilities, church or religious facilities, schools, and more.

Please contact DunRite Playgrounds for information on having your playground inspected .

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Swing Sets

We hear a lot of question about swing sets!  Swing and slide are probably the most popular playground events.  Swingsets, swing seats and components should be the right type, style and size for the intended age group of use.

General Rules
1. Locate swings or other moving and rotating equipment away from other play equipment.   Note where children circulate and place your swing set outside of the circulation path.  You don't want children cutting through the swing chains enroute to other features!  This would suggest not putting your swing at the entrance to the playground.

2. In commercial playgrounds, a swing must NOT be attached to any other structure.  This is one easy way to spot residential equipment.  If the swing is attached to a play fort, climber or monkey bar- you are most looking at residential playground equipment.  Swings should discourage climbing or any type of play other than the swing seat itself. 

3. There MUST be a use zone.  This is the protected area around the physical swing structure itself.  Children need to be able to safely circulate AROUND the equipment, not cut through.   The safety zone also prescribes the area AROUND the equipment that needs to have safety surfacing installed. 

4. There MUST be no more than TWO seats in a bay.  A bay is the area between the outside posts.  A typical A-Frame style unit with a horizontal bar in the middle is a ONE BAY design.   A TWO BAY design would have legs on the outside and then legs in the middle to separate the bays.

Helpful Definitions
TO-FRO SWING: Swing moves on a single axis, such as forward and backward.

SWING HANGER: This is where a lot of the action ends up.  Where the chain meets the structure, the axis or pivot point.  You should see some sort of a bearing, bushing or mechanism that reduces the friction that occurs from the constant back and forth motion.   A spring loaded clip that resembles something you would hang your bathtub curtain with, regardless of the material, it likely a residential component. 
SWING BEAM: The top bar or where the chains attach at the top.  This may be constructed from wood or metal.   Wood beams are likely to violate some commercial requirements and are likely residential grade. 
ATTACHMENT: Your chain is connected to the seat below and pivot mechanism at top by an S-Hook, clevis or shackle.  The S-HOOK has some fine print about how it needs to be closed to prevent injury.  A clevis or shackle may resemble something of a horseshoe shape.  They should always be securely closed, usually with a specialized tool to prevent tampering.
SURFACING:  With the greater number of playground injuries coming from falls to the surface, the area below the swing and the USE ZONE around it must be appropriately covered.  This often comes at a great expense due to the required size of the zone.  Safety needs to come before budget.  If you can't afford the surfacing, postpone the swing structure. 
USEFUL Measurements
There are DOZENS of teeny little specifications that apply to each age group and style structure.  If you aren't in the manufaturing business, you probably don't want to read all the fine print required for this department.  Consult a professional to assist you with determining what standards SHOULD apply, and does your chosen equipment meet the appropriate requirements.

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