Specs for Playground Sets

CPSC

• The United States Consumer Products Safety Commission created a document in 1991 that addresses safety issues in outdoor playgrounds called "A Handbook for Public Playground Safety, Vol. I." Specifications included in the guidelines encompass fall zones and acceptable materials for such zones, entrapment dangers and handrail height. For example, CPSC guidelines say that railings on all surfaces should be 20 inches above the ground and barriers need to be 30 inches high.

ASTM

• ASTM is the American Society for Testing and Materials. In 1993, it produced a publication that is often used in conjunction with the CPSC's 1991 publication. It is called "Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specifications for Playground Equipment for Public Use," and contains many specifications for playground equipment. These include guidelines for swing clearance, materials and numbers, the use of ropes, strings and cables, and the covering of protrusions.

Local Ordinances

• States and sometimes local governments create regulations about playground specifications. Although they often conform to the ASTM and CPSC specs, there are usually local variations that must be followed.

ADA

• The ADA is the Americans with Disabilities Act, and it lays out certain specifications for outdoor playgrounds that will make them accessible for all children. Not all playground facilities must be accessible, but some should be. For example, it states that gates and pathways should be 44 inches wide to accommodate wheelchairs and walkers.