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Safety

While it's impossible to prevent all injuries on a playground, the surfacing one chooses can help not only reduce the severity of injuries from falls (particularly head injuries), but also prevent minor injuries from tripping and such.  The best surfaces, therefore, maintain consistent protection against falls as well as resisting environmental factors and hiding foreign objects.

 

Safety

Winners

Unitary surfaces like synthetic turf and poured-in-place rubber tend to be the safest surfaces due to their consistent, even and cushioning qualities.  Since they cannot be displaced, they don't require constant raking and there is little chance of children choking on the material. These surfaces are also less susceptible to environmental factors, such as cold or humid weather, which can reduce the impact attenuation abilities of loose-fill materials.

synthetic turf is a winner when it comes to safety
Synthetic Turf

Synthetic turf is arguably the safest unitary surfacing material since it combines foam underlayment padding that provides excellent protection against greater fall heights with a soft, kid-friendly surface that mimics natural grass.

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synthetic turf for safety
Safety

Losers

As a general rule, loose-fill surfaces are not as safe as unitary surfaces because they get displaced so easily and compact over time.  So, while their impact attenuation properties may be great initially, the reality is that loose fill materials tend to get displaced from high traffic areas under monkey bars, slides, swings and other equipment where they are needed most. 

  • Uneven surfaces can cause trips or falls
  • Materials get spread onto walkways causing slipping hazards
  • Small children eat, throw or use materials in unsafe manner
  • Can hide dangerous items like broken glass or sharp objects
rubber mulch - not ideal for safety
Sand & Pea Gravel
wood mulch - not ideal for safety
Rubber Mulch & Nuggets
engineered wood mulch - not ideal for safety
Engineered Wood Fiber Mulch
pea gravel and other loose fill options rank lower for safety

Need Help Specifying The Best Surface For Your Playground?

Contact one of our playground surfacing specialists.
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