When deciding on what safety surfacing is right for your playground, a few questions should be asked:
What is the initial price vs. total cost of ownership?
What long-term maintenance resources are required?
Will it meet accessibility requirements?
Does it meet ASTM Fall Protection Requirements?
How much replenishment is required and how often?
Is it aesthetically pleasing to look at? Will it beautify our park Space?
INITIAL COST TO PURCHASE
We have polled some of the largest dealer/suppliers and purchasers of EWF across the country and asked them
questions regarding the cost to own an EWF site for an average sized playground. For the purposes of this study,
we have chosen to work with a site of 2,000 sq. ft.
MAINTENANCE/ACCESSIBILITY/FALL PROTECTION
In order to ensure compliance with ASTM Regulations, all surfaces must meet the following requirements:
> ASTM F1292 is the Standard for Impact Attenuation of Surfacing within the Use Zone of Playground Equipment.
If a child were to fall from the play structure to the safety surface below, the surface will absorb the impact and
prevent critical head injuries.
> ASTM 1951 is the Determination of Accessibility of Surface Systems Under and Around Playground Equipment.
The Standard discusses that the surface below must be firm and flat and not restrict the maneuverability of anyone
that accesses the play area with or without mobility issues. Can a child or guardian navigate the playground with
minimal effort in a wheelchair or walker?
In order for EWF to meet these standards, frequent visits from a maintenance technician will be required to rake
and compact the loose fill back to it’s location.
Suppliers recommendation for time spent maintaining ranged from 1 hr per week to 3.5 hrs (0.5 hrs per day). How
much time can your technicians actually spend fulfilling this task? Generally, these labor forces have been greatly
reduced and they are faced with being asked to do more with less. Required time on leveling the EWF often gets
overlooked and the surfacing quickly becomes non-compliant.
REPLENISHMENT
Even with a proper maintenance program, EWF will get kicked out of the play area, found in pockets, and found
in shoes. It is a natural product – over time, it will start to decompose. In order to keep the product in compliance,
you will need to replenish. Suppliers and end users polled are budgeting between 25-40% of the original purchase
every year.
AESTHETICS
The safety surface under the play equipment is also a play feature for the playground. A colorful surface evokes
a world of imagination for a child. Jumping from rock to rock or being on an island surrounded by shark-infested
waters. The child’s mind will create their own games.
A loose-fill surface will also create games of digging deep holes, creating mountains and having “snowball fights”.
This will displace the surfacing material. As a result, frequent raking and leveling will be required by local
maintenance staff.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:
1 ) What could your maintenance team be doing with their time if they were not maintaining your loose-fill systems?
2) What happens when a glass bottle breaks within a loose-fill surfacing area? Will you be able to find all of the
remnant glass particles?
3) What happens if dirty syringes or other drug paraphernalia are found within your site? Will you be able to
locate and safely remove before a child comes in contact with them?
ANSWER: Remove and either sieve through current product or remove and replace with new product.
4) What happens if your area sees flood waters or high winds that disperse your EWF throughout the schoolyard
or park?
ANSWER: Replace with new product.
