The Design Guide stands on the shoulders of other advancements that have been made in the outdoor play industry. The goal of this section is to raise awareness of those developments and standards. This Design Guide is designed to be used in conjunction with the guidelines and laws that exist to advance inclusion and safety in the playground. Any suggestions made in this guide do not supersede the requirements listed below.
American with Disabilities Act (ADA)
ADA is a wide-ranging US civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. Disability is defined by the ADA as “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity.” Section 240 of the 2010 Standards provides scoping for play areas, and section 1008 provides technical requirements for play areas. Section 240.1 of the 2010 Standards sets requirements for play areas for children ages 2 and over and covers separate play areas within a site for specific age groups, Section 1008.2.6 of the 2010 Standards provides technical requirements for accessible ground surfaces for play areas on accessible routes, clear floor or ground spaces, and turning spaces.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
The CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction Because many factors may affect playground safety, the CPSC staff believes that guidelines, rather than a mandatory rule, are appropriate. These guidelines are not being issued as the sole method to minimize injuries associated with playground equipment. However, the Commission believes that the recommendations in Public Playground Safety Handbook along with the technical information in the ASTM standards for public playgrounds will contribute to greater playground safety. The Public Playground Safety Handbook can be found at http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/325.pdf. Assistance on regulations can be gotten from a Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI). The National Parks and Recreation Association (www.nrpa.org) has a registry in order to find a local CPSI.
For more information: http://www.access-board.gov/
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
ASTM International, formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), is a globally recognized leader in the development and delivery of international voluntary consensus standards The standards that must be followed for playgrounds are: ASTM F1487-07a - Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public use. As well as ASTM F1292-09 - Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surface Materials within the Use Zone of the Playground Equipment. For more information: http://www.astm.org/Standards/F1487.htm http://www.astm.org/Standards/F1292.htm
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Guidelines & Laws
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