Playground Guide - 2017 - 16

based on the height of the top of the slide bedway vertically measured to the protective surfacing below the slide exit?
It does not seem logical when the embankment slide bedway
must not be more than 12 inches above the embankment. Since
the vertical fall heights along the side of the embankment slide
bedway are limited to 1 foot and the exit height cannot exceed
15 inches, the need to calculate fall height using the existing
criteria for a free-standing slide did not make sense. The subcommittee agreed that the velocity of the user and subsequent
impact at the exit required more consideration. The new requirement is based on the velocity and discharge forces at the
exit. Other international playground standards recommend
that the slide exit use zone for an embankment slide have a
minimum 40-inch fall height. The current critical heightsurfacing requirements of F1292 state the critical height rating
of the surfacing must be in full feet measurements. Therefore,
the critical height of the impact attenuating surfacing within
the slide exit use zone must be greater than or equal to 48 inches. The embankment slide exit must also end on a protective
surfacing use zone that is not part of the embankment, as well
as meet the requirements of the slide exit clearance zone.

New Rotating Equipment Definition
Designers have pushed the envelope of creativity when it
comes to the rotating equipment; however, the hazards have
not changed. New types of rotating equipment that have
emerged, and the ASTM F15.29 Subcommittee has identified the hazards associated with this type of equipment:
ejection/falls to the surface, collisions with other users, impact with equipment and impact with adjacent equipment/
supports. The ASTM Subcommittee looked at the many
new and different types of rotating equipment, and these
new performance requirements are intended to address the
above-mentioned safety issues. They make a distinction between rotating equipment intended to be sat on, stood on or
hung from by the user's hands and equipment, such as sand
diggers and steering wheels, which does not rotate freely and
is intended to be manually manipulated.
Previously, any rotating equipment with a diameter of less
than or equal to 20 inches with designated play surfaces of less
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Parks & Recreation

than or equal to 30 inches above the adjacent underlying surface can have overlapping 72-inch use zones. Rotating equipment with a diameter greater than 20 inches could not overlap
any other use zone, but composite structures were allowed to
have overlapping use zones. Clearance requirements have not
been specifically addressed within the standard other than for
a few types of equipment, such as swings and slides. Designers
and manufacturers have been responsible for controlling clearance dimensions that would address the probability of the user
impacting another part of the playground equipment, including adequate space for user circulation. So, why should rotating equipment attached to a composite structure be allowed
without having to comply with the same clearance and use
zone requirements for freestanding rotating equipment?
Rotating equipment is now defined as either vertical or
horizontal, and most of the new requirements are based on
the overall diameter of the equipment, not just the diameter
of the platform. Rotating equipment that revolves repeatedly about either a vertical axis (merry-go-round) or horizontal axis (logroll) can be at different angles, provided certain
clearance tolerances are met. It is the angle of the plane of
rotation that differentiates the two types or rotating equipment. The deciding factor is the location of the fixed plane
of rotation in relation to a point 45 degrees from horizontal.
This section also addresses rotating equipment which incorporates other climbing and/or rotating components on top
of rotating equipment.
Vertical Rotating Equipment: Size Matters
Rotating equipment with a maximum dimension greater than
20 inches measured from the axis of rotation to the outmost
perimeter is key in applying these new requirements. In other words, the outermost diameter of the rotating equipment
would be greater than 40 inches. Generally, it must have a
perimeter that is approximately circular and within 2 inches
between the minimum and maximum radii. Any component
that extends beyond the outer perimeter shall be designed
to minimize the likelihood of hazardous impact during use.
Rotating equipment with a maximum dimension less than
or equal to 20 inches measured from the axis of rotation to
the outmost perimeter may be noncircular in shape. Rotating
equipment designed for climbing shall also meet the requirements for climbers.
Clearance and Use Zone Issues
Accessible, barrier-free design has helped with the evolution
of rotating play events. Historically, rotating equipment
had to have a minimum underside clearance of 9 inches.
Now, rotating equipment platforms could be flush to the

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Playground Guide - 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Playground Guide - 2017