June 2014 - Parks & Recreation - 77

quency to help the G-max levels stay
consistently within the acceptable safety range over the course of a season or
two. If that isn't working, that's a clue
that another factor may be the issue.
For synthetic fields, it could mean more
aggressive maintenance is necessary,
indicating that you should consult your
vendor and design professional.

of competition don't have the capacity or resources to maintain that same
kind of rigorous program to ensure
the turf is at safe levels.
Keeping the G-Max Low
The best course for keeping G-max
levels under the recommended standard, particularly on synthetic fields,
depends on the level of play and the
field system in place. Padded systems
on fields reserved for only one sport
per season, for instance, will be easiest to keep in the lower G-max value
range. But for many schools, cities
and organizations, that kind of exclusivity isn't reality. In all cases, the most
effective means for keeping a field in
its best and safest playing condition is
aggressive, field-specific maintenance.
Depending on the field - most are
sand rubber over a stone base - and
the level of play, a maintenance schedule should include a series of checks
and improvements throughout the
year. For a synthetic field, that could
include regularly checking infill depths
to make sure the infill is uniform
across the field as originally intended
by the turf vendor. This check could be
conducted in conjunction with grooming. Conducting a G-max test at least
once a year is also recommended. But
a field's shock resistance may lessen
over the course of a season, depending

This simple gauge helps determine if turf
infill on a field meets safe levels for play.

on play and the type and compatibility of the rubber and sand, so testing it
more frequently ensures the levels stay
in that lower range.
Maintenance is just as important
for natural turf, too. Annual aeration
is critical to decompacting the soil for
the turf plants and helps the attenuation level of the natural grass level.
Maintaining sufficient grass cover is
also critical in providing a safe field.
After conducting these sorts of regular field investigations, you get to know
how the field reacts to your level of play
and how attenuation levels change, so
you can tweak the maintenance fre-

Although artificial turf and infill materials
vary, improvements to artificial field technology are helping park and recreation agencies
protect athletes of all ages in their facilities.

Getting Started
If you haven't yet developed a schedule
or program for testing your fields for
safety, the first place to start is with your
field vendor. Not only are they most
familiar with the field systems in place,
but they will likely be able to coordinate
G-max testing for you. In fact, for new
fields, owners may want to consider
making field safety testing a part of the
installation contract or warranty. The
contract or warranty language can ensure the turf stays below a G-max value
of 165 for the length of the warranty.
If your athletic department hosts
a variety of turf systems, you may
want to consider contacting a testing
lab to devise an annual contract since
the complexity and variety of surface
materials may go beyond the scope
of the original installation company's
work. Or, a good field design consultant can certainly assess your fields
and recommend a plan for regular
testing throughout the year.
The issue of safety, and concussions
in particular, will only continue to get
more scrutiny at all levels of play. While
the field system and regular testing
can help, maintenance is truly the best
means for keeping your turf in the safe
zone and doing your best to ensure the
field is one less safety issue for players,
coaches and parents to worry about.
David Nardone is a Principal and Athletic
Field Specialist at design firm Stantec (david.
nardone@stantec.com).

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June 2014 - Parks & Recreation

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