How to Plan and Prepare Your Outdoor Space for Playground Equipment Installation

Spring is here, making it the perfect time to assess your outdoor area so you can have a safe, fun and engaging playground space ready for children this summer. Whatever your outdoor venue may be – a park, school or HOA community – proper planning and consideration is necessary before installing any playground equipment. If you’re contemplating adding new playground equipment to your existing space or plan to build a new playground area, this helpful guide will make sure you’re prepped and compliant before your playground equipment installation. 

CREATING A SAFE SPACE FOR CHILDREN

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates there are nearly 200,000 playground injuries every year, and many are directly linked to poor design, surfacing, and equipment conditions. Moreover, the National Program for Play Area Safety (NPPAS) reports that more than 70% of all playground injuries involve falls, and the majority of those falls are due to unsafe surfaces. 

NPPAS advocates the S.A.F.E. model – a blueprint based on research and best practices that ensures the creation, maintenance and update of safe and healthy play areas for children. S.A.F.E. consists of four elements: Supervise, Appropriate Design, Fall Area Protection and Equipment & Environmental Maintenance. Together, these elements provide valuable considerations and guidelines for playground equipment owners. 

The CPSC has also compiled a comprehensive Public Playground Safety Handbook for public and commercial playgrounds. It includes a wealth of information, including recommendations and ASTM standards you can follow as you ready your outdoor playground space. 

When planning out your commercial playground area and determining where to place the equipment in the use zones (the surface under and around playground equipment), keep the following spacing and surface guidelines in mind:

• Protective surfacing must extend at least 6 feet in all directions from the perimeter of most stationary playground equipment.
• The entire playground use area must also have protective surfacing as children travel from one piece of play equipment to another.
• Play structures with platforms or play surfaces over 30 inches high must be spaced at least 9 feet apart.
• Benches, fences, curbs or walkways are not allowed in playground use zones.

PREPARING YOUR PLAYGROUND SITE

While the S.A.F.E. model and CPSC Public Playground Safety Handbook will provide you with more specific guidelines, we’ve compiled a list of basic steps needed to prepare your outdoor playground space before the equipment can be installed. 

1. After deciding which playground equipment you want to install on your site, reference the plan view drawing of your playground to locate all the structures within your site and confirm that the placement of the structures meets all required clearances.
2. Remove all asphalt, concrete and other hard surface debris from the entire site, then grade the ground as close to level as possible to create the safest possible environment for the playground. 
3. Check the local soil and drainage conditions within the site area. Proper drainage around the structures and their supports is critical. Reach out to local contractors in your area to understand the proper recommendations and to inspect your work.
4. Check with local authorities regarding building codes, permit needs, and requirements before beginning your installation. 
5. Your site must be separated from water hazards, such as swimming pools, ponds or lakes, and distanced from highways, roads and any steep hills or cliffs. If you plan to enclose the playground area with a fence, make sure it conforms to local building codes and/or ASTM F-2049.
6. Have your site surveyed and marked for underground utilities before doing any excavation.

Proper preparation is the key to ensuring a solid, safe, and compliant playground area. Foregoing just one of these recommended prep steps can result in expensive repairs and potential injuries in the future.

PLAN YOUR PLAYGROUND NOW FOR SUMMER ENJOYMENT

Planning and prepping your outdoor space for playground equipment installation takes considerable time and a coordinated effort between people inside and outside of your organization. But, by following researched and field-tested guidelines by trusted agencies, you can create a safe and entertaining outdoor playground for children this summer that will give you and parents peace of mind.