Safety is paramount when considering any public area – and especially when you are specifying play areas for children. You are responsible and accountable for specifying a safe surface – make sure the surface meets all safety requirements.

There are European (EN), American (ASTM) and British (BS) Standards that should be considered when specifying the requirements for the new surface of a play area. Different surfaces will provide varying levels of safety protection and you need to ensure that the surface you choose meets with the appropriate standards for the type of play area you are providing.

Things to consider include:

• Fall Height – depending on the play equipment already in place, you will need to ensure that the surface specified meets the Critical Fall Height of the tallest piece of equipment in situ. Look for compliance with existing standards EN.1176:2008 and EN.1177:2008. To assess the Critical Fall Heights and to calculate the thickness of play surfacing required click here.
• Head Impact Criteria (HIC) – different thickness of the surface will provide varied HIC. Ensure the surface you choose meets the standard you need to comply with. Visit the play safety section of the RoSPA website (www.rospa.co.uk) for details.
• Slip resistance – ensure that the surface you choose will not become a wet or dry slip hazard.
• Resistance to indentation and ignition. Click here for an example of test results on wet-pour surfacing.
• Ensure that the supplier understands your requirements and they can provide you with copies of test Certificates that prove their products comply with current standards. Click here for examples.