ASTM: American Society for Testing and Materials.
Creates safety standards for many industries, inlcuding playgrounds for public use, home use, children under two, soft-contained playgrounds, playground fencing, playground & sports surfacing, trampolines, sports gear, amusement rides, etc.
Some or all of the playground safety standards are law in some states, and for some entities who have adopted it into their bylaws.

The current version of the Public Use Playground Standard is #F1487-07ae1, published in 2007. The next revision is expected to be published in 2010. The current version of the Public Use Playground Fencing Standard is #F2049-09b.

ASTM is a volunteer non-profit organization, and they are always looking for potential members of various categories. Interested parties are always welcome to attend meetings. They can become a member and learn the extensive process that we go through to make a Standard. Member categories include Manufacturers ("Producers"), Owner/Operators ("Users"), Consultants and General Interest. It is a forum for all concerned parties to express their own interests and ideas so that we can all come to an agreement on each issue at hand. This is a time-consuming process where, like laws, changing them reduces injuries and saves lives.

CPSC: United States Consumer Product & Safety Commission.
Created the U.S. - C.P.S.C. Safety Guidelines on Public & Home Playground Equipment. Also issues a checklist on Soft Contained Play Equipment (SCPE), as well as recalls of specific products of all kinds.
The Public Use playground Guidelines #325 are law in some states and for some entities who have adopted it into their bylaws.

The original version of the Public Use playground Guidelines #325 was published in 1981. The next revision was published in September of 1991. The revision after that was published in September of 1994. The revision after that was published in September of 1997, but was re-released in November of 1997 with minor corrections. The latest revision came out on April 21, 2008.

QUESTION:
Do we have to follow any rules on playground fencing?

ANSWER: A fence is not always required. If the ASTM #F2049 Playground Fencing Standard or the CPSC #325 Guidelines are adopted into law in your state (like California for example), then of course you have to. If not, then it is still a prudent thing to do. The ASTM #F2049 Playground Fencing Standard began in the year 2000. CPSC references this ASTM Standard in Section 2.1 of the #325 CPSC Guidelines. The recommendations and requirements stated are saving children's lives by keeping them contained and supervised, keeping the vehicles from crashing into the playground, and keeping children from running into bodies of water and drowning, running into a street, parking lot and getting run over, etc. A fence is not always required. However, if certain hazards are within 200 feet of the playground, then it is. The fence cannot be climbable, which eliminates common chain link fencing UNLESS you install clear slats to prevent climbing. It cannot have bolts, latches, etc. that are protrusions within 54 inches above grade. Refer to ASTM Standard #F2049 for more.

QUESTION:
How long does it take for the ASTM Standards or CPSC Guidelines to take effect?

ANSWER: It is standard in this industry to allow approximately 6 months to expect anyone to adhere to any Standards or Guidelines. Keep in mind that not everyone will be aware of rules that apply to playgrounds, sports facilities, etc.

QUESTION:
We are BUYING NEW EQUIPMENT and they say it complies, so why should we get a design or bid evaluation performed before we purchase, and a site audit after it is installed?

ANSWER:
Our evaluations and audits are performed purely with safety, play value, and lowest cost in mind for the owner. Also, the supplier can then make the sale.

Most suppliers have done a MUCH better job in complying with the Standards and Guidelines. They SINCERELY believe their interpretations are correct, and many times they ARE. There are still many times when changes have to be made on new equipment though. Keep in mind that although an IPEMA certification is a great start, it only promises compliance to most (not "all") Sections of ASTM. It does NOT verify compliance to any of CPSC or Federal ADA rules which you must also comply with. IPEMA shows compliance according to how the unit was set up at the time of assembly at the plant, on the individual components, not on how you might actually have it designed, laid out, and installed. It also does not take into consideration human error in manufacturing, packaging, shipping, installation, etc. Only a third party auditor can check your site for true compliance.

QUESTION:
WE INSPECT OUR OWN sites, and even have our own Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) or child care inspector. Isn't that enough?

ANSWER:
Although you show an above average amount of interest by going to this extent, there are some concerns to address. First, if your inspector is using anything short of the CORRECT 13-piece tool kit, then it is not being performed the right way. Out of over 2,600 site audits, not one site has ever passed the INITIAL audit, including those sites that have NEW equipment! Some individual pieces may have passed, but the overall site never has, until corrections were made and then a Certificate of Compliance was issued.

Don't assume that being newly certified to inspect playgrounds brings the novice to the same level as someone with years of audit, design, expert witness, or manufacturing experience. Auditing your own sites (or even having a manufacturer's rep. perform this service) might award you a "bias self-inspection" accusation in court. Although having your own CPSI is a big plus, and is considered a necessary step, like all of the other safety options available to you such as safety labels, supervision, etc., they are not cure-alls by themselves. If you have your own CPSI then you can KEEP it at the level of safety achieved AFTER a third party has audited your site(s) since you are probably not consistently in the business of designing, auditing, and being an expert in this field. It is ideal to have someone with extensive experience performing a variety of audits in a variety of locations, is without conflict of interest or bias, is insured, etc. See the "QUALIFICATIONS" below.

It also makes a great deal of difference in the quality of your audits, program reviews, etc., to have someone who is an active voting member of ASTM so they can have a BETTER INTERPRETATION of the Standards and Guidelines. The goal is to be certain that you do not miss ANYTHING in your audits, otherwise it can hurt you in the courtroom, but more importantly, a child can get hurt or killed!

Ask your auditor if they are performing the required maximum 50 lbf. entrapment tests, checking for signage deficiencies (see below), entrapment, protrusions, whirl velocities, ADA compliance, fencing, etc. Are they using a checklist that is updated with the most current ASTM Standards and the CPSC Guidelines that lists EVERYTHING there is to check for? MOST IMPORTANTLY, do they have the CORRECT INTERPRETATION of the STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES? Promises can be made, but don't find out the truth the hard way.

YOUR BEST BET: It's best not to try to become an expert at it all, especially with your initial audits. Like using doctors, lawyers and mechanics, leave the job with an expert consultant!

IMPORTANT: SEE THE NEXT QUESTION FOR PERSONAL LIABILITY!

QUESTION:
Can we be held PERSONALLY LIABLE by auditing and inspecting sites ourselves?

ANSWER:
YES! The person performing the audit or inspection CAN be held liable. Many times government employees are covered only so far with Governmental (Sovereign) Immunity. Why? Immunity covers staff for "negligent" acts but not "gross negligence". There are cases where the employer was NOT being sued, but the employee WAS. This was ALSO due to immunity applying to the employer, and that the employer had a legal limit (cap) to pay out for lawsuits which limited the amount of the award. Therefore, if the employee is personally sued, they would get legal representation from their employer and the award or settlement can be paid up to the amount of the cap, but then the employee is liable for the balance, risking liens on their wages and assets. Check with your employer. This is another reason to hire an outside auditor...TO TRANSFER THE LIABILITY! For more on this subject please reference NPSI materials ("Play It Safe", page 217, paragraph 2). Please note that it is still recommended that you have at least one CPSI on staff.

QUESTION:
WHAT QUALIFICATIONS should an auditor have?

ANSWER:
Your auditor should;

1. be INSURED for ERRORS and OMISSIONS, PROFESSIONAL and GENERAL Liability, which will be a good guarantee of a flawless audit. Specify ERRORS and OMISSIONS, PROFESSIONAL and GENERAL LIABILITY coverages for your playground consultant!
2. have experience in specific MODIFICATION TECHNIQUES so you can FIX the hazards found INEXPENSIVELY if you choose to do so, without creating other hazards (which are quite common).
3. have at least five years of experience performing AUDITS (more detailed than inspections).
4. NOT be your own employee or a manufacturer's representative. This is where it is crucial to get a third party auditor who will not be bias, and is without a conflict of interest or to get someone who has become complacent with site problems to not see them after a while. If you have your own CPSI, then they can KEEP it at the level of safety acheived after the third party auditor is finished! A third party inspector is recommended in order to comply with the ANSI inspection standard.
5. be a Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) who will also make a good EXPERT WITNESS for your side. Remember, you are not just buying a report. You are also paying for someone who will be admitted as an expert witness (without a conflict of interest or bias), will consult while being properly insured, etc.
6. be a voting and ATTENDING member of ASTM in order to help understand the proper interpretations and rationale of the Standards and Guidelines. Many of these are easily misinterpreted. Standards and Guidelines will conflict on some issues and are contradictory. You need to know how to handle each situation.
7. offer a "Certificate of Compliance" so that you can not only rest assured that your site is hazard-free, but also save money on your insurance premiums!

QUESTION:
WE CAN'T AFFORD the audits(s), safety programs, signs, labels, etc. How do we handle safety concerns?

ANSWER:
When you are served with a lawsuit, you will HAVE TO come up with the money to defend it, which will be MANY TIMES the cost of the audits, etc. You are much more LIABLE without the audit and a safety plan! Labels are only $1.00 each and may prevent a "Failure to Warn" lawsuit.

SOLUTION; start with auditing selected sites so you can at least show you are doing your best to reach your end goal of having hazard-free recreational areas, which IS possible! Take care of your Class 1 Hazards and purchasing signs first. Then the Class 2 and 3's possibly in the next budget year if you cannot handle it all at once. It looks good in court, and for public relations as well. You should start as soon as possible with a safety program. Then you can proceed with design assistance, etc.

QUESTION:
WHY HAVE SIGNS / LABELS? Kids won't (or can't) read, parents won't pay attention, etc.

ANSWER:
Even if the above were true, proper signage / labeling has the following benefits;

• Reduces your LIABILITY of FAILURE TO WARN.
• Conform to local or state laws.
• Conform to rules or laws set by ASTM, CPSC, National Safety Council, ANSI, etc.
• Will likely lower your insurance premiums.
• Defines appropriate age ranges so that the intended users are only on the equipment that they are supposed to be on.
• Shows that Adult Supervision is recommended.
• Shows that Drawstrings are not allowed on the playground.
• Shows that Surfacing is required, and another label shows at what level the loose fill surfacing must be maintained.

QUESTION:
AREN'T COMPLIANCE TO ASTM AND CPSC THE SAME?

ANSWER:
NO. There is a lot of information found in one document that is not addressed in the other. There are many cases where one document is much more stringent than the other. Also, there are reasons why many things are left out, one being that we wanted to have a standard that addressed the most serious concerns instead of waiting longer to cover all aspects of every type of known hazard. Some issues are either not covered or not clarified in the latest revisions. In addition, neither one covers the latest Federal ADA rules that you must follow.

QUESTION:
Isn't it a MATTER OF INTERPRETATION of the ASTM Standards and CPSC Guidelines as to whether it passes or fails?

ANSWER:
Yes and No. In some cases it is very easy to have different interpretations of the same issue. If you are not deeply involved in this field it is easy to have misinterpretations. However, we are trying to get the Standards and Guidelines to be more clear so this will not happen as often. They get better with every revision. On the other hand, most measurements and performance descriptions that are stated are quite clear and not up to interpretation. See "QUALIFICATIONS" for your auditor, above. Don't be misled to think that misinterpretations, bias, or a FIRST or SECOND party opinion are okay. It might result in SERIOUS INJURIES, lawsuits, and HUGE modification expenses! Go with a THIRD party for audits!

QUESTION:
Why don't they HAVE ONE STANDARD or GUIDELINE and STICK WITH IT?

ANSWER:
There is an enormous amount of various types of equipment, designs, surfacing, etc. If we waited until we covered it all we would probably still not have a Standard or Guideline. It was decided that the longer we waited to get them out, more children would be hurt or killed. So, we started addressing the most hazardous causes of accidents first, as well as the most common types of equipment, etc.

When designs are created or changed, it may result in new or different types of injuries. As injuries are reported, we try to create new rules to reduce or eliminate these injuries.

ANSWER:
Manufacturers, installers and owners have been doing a MUCH better job with complying in recent years. We know that they SINCERELY believe that the equipment, etc. passed, and it may very well have. However, our detailed third party site audits (over 2,600 sites) have always found that at the time of the installation, at least one piece of equipment at each site had violations against the current Standards and/or Guidelines in effect at that time of installation, sometimes even after being IPEMA certified. The MAIN POINT here is to realize that the problems may not have been due to a changed Standard or Guideline, or even due to the manufacturer, installer, or owner either! It may have been due to wear, environment, or any combination of these. Try to be open-minded when looking at the problems and not place the blame too quickly.

Your auditor should be able to advise of INEXPENSIVE MODIFICATIONS! This will save you money on repairs!

PROPER interpretations are key here. The best thing to do is to have your equipment and site audited by someone who is qualified enough so that you can be certain about this (see above "QUALIFICATIONS").

To make SURE that you are not buying problems, have these services done by a third party, un-bias person that is without a conflict of interest! The manufacturers and products that tend to have a good history of safety will receive higher recommendations for you to rely on for your final purchases.

QUESTION:
Our equipment and site is GRANDFATHERED IN, so we don't need to comply with ASTM, CPSC and ADA, right?

ANSWER:
There is no such thing as being "Grandfathered In". Some ASTM Standards, CPSC Guidelines and ADA accessibility rules are "common knowledge" by now for most entities, and you should make the effort to comply. You are not EXEMPT from complying with the current Standards and Guidelines. It may depend on whether or not you knew about these rules and when they came into effect to allot your budget to modify equipment, etc., accordingly. You must also keep up with whatever changes take place in those Standards and Guidelines. Try to remember, changes and updates are for the safety of the public, and will reduce your liability as well. Some states have adopted CPSC and/or ASTM into law, and some entities have even adopted these into their own laws or rules. For example, if the law is not in effect until next year, the owners must still try to comply now to avoid a negligence lawsuit based upon the existing "established norms (or rules) for the industry". So don't wait until an accident occurs (and before it becomes law) to find out that you are still liable and at an extremely high risk!

QUESTION:
Can't we just LIVE WITH THE RISKS?

ANSWER:
SOME risks are reasonably acceptable, to a degree, but NOT THE LIFE-THREATENING ONES! Go as far as you possibly can with safety and MAKE THE EFFORT! Then, if an accident occurs, you can show that you were concerned enough to hire a third party auditor, take care of the life-threatening hazards first even if it is a portion at a time due to lack of budget, etc.! It IS manageable. This looks great in court! It has an immediate reduction of risk for the least cost when you identify and repair (or discard as a LAST resort) the Class 1 Life-Threatening Hazards, followed by Class 2's, etc.!

It IS possible to have fun, challenging, and hazard-free equipment for the kids!

Keep checking out this site for future questions and answers as they come in! Send us your questions so we can respond and possibly include them here.