Caring for Our Children (CFOC)

Chapter 6: Play Areas/Playgrounds and Transportation

6.2 Play Area/Playground Equipment

6.2.2 Use Zones and Clearance Requirements

6.2.2.1: Use Zone for Fixed Play Equipment


All fixed play equipment should have a minimum of six feet use zone (clearance space) from walkways, buildings, and other structures that are not used as part of play activities (1,3). For fixed play equipment only used by children six months to twenty-three months, a minimum three-foot use zone is required (2).
RATIONALE
Injuries from falls are more likely to occur when equipment spacing is inadequate (1).
TYPE OF FACILITY
Center, Early Head Start, Head Start, Large Family Child Care Home, Small Family Child Care Home
RELATED STANDARDS
6.2.2.2 Arrangement of Play Equipment
6.2.2.4 Clearance Requirements of Playground Areas
Appendix HH: Use Zones and Clearance Dimensions for Single-and Multi-Axis Swings
REFERENCES
  1. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). 2008. Public playground safety handbook. Bethesda, MD: CPSC. http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/325.pdf.
  2. ASTM International (ASTM). 2008. Standard consumer safety performance specification for public use play equipment for children 6 months through 23 months. ASTM F2373-08. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
  3. ASTM International (ASTM). 2007. Standard consumer safety performance specification for playground equipment for public use. ASTM F1487-07ae1. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.

6.2.2.2: Arrangement of Play Equipment


All equipment should be arranged so that children playing on one piece of equipment will not interfere with children playing on or running to another piece of equipment. All equipment should be arranged to facilitate proper supervision by sight and sound.
RATIONALE
Collisions between children utilizing different pieces of equipment more often occur when equipment is inappropriately placed (1).
TYPE OF FACILITY
Center, Early Head Start, Head Start, Large Family Child Care Home, Small Family Child Care Home
RELATED STANDARDS
6.1.0.1 Size and Location of Outdoor Play Area
6.2.2.1 Use Zone for Fixed Play Equipment
6.2.2.3 Location of Moving Play Equipment
6.2.2.4 Clearance Requirements of Playground Areas
Appendix HH: Use Zones and Clearance Dimensions for Single-and Multi-Axis Swings
REFERENCES
  1. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). 2008. Public playground safety handbook. Bethesda, MD: CPSC. http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/325.pdf.

6.2.2.3: Location of Moving Play Equipment


Moving play equipment, such as swings and merry-go-rounds, should be located toward the edge or corner of a play area, or should be placed in such a way as to discourage children from running into the path of the moving equipment (see Appendix HH, Use Zones and Clearance Dimensions for Single- and Multi-Axis Swings).
RATIONALE
Placing moving equipment around the perimeter of the play area will reduce the number of traffic paths around this equipment (1).
TYPE OF FACILITY
Center, Early Head Start, Head Start, Large Family Child Care Home, Small Family Child Care Home
RELATED STANDARDS
6.2.2.1 Use Zone for Fixed Play Equipment
6.2.2.2 Arrangement of Play Equipment
6.2.2.4 Clearance Requirements of Playground Areas
Appendix HH: Use Zones and Clearance Dimensions for Single-and Multi-Axis Swings
REFERENCES
  1. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). 2008. Public playground safety handbook. Bethesda, MD: CPSC. http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/325.pdf.

6.2.2.4: Clearance Requirements of Playground Areas


Playgrounds should be laid out to ensure clearance in accordance with the ASTM standards “F2373-08: Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Public Use Play Equipment for Children 6 Months through 23 Months” and “F1487-07ae1: Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use” and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Public Playground Safety Handbook.

Equipment should be situated so that clearance space, called use zones, allocated to one piece of equipment does not encroach on that of another piece of equipment.

RATIONALE
Ample space to enable movement around and use of equipment also helps to restrict the number of pieces of equipment within the play area, thus preventing overcrowding and reducing the potential for injury (1-3).
TYPE OF FACILITY
Center, Early Head Start, Head Start, Large Family Child Care Home, Small Family Child Care Home
RELATED STANDARDS
6.2.2.1 Use Zone for Fixed Play Equipment
6.2.2.3 Location of Moving Play Equipment
Appendix HH: Use Zones and Clearance Dimensions for Single-and Multi-Axis Swings
REFERENCES
  1. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). 2008. Public playground safety handbook. Bethesda, MD: CPSC. http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/325.pdf.
  2. ASTM International (ASTM). 2008. Standard consumer safety performance specification for public use play equipment for children 6 months through 23 months. ASTM F2373-08. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
  3. ASTM International (ASTM). 2007. Standard consumer safety performance specification for playground equipment for public use. ASTM F1487-07ae1. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.

6.2.2.5: Clearance Space for Swings


Swings should have a use zone (clearance space) on the sides of the swing of six feet. The use zone to the front and rear of the swings should extend a minimum distance of twice the height of the pivot point measured from a point directly beneath the pivot to the protective surface. Swings should be arranged in accordance with the ASTM International (ASTM) standards “F1487-07ae1: Consumer Safety Performance Specifications for Playground Equipment for Public Use” and “F2373-08: Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Public Use Play Equipment for Children 6 Months through 23 Months,” and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Public Playground Safety Handbook.
RATIONALE
A use zone area is necessary to avoid body contact with children in swings (1-3).
COMMENTS
To calculate use zone: [height of the top pivot point of the swing from the ground] x 2 = “use zone” in front of the swing and [height of the top pivot point of the swing from the ground] x 2 = “use zone” behind the swing. There should be no objects or persons within the “use zone,” other than the child on the swing.
TYPE OF FACILITY
Center, Early Head Start, Head Start, Large Family Child Care Home, Small Family Child Care Home
RELATED STANDARDS
6.2.2.3 Location of Moving Play Equipment
Appendix HH: Use Zones and Clearance Dimensions for Single-and Multi-Axis Swings
REFERENCES
  1. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). 2008. Public playground safety handbook. Bethesda, MD: CPSC. http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/325.pdf.
  2. ASTM International (ASTM). 2008. Standard consumer safety performance specification for public use play equipment for children 6 months through 23 months. ASTM F2373-08. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
  3. ASTM International (ASTM). 2007. Standard consumer safety performance specification for playground equipment for public use. ASTM F1487-07ae1. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.