ASTM F1487-21 Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use

The “ASTM F1487-21 Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use,” developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), is a consumer safety performance specification that describes safety and performance standards for various types of public playground equipment, as well as dimensions and requirements for their cleaning and usage areas. The goal of this standard is to reduce life-threatening and debilitating injuries.

The user range covered by this consumer safety performance specification is from the fifth percentile at age 2 to the ninety-fifth percentile at age 12.

Home playground equipment, toys, recreational vehicles, sports equipment, fitness equipment designed for users over 12 years of age, public play equipment for children aged 6 to 24 months and soft play equipment are outside the scope of this standard.

Items or materials such as benches, tables, freestanding shade structures, and curbs containing protective surface coverings installed outside the equipment usage area (area furniture) are not considered playground equipment and are not included in the enclosure specification.

This standard does not address accessibility, with the exception of security issues that are not addressed in the DOJ 2010 standard for accessible design.

The requirements of this standard are designed to reduce the hazards typically presented by various types of equipment. New equipment may not specifically conform to the designated types listed in this standard, but the designer or manufacturer, or both, should use professional judgment to perform and document the hazard analysis and follow appropriate requirements to reduce the hazards. More information on how to perform such an assessment is included in the appendix to the standard (Annex X1).

The general tolerances for this specification (unless otherwise stated) are given in the table provided in the standard. These tolerances apply to a dimension even when terms such as major, minor, minimum or maximum are used. These values ​​should be considered as standard. The values ​​given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units provided for informational purposes only.

General requirements:

• Playground equipment should only be manufactured and constructed from materials that have been proven to be durable in the playground or similar outdoor environment. Any new materials should be certified or tested for durability by the playground equipment manufacturer.
• Metals subject to structural deterioration such as rust or corrosion should be painted, galvanized, or otherwise treated. Woods should be naturally resistant to rot and insects or treated to prevent such deterioration. Plastics and other materials subject to ultraviolet (UV) degradation should be protected from ultraviolet light.
• Regardless of the material or processing process, the manufacturer must ensure that users of playground equipment do not ingest, inhale, or absorb potentially hazardous amounts of substances through body surfaces as a result of contact with the equipment. All material contents must comply with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) (this is not limited to the coating and substrate).
• Wood intended for playground equipment which is not naturally resistant to decay and insects shall be treated to be resistant to decay and insect attack by standard procedures. Any wood which is not naturally resistant to decay and insects, which has any fabrication within 150 mm of the protective surface of the playground or at or below the level of the protective surface of the playground, shall be treated after the wood has been fabricated. Deviations shall have independent documentation as to durability. Surface coatings containing chromium copper arsenate, creosote, pentachlorophenol, tributyl tin oxide and pesticides shall not be used for playground equipment.
• All fasteners used in the construction of public playground equipment shall meet the requirements of this standard. All fasteners, attachment and coating devices shall be inherently corrosion resistant or shall be provided with a corrosion resistant coating. When installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, fasteners, attachment and coating devices shall not be able to loosen or be removed without the use of tools. All nuts and bolts shall be provided with lock washers, self-locking nuts or other locking means to prevent them from coming loose. Hardware on movable connections shall also be secured against inadvertent loosening. Movable suspension elements shall be connected to the fixed support by bearings or bearing surfaces which reduce friction or wear. Steel cables permanently attached to the suspension assembly shall serve as bearing surfaces. Cable ends shall be inaccessible or covered to prevent injuries from frayed wires. Cables and steel-core ropes shall be protected to prevent fraying, loosening, unravelling or excessive slipping of their joints. Hooks and attachment devices are subject to the requirements of this standard. Tyres shall not retain water. Tires must not have exposed steel belts.

Playground equipment that is claimed to comply with this consumer safety performance specification shall meet all applicable requirements set forth herein. Anyone representing compliance with this specification shall maintain the basic records necessary to document any claim that the requirements in this specification are met. Play equipment designed for a specific age group (2 to 5, 5 to 12, 2 to 12) shall ensure that all play activities on the equipment meet the requirements for that age group. Play structures shall be anchored to the floor or not intended to be relocated. With respect to small parts, equipment for children under 3 years of age shall meet the requirements of 16 CFR Part 1501 when installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

Our organization, which has been trying to support businesses from every sector with its testing, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies carried out in a wide range for years, has a strong staff that closely follows the developments in the world in the field of science and technology and constantly improves itself. In this context, testing services are also provided to businesses in accordance with the "ASTM F1487-21 Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Public Use Playground Equipment" standard.