Play areas: special attention for maximum safety!

Last modified on 31 May 2022

Playgrounds are places where children live and thrive: they are among the resources provided by the community to keep children active and healthy. However, like any facility, they are also "risky" areas that require vigilance from managers, operators, and users. While not all accidents are preventable, everyone involved must be fully aware of their responsibilities and do everything possible to ensure maximum safety for users. What precautions should be taken when installing a playground? How can we ensure children are safe on playgrounds? Discover our team's advice.

Playgrounds: Safety first

By definition, a communal playground is “a space in which one or more pieces of equipment are permanently installed, allowing children under 14 years of age to play in a group setting”.Thus, playgrounds in early childhood centers, schools, and municipal areas are all affected. Used by children year-round, they require special attention. Their design cannot be improvised and demands strict adherence to current regulations. Location, surroundings, equipment, and choice of surface material are all elements that the manager must consider at the outset of the project.

• Area Before any installation, the manager or operator (municipality, company, concession holder) must ensure that they have sufficient space to guarantee a safe installation, taking into account the fall distance and the impact area. For example, for a structure with a free fall height¹ defined by the manufacturer that is greater than 1.5 m, the size of the impact area around the structure must be at least 2.5 m.
  
• Regulatory standards The equipment selected for public playgrounds (playhouses, structures, spring riders, swings, etc.) must comply with the European standard EN 1176:2008 and be suitable for the age of the children for whom it is intended. Therefore, any product sold to the general public is prohibited.
  
• Choice of materials : Avoid metallic materials or rubber coatings which, when exposed to sunlight, can cause burns.
  
• Choice of floor covering A crash-absorbing surface is mandatory for all playground equipment with a free fall height¹ exceeding 600 millimeters. The material used (wood chips, sand, rubber) must be chosen based on its shock-absorbing properties. For free fall heights¹ below 1 meter, you can opt for grass, provided it is well-maintained.
  
• Duty to inform The installation of an information panel for users is strongly recommended: it must mention the age range of users and any potential risks on or near it.  
  

The sandbox, the other essential element

Legally, a sandbox is not considered equipment but a feature of a playground. Therefore, it is not subject to the safety requirements for public playgrounds but to the general obligation of safety. However, it must comply with certain rules:

• The container must have a base and sides to limit any source of contamination.,
  
• The walls must not present any risk of injury.,
  
• the base must be designed to allow rainwater to drain away.
  

Sand games Children love them and spend hours on them. That's why they require regular maintenance: they need to be raked regularly and turned over deeply enough to remove any foreign matter.

Parents or guardians, remain vigilant!

Although the playgrounds have been designed so that children can play safely and expend their energy freely, some safety guidelines are necessary:

• Explain to your child the rules of the playground: wait your turn, do not push others, do not throw sand or pebbles; ;
  
• Before directing children towards the games, take note of the age ranges indicated on the notice boards and any potential risks; ;
  
• take the time to examine the structures on which the children will be moving around: identify potential risks, protruding elements, check the heat of rubber and metal surfaces to avoid any risk of burns; ;
  
• remove any necklaces, earrings or other items from her pockets; ;
  
• As long as he is small and has not acquired perfect motor skills, stay by his side, especially if he undertakes a difficult course.
  

There you go, they're finally ready for hours of gaming.

To learn more, discover GAYA, our range of outdoor games as well as all our playground equipment.

¹ Free fall height (or HCL): This is defined as the greatest vertical distance between the support of the equipment specifically designed for the body and the impact surface below.

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