Scope
1.1 This consumer safety performance specification provides safety and performance requirements for various types of public use play equipment such as, but not limited to, composite play structures, climbing structures, to-fro swings, spring rocking equipment, and slides. It is intended to apply to play equipment that is used in places of public assembly, including early care and education facilities, parks, or playgrounds. Public use play areas for children in this age range include both indoor (classroom) settings and outdoor playgrounds. Where appropriate, distinctions will be made between indoor and outdoor settings where there is supervision (for example, a play area that is part of an early care and education facility), and settings with unlimited access (for example, public playgrounds and parks).
1.2 The range of users encompassed by this consumer safety performance specification is the 5th percentile 6 month old through the 95th percentile 23 month old.
1.3 The purpose of this specification is to reduce the potential for life threatening and debilitating injuries.
1.4 Accessory toys attached to play equipment must meet all relevant standards including this consumer safety performance specification.
1.5 Home playground equipment, amusement park equipment, sports equipment, fitness equipment, soft contained play equipment, tricycles, toys, juvenile care products such as, but not limited to, infant swings, play yards, expansion gates, and expandable enclosures, furniture (including child-sized house play furnishings and sand/water tables intended primarily for indoor use), bassinets and cradles, infant walkers, bouncer seats, jumpers, infant stationary activity centers, and infant carriers are not included in the scope of this specification.
1.6 This consumer safety performance specification includes the following sections:
| Title | Section |
|---|---|
| Scope | 1 |
| Referenced Documents | 2 |
| ASTM Standards | 2.1 |
| ANSI Standards | 2.2 |
| Federal Standards | 2.3 |
| CPSC Documents | 2.4 |
| UL Standard | 2.5 |
| European Standard | 2.6 |
| Terminology | 3 |
| Materials and Manufacture | 4 |
| General Requirements | 4.1 |
| Fasteners | 4.2 |
| Toxic or Hazardous Substances | 4.3 |
| Stuffing, Loose Fillers, and Padding Materials | 4.4 |
| General Requirements | 5 |
| Compliance Documentation | 5.1 |
| Small Parts | 5.2 |
| Asphyxiation Hazard | 5.3 |
| Performance Requirements | 6 |
| Head and Neck Entrapment | 6.1 |
| Sharp Points and Sharp Edges | 6.2 |
| Protrusions | 6.3 |
| Entanglement Hazards | 6.4 |
| Crush and Shear Points | 6.5 |
| Ventilation | 6.6 |
| Closures | 6.7 |
| Suspended Hazards | 6.8 |
| Requirements for Access and Egress | 7 |
| Access and Egress Components That Shall Not Be Used | 7.1 |
| Adjacent Platforms | 7.2 |
| Step Ladders, Stairways, Flexible Access Components, and Access Ramps | 7.3 |
| Climbing Equipment Used for Access and Egress | 7.4 |
| Handrails and Other Means of Hand Support | 7.5 |
| Requirements for Platforms, Landings, and Other Designated Play Surfaces | 8 |
| Platforms and Similar Surfaces | 8.1 |
| Adjacent Platforms | 8.2 |
| Protective Barriers | 8.3 |
| Equipment Specifications | 9 |
| Equipment That Shall Not Be Used | 9.1 |
| Climbing Equipment | 9.2 |
| Slides | 9.3 |
| Spring Rocking Equipment Intended for Use Without Adult Assistance | 9.4 |
| To-Fro Swings | 9.5 |
| Structural Integrity and Stability | 10 |
| General Requirements | 10.1 |
| Structural Integrity Tests for Rungs, Steps, and Horizontal Supporting Members | 10.2 |
| Structural Integrity and Stability Tests for Platforms and Ramps | 10.3 |
| Test for Dynamic Strength of Barriers and Handrails | 10.4 |
| Structural Integrity and Stability Tests for Slides | 10.5 |
| Structural Integrity Test for Spring Rocking Equipment | 10.6 |
| Structural Integrity and Stability Tests for Swings | 10.7 |
| Play Equipment Use Zones, Non-Encroachment Zones, and Placement | 11 |
| General Use Zone Requirements | 11.1 |
| Exemptions from Use Zone Requirements | 11.2 |
| General Non-Encroachment Zone Requirements | 11.3 |
| Use Zones for Play Structures Having No Moving Components | 11.4 |
| Use Zones for Slides | 11.5 |
| Use Zones for Spring Rocking Equipment | 11.6 |
| Use Zones and Non-Encroachment Zones for To-Fro Swings | 11.7 |
| Surfacing Materials for Use Zones | 11.8 |
| Fences and Gates | 11.9 |
| Placement of Play Equipment | 11.10 |
| Labels and Signs | 12 |
| Compliance Requirements for Labels and Signs | 12.1 |
| Specifications for All Labels and Signs | 12.2 |
| Label Requirements on Play Equipment and Structures | 12.3 |
| Signs Required for Play Equipment/Structures in Settings with Unlimited Access | 12.4 |
| Replacement | 12.5 |
| Installation | 13 |
| Designer's or Manufacturer's Responsibilities | 13.1 |
| Owner's/Operator's Responsibilities | 13.2 |
| Maintenance | 14 |
| Equipment | 14.1 |
| Play Area Surfacing | 14.2 |
| Records | 14.3 |
| Keywords | 15 |
| Annex A1–Figures | Annex A1 |
| Appendix X1–Rationale | Appendix X1 |
1.7 General Measures, Tolerances, and Conversions:
1.7.1 The general tolerances for this specification are as follows unless otherwise specified.
| Dimension | Tolerance |
| X. in | ±0.5 in. |
| X.X in. | ±0.05 in. |
| X.XX in. | ±0.005 in. |
These tolerances still apply to a dimension even when terms like greater than, less than, minimum, or maximum are used.
1.7.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.
1.7.3 The conversion factor from imperial to metric units are:
| 1 in. = 25.4 mm |
| 1 in.2 = 6.45 cm2 |
| 1 in.3 = 16.39 cm3 |
| 1 lb = 0.454 kg |
| 1 lbf (pound force) = 4.45 Newtons |
1.8 See Annex A1 for figures referenced throughout this specification.
1.9 The text of this specification references notes and footnotes which provide explanatory material. These notes and footnotes (excluding those in tables and figures) shall not be considered as requirements of the specification.
1.10 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
