BS EN 1177 is based on the safety principles given in BS EN 1176-1 for playground equipment. It provides a method for the assessment of impact attenuation of surfaces and is for use in the impact area as defined in BS EN 1176-1.
Injuries caused by falls from playground equipment occur for a variety of reasons but the most severe injuries are likely to be injuries to the head. There are many factors that influence injury mechanisms independent of the surfacing, e.g. body orientation, awkwardness of fall, bone density, etc.
Based on statistical analysis of available data the Head Injury Criterion (HIC) at a tolerance level of 1 000 has been used as the upper limit for the brain injury severity unlikely to have disabling or fatal consequences. By choosing measurement of HIC as the criterion of safety, the method considers only the movement of the head when it impacts the surface of the impact area. This is considered to be the best model available to predict the likelihood of head injury from falls. Surfaces fulfilling the test requirements of this standard are considered to comply with the requirements for impact attenuation in BS EN 1176-1.
There are a variety of materials available providing impact attenuation, including rubber tiles, mats, slabs, continuous synthetic surfacing, either prefabricated or formed 'in-situ', loose particulate material, such as gravel, sand, wood chips, bark, etc. The method in this European Standard can be used to assess any of these surfaces.
BS EN 1177 specifies a method for determining the impact attenuation of playground surfacing. It defines a “Critical Fall Height" for surfacing, which represents the upper limit of its effectiveness in reducing head injury when using playground equipment conforming to BS EN 1176. The test methods described in the European Standard are applicable for tests carried out in a laboratory and for tests on site.
Contents:
- Foreword
- Introduction
- 1 Scope
- 2 Normative references
- 3 Terms and definitions
- 4 Test method
- 4.1 Principle
- 4.2 Apparatus
- 4.3 Accuracy of tests
- 4.4 Conditions for testing
- 4.4.1 Testing in the laboratory
- 4.4.2 Testing on site
- 4.5 Procedure
- 4.5.1 Time/acceleration trace
- 4.5.2 Selection and definition of the test position
- 4.5.3 Procedures for specific types of product
- 4.5.4 Selection of data for determination of critical fall height
- 4.6 Calculation of results
- 4.7 Test report
- 4.7.1 General
- 4.7.2 Tests carried out in the laboratory
- 4.7.3 Tests carried out on site
- Annex A (informative) Test rig for determination of critical fall height
- Annex B (informative) Typical examples of trace of acceleration against time and curve of HIC values against drop height
