aalara 2005 may eager playground standard overview
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EngineeringUTS:New Playground New Playground
Equipment StandardEquipment Standard
by Dr David Eager
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Faculty of Engineering, UTSDr David Eager
BackgroundThe new Playground Equipment Standard supersedes two existing Australian Standards, namely:
AS 1924.1-1981 Playground equipment for parks, schools and domestic use – Part 1: General requirements
AS 1924.2-1981 Playground equipment for parks, schools and domestic use - Part 2: Design and construction – Safety aspects
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Background (cont 2)The new Playground Equipment Standard comprises six parts, namely:
General safety requirementsGeneral safety requirements and test methods
Particular safety requirements and test methods for SwingsSwings
Particular safety requirements and test methods for SlidesSlides
Particular safety requirements and test methods for RunwaysRunways
Particular safety requirements and test methods for CarouselsCarousels
Particular safety requirements and test methods for Rocking Rocking EquipmentEquipment
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Background (cont 3)The new Playground Equipment Standard was published on 13 October 2004
AS 4685 AS 4685 -- 2004 applies from 13 October 20042004 applies from 13 October 2004
AS 1924 - 1981 will continue as an alternative for a period of one year from the publication date
AS 4685 - 2004 does not purport to address all the hazards associated with playgrounds
AS 4685 - 2004 was based on the European Standards EN 1176:1998 (Parts 1 to 6) with changes that reflect local requirements and practice
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Background (cont 4)The new Standard is not intended to provide risk free play environment, but rather to specify the minimal acceptable standard for play equipment and surrounding environments
The new Standard takes into account developmental and anthropometric data specific to children
The new Standard sets out general safety requirements for playground equipment
The new Standard does not specify the requirements for development, installation, inspection, maintenance or operation of playground equipment (refer to AS/NZS 4486.1 - 1997)
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Background (cont 5)Playground injury is the leading cause of hospitalisation to Australian children in the five to nine year age group
Approximately 100,000 children are injured each year with more than 7,000 children injured seriously enough to require hospitalization (this figure does not include data from GPs or medical centres that have x-ray facilities)
The new Standard incorporates a number of risk management strategies for injury prevention, such as placing a maximum fallheight on playground equipment, as there is strong evidence thatthe fall height is a major contributing factor in injury severity and frequency
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Faculty of Engineering, UTSDr David Eager
Background (cont 6)The objective of the new Standard is to minimize risk of injury to children using playgrounds by providing internationally aligned general safety requirements for playground equipment
The new Standard is intended for use by designers, consultants, manufacturers and installers of playground equipment as well as the operators, inspectors and maintenance professionals of playgrounds
The new Standard specifies requirements that will protect a child from hazards he or she may be unable to foresee when using playground equipment as intended
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Faculty of Engineering, UTSDr David Eager
Background (cont 7)If the risk is obvious to the child, it allows the child to develop a sense of what is safe and what is not safe
For example, the development of the ‘space net’ - a cargo net styled play apparatus that allows children to climb to heights of anywhere between ground level and four to five metres is designed so that older children with more mobility skills can climb higher on the apparatus than younger children
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
If older children do lose their grip and fall, the cargo net below catches their fall
Appropriate under surfacing cushions any falls from the lower level of the apparatus
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Background (cont 8)The development of a sense of what activities are safe is an important learning skill for children to master as it is a life-long skill that every adult needs to acquire – ie where is the boundary between what may be considered safe versus not safe?
It is essential that children have opportunities to explore and experiment in an environment that provides a degree of managed risk
What is required is the capacity to achieve a balance between both safe play environments and equipment while still enabling children to take part in a learning environment
Too little challenge for a child can often lead to inappropriate risk taking – getting the correct balance is the key
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Minimum protection against falling
AS 4685.1: Clause 2.2The AS1924 equipment heightequipment height terminology has been withdrawn
The new Standard adopts the European concept and technology free height of fall (FHoF)free height of fall (FHoF)
FHoFFHoF is defined as the greatest distance between a part of the equipment, which is a point of intended body support, and the ground surface or part of the equipment beneath
FHoFFHoF is abbreviation throughout the new Standard by the symbol, hh
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Minimum protection against falling
AS 4685.1: Clause 2.2FHoF ≤ 2.5 m for all playground equipment
EXCEPT
Supervised early childhood equipment: FHoF ≤ 1.5 m
Upper body equipment: FHoF ≤ 2.2 m ##
Note: Monkey bars, parallel bars, turning bars, horizontal ladders, jungle gyms, track rides and other suspended style equipment (excluding runways) are examples of upper body equipment
## The FHoF for upper body equipment was reduced in recognition of injury data from such equipment
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Minimum protection against falling
AS 4685.1: Clause 1.5Upper body equipment is defined as playground equipment or part of the equipment, from which suspension is intended using the hand/s without foot support
Upper body equipment may also be referred to as ‘horizontal climbing equipment’ or ‘overhead equipment’
Impact attenuating surfacing shall be provided in the fall zone in accordance with the requirements of AS/NZS 4422 – 1996
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Minimum protection against falling
AS 4685.1: Clause 2.2Example 1: FHoF from platform to surface below
RuleStanding = FHoF is measured from the surface of the foot support to the surface below
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Minimum protection against falling
AS 4685.1: Clause 2.2Example 2: FHoF from a hanging situation
RuleHanging = FHoF is measured from the surface of hand support to the surface below
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Minimum protection against falling
AS 4685.1: Clause 2.2Example 3: FHoF from a seated situation
RuleSitting = FHoF is measured from the surface of the seat to the surface below
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
Minimum protection against falling
AS 4685.1: Clause 2.2Example 4: FHoF from platform to platform below
RuleStanding = FHoF is measured from the surface of the foot support to the surface below
Note: Impact attenuating platform surface is required when the platform to platform FHoF > 1 m
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Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
Minimum protection against falling
AS 4685.1: Clause 2.2FHoF from platform to platform below > 1 m
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Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
Minimum protection against falling
AS 4685.1: Clause 2.2An engineered solution (remove the platform)
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Minimum protection against falling
AS 4685.1: Clause 2.2Example 5: FHoF for unintended access
RuleStanding = FHoF is measured from the surface of the foot support to the surface below
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Minimum protection against falling
AS 4685.1: Clause 2.2The new Standard states that designers should take engineering measures to ensure that playground design eliminates unintended access
In particular, the design and installation of the hand supports shall not allow them to be used as an intermediate step onto any adjacent barriers, or other assemblies
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Minimum protection against falling
AS 4685.1: Clause 2.2
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
Where the platform height is 500 mm or more but less than 1.2 m a barrier shall be provided with a height no less than 700 mm
Where the platform height is 1.2 m or more but not more than 2.5 m a barrier shall be provided with a height no less than 900 mm
≥ 900 mm
≥ 700 mm
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Minimum protection against falling
AS 4685.1: Clause 2.2Entry and transfer pointsEntry and transfer points
Guardrails and barriers may be discontinued at locations used for exit or entry to the platform e.g. for access ladders, fireman’s poles, slides, bridges
The width of the created opening in the guardrail and infill shall be a maximum of 800 mm or shall not exceed the width of the adjoining assembly
It is recommended that the gap thus produced be kept to a minimum to reduce the likelihood of a child falling while also allowing the child to balance, steady or arrest themselves
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Zones - AS 4685.1: Clause 2.2The two-dimensional (fall zone) and three-dimensional spaces (minimum space) occupied by both the equipment and the user of the playground equipment
The fall zonefall zone is the surface that can be hit by a user falling from the playground equipment
The minimum spaceminimum space consists of three components, namely:
Space occupied by the equipment
Free space (if there is any – resulting from movement forced by the equipment ie sliding, swinging, or rocking)
Falling space - This topic will be discussed in more detail in in subsequent training module
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
Means of access - AS 4685.1: Clause 2.2
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Marking - AS 4685.1: Section 3All playground equipment shall be marked legibly and permanently with the following:
Name, address and ABN of manufacturer, importer or other supplier
Equipment reference and year of manufacture
Base level mark of the impact attenuating surface
Note: Manufacturers making a statement of compliance with this Australian Standard on a product, packaging or promotional material related to that product are advised to ensure that suchcompliance is capable of being verified
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Swings - AS 4685.2, Section 1This Standard specifies particular safety requirements for swings intended for permanent installation for use by children
The new Standard introduces the concept of circulation zonecirculation zone
Circulation space is defined as the area around the equipment that allows movement from, between and around equipment, and is free of all obstacles that children could run into, trip on or fall on top of and thus be injured
The circulation space includes the fall zone of the equipment and extends to at least the width of the equipment
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Swings - AS 4685.2, Clause 2.9
Circulation zone for swings (plan view)Circulation zone for swings (plan view)
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Swings - AS 4685.2, Clause 2.4In line with international safety standards the new Standard introduces the requirement for swings to be self aligning to their intended swinging direction
This requirement is achieved by splaying the swing suspension members so that the width between the upper attachment pivot is L L / 20/ 20 greater than the width at the bottom attachment (seat width)
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Swings - AS 4685.2, Clause 2.4Stability of Swings with more than one point of attachmentStability of Swings with more than one point of attachment
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
The distance between the suspension members (F) shall be calculated using the following formula:
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Swings - AS 4685.2, Clause 2.4Stability of Swings with more than one point of attachmentStability of Swings with more than one point of attachment
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
Example:Example: For a swing with a suspension member length (L) of say 3.0 m and a seat width (G) of 400mm the distance between the suspension members would be550 mm
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Swings - AS 4685.2, Clause 2.4Minimum Swings SpacingMinimum Swings Spacing
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
The minimum distance between the side of a swing seat and the adjacent structure (c) in the rest position is given by the formula:
Example:Example: For a swing with a suspension member length (L) of say 3.0 m, the minimum distance between the adjacent structure and the swing seat would be 800 mm
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Swings - AS 4685.2, Clause 2.4Minimum Swings SpacingMinimum Swings Spacing
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
The minimum distance between adjacent swing seats (s) in the rest position is given by the formula:
Example:Example: For a swing with a suspension member length (L) of say 3.0 m, the minimum distance between adjacent swings would be900 mm
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Swings - AS 4685.2, Appendix AAn informative table showing swing seat separationswing seat separation for various pivot heights is contained within Appendix A
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Swings - AS 4685.2, Clause 2.9Minimum Impact Area for SwingsMinimum Impact Area for Swings
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
For all swings the extent of the impact attenuating surface shall be calculated by taking the point reached horizontally by the centre of the swing seat when it has travelled through an arc of 60° (which can be calculated as 0.866 times the length of the suspension member (L)
and adding 1.75 m for unitary impact attenuating surfacing and 2.25 m for loose fill impact attenuating surfacing
Fall zones of swings shall not overlap
There shall be no hard edging within the circulation space around the swing frame
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Swings - AS 4685.2, Clause 2.9Minimum Impact Area for SwingsMinimum Impact Area for Swings
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Swings - AS 4685.2, Clause 2.9Maximum FHoF for Swings, Maximum FHoF for Swings, DD
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
When tested in accordance with AS/NZS 4422 the surface beneath a swing or swings shall have a critical fall height equal to or greater than the height of the centre of gravity of the swing measured between the ground and the swing when it is raised through an arc of 60°
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Swings - AS 4685.2, Clause 2.9Maximum FHoF for Swings, Maximum FHoF for Swings, DD
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
Example:Example: For a swing with a suspension member length (L) of say 3.0 m and a seat height (h3) of 400 mm, the maximum FHoF (D) is 1.9 m
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Swings - AS 4685.2, Appendix CAn informative table showing FHoF and fall zones FHoF and fall zones for various pivot heights is contained within Appendix C
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Slides - AS 4685.3Slides SectionsSlides Sections
AS 4685.3 divides the slide into three sections, namely:
Starting Section, AStarting Section, A – The section on which the child is enabled to get into a sliding position. The starting section may be a platform or an extension of a platform of playground equipment
Sliding Section, BSliding Section, B – The middle section of the device where the child slides under the influence of gravity
RunRun--out Section, Cout Section, C – The end section of slide which is designed to allow the child to safety disembark
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Slides - AS 4685.3
Fall Zone of SlidesFall Zone of Slides
Starting sectionStarting section (A) fall zone (F1) shall have surfacing with a critical fall height no less than the height of the starting section of the slide
Sliding sectionliding section (B) fall zone (F2) shall have surfacing with a critical fall height no less than the height of the starting section or 1.5 m, whichever is the lesser
Runout sectionunout section (C) fall zone (F3) shall have surfacing with a critical fall height of at least 1.0 m
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Runways - AS 4685.4 (flying foxes)Fall Zone (side elevation and plan view)Fall Zone (side elevation and plan view)
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Runways - AS 4685.4Free Space and Fall Zone when viewed along the Free Space and Fall Zone when viewed along the main cable (end elevation view)main cable (end elevation view)
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
Fall zone
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Runways - AS 4685.4Falling Space of RunwaysFalling Space of Runways
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
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Carousels - AS 4685.5 (merry-go-rounds)Minimum impact area around carouselsMinimum impact area around carousels
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
For Carousel Types A, B, C and D the impact area will extend at least 2 m radially beyond the carousel
When tested in accordance with AS/NZS 4422, the impact area around the carousel (F) shall have a HIC value less than 1000 and a gmax value less than 200g when measured at a fall height of 2 m
Carousels shall be designed so that the maximum speed at the periphery, under normal conditions or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use, is not more than 5 m/s
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Rocking Equipment - AS 4685.6Free Space for Rocking EquipmentFree Space for Rocking Equipment
The fall zone for rocking equipment shall have a minimum dimension of 1.5 m around the equipment and a minimum dimension of 2.0 m between any two pieces of rocking equipment
When determining the clearance dimension between two pieces of equipment the distance shall be measured when both pieces of equipment are forced into their closest possible orientation
Circulation zone requirements in addition to the fall zone requirements should be considered during the design phase of the playground
Playground Equipment AS 4685 Playground Equipment AS 4685 -- 20042004
EngineeringUTS:New Playground New Playground
Equipment StandardEquipment Standardby Dr David Eager
The end The end ☺☺