SWING
With Me! Introducing the first playground swing that promotes social and intergenerational play with a patent pending, face-to-face design. Expression Swing™ See What You’ve Been Missing.™ GAMETIME.COM/EXPRESSION
800.235.2440
gametime.com
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SPRING 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 3
Contents
Play and Playground Magazine | Volume 15 No. 1 | Spring 2015
10
Features
An Interview with Curtis Stoddard
8
Building Community with Community Build Playgrounds
10
By Jay Beckwith
Courtesy of Leathers and Associates
Go With The Flow
14
14
Moving Water from the Playground By CJ Stoddard
It’s a Job Well Done When...
16
By Roger Davis
The Importance of Building It Right
18
By International Playground Contractors Association (NPCAI)
22
Naturalized Playgrounds
Utilizing Natural Assets in the Development of a Whimsical Environment By International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA)
Courtesy of LuckyDog Recreation
26
18
28
Playground Contractors’ Responsibilities According to CPSC State Licensing Requirements
DEPARTMENTS 5 7
CPSI Course Calendar The Play and Playground Encyclopedia
Cover photo: Victor Palafox of Community Playgrounds Inc. of Vallejo, California
4 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2015
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
CPSI Course
Calendar March 18-20
Plymouth, MN
763-571-1305
24-26
St. Charles, MO
573-636-3828
31-2
East Hartford, CT
860-721-0384
1-3
Newport News, VA
804-730-9447
8-10
Las Vegas, NV
702-267-4140
15-17
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
609-356-0480
21-23
Chicago Area, IL
705-588-2287
22-24
Omaha, NE
402-289-0050
28-30
Columbus, OH
614-794-9190
5-7
Winter Park, FL
850-878-3221
6-8
Fairbanks, AK
907-459-1275
18-20
Riverside, CA
916-665-2777
19-21
Arlington, TX
512-267-5550
Hillsboro, OR
503-867-8447
April
May
June 3-5
July 14-16
Raleigh, NC
919-513-3937
™
Magazine
PLAYGROUND PROFESSIONALS Comes with a FREE digital WEEKLY subscription! NEWSLETTER Subscribe Today Informative, Useful, Valuable, Trusted
playgroundprofessionals.com or scan...
September 23-25
Leesburg, VA
804-730-9447
28-30
Griffin, GA
770-760-1403
29-01
Dublin, OH
614-895-2222
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SPRING 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 5
Curtis Stoddard - Publisher Magazine Publisher Curtis Stoddard
Editor Rita Watts
Advertising Director Tate Schuldies
Design Jake Amen Printing
I am passionate about playgrounds. I have owned a playground construction company for thirty-two years and have had the privilege to travel around the world building playgrounds. I’ve worked in the Intermountain West from Canada to Las Vegas and have met many wonderful people in small towns and big cities. I am a hero to children on a daily basis and adults are curious too and wonder, “Who does build playgrounds?” I get to work outdoors with my hands and a group of like-minded individuals who work as a team and are proud of the projects that we accomplish. And while I am sure that your vocation is wonderful, I can’t help but think that building playgrounds could be the best job in the world! As I move from my career as a playground builder into my career as a publisher of Play and Playground Magazine and websites, I have a heavy heart as I think about summers not constructing playgrounds. At the same time I am thrilled about this construction issue and the future of our Play and Playground media products found at www. playgroundprofessionals.com. I hope you enjoy the construction issue of Play and Playground Magazine. Keep it and all Play and Playground Magazine issues as reference resources.
Falls Printing
Accounting Evelyn Coolidge Webmaster Jake Amen
Contributing Authors Jay Beckwith Roger Davis IPEMA NPCAI CJ Stoddard
Did You Notice Our New Magazine Name?
T H I N K I N G T O DAY
A B O U T T O M O R R O W ’S P L AY ™
We’ve always been about play – we just didn’t have it in our title! The word “playground” certainly does bring images to mind of children playing on play equipment at their local park or school, but it doesn’t immediately invoke thoughts of the myriad of ways that children play. We have broadened our scope of content so we can include all kinds of play children can engage in – nature play in the woods exploring streams and building dens, constructive play in adventure playgrounds building forts, neighborhood play with team sports or pick-up games, and the list goes on. Playground Professionals has championed play issues since its inception in 2010 with The Play and Playground Encyclopedia, which contains over 630 listings about play and playground topics and which continues to grow. The Playground Professionals News Center soon followed with current news items, press releases, and regular columnists who are experts in their fields. Since purchasing Playground Magazine, we have offered a free digital version of the magazine on the Playground Professionals’ website. This is available through a simple subscription process at www.playgroundprofessionals. com/subscribe. Two directories are also found on the website: Parks and Recreation Equipment Directory with manufacturer contact information and Local Playground Professionals Directory with contacts for sales reps, playground contractors, landscape architects, and safety inspectors. With this abundance of content available, Playground Professionals offers a great resource site for play and playground information. Explore it all at www.playgroundprofessionals.com.
Magazine
Copyright, 2015 published by Playground Professionals, LLC, 4 issues per year, sub rates, back copies, foreign, reproduction prohibitions, all rights reserved, not responsible for content of ads and submitted materials, mail permits, printed by Falls Printing, Idaho Falls, ID.
CORPORATE OFFICE Playground Professionals LLC P.O. Box 807 Ashton, Idaho 83420
www.playgroundprofessionals.com
6 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2015
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
From the Play & Playground Encyclopedia Installers
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/encyclopedia/i/installers PLAYGROUND INSTALLERS are the individuals who assemble and build playgrounds. Installers work for contractors, the companies that contract with the owner to construct the playground. There are a wide variety of chores that must be performed for a successful playground build. A playground construction project may include excavation, concrete work, drainage systems, installation of the playground equipment, and resilient surfacing work. Installers first prepare the playground area (jobsite) and secure it from entry by the public for safety reasons. They then unload the playground construction materials, organize them, and remove the packaging of the hundreds of parts and pieces. The installers determine the layout and elevation of the playground equipment and begin digging holes for the footings.
The footings are the structural support system of the playground and usually require cement to hold the playground secure. Once the footings are dug and elevations set, the installers begin assembly of the playground equipment. First to be installed are the uprights (posts) that hold up the playground components. The playground components (toys or activities) are then secured to the uprights. This process involves a variety of metal, plastic, and cable parts that are held together with hundreds of pieces of hardware. Installers use installation manuals supplied by the playground equipment manufacturer to determine the proper placement of the components and hardware. Installers are trained to know the current playground safety guidelines, such as safety zones, protrusions, entanglements, and entrapments.
After all the equipment is assembled, the installers will pour concrete in the footer holes, which provides the structural stability for the playground equipment. The playground is then ready for safety surfacing, which may be a loose fill or unitary surface. Sometimes specialty surfacing installers come in and install the surfacing. Once the concrete is cured and the resilient surfacing is cured, the playground is ready for public use.1 References
1 Stoddard, Curtis
The Play & Playground Encyclopedia Research over 630 listings of play and playground related companies, organizations, events, books, magazines, safety, people and blogs.
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SPRING 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 7
An Interview with
Curtis Stoddard Curtis Stoddard has been a playground contractor for over thirty years and has constructed thousands of playgrounds across the Intermountain West. He co-founded the International Playground Contractors Association (NPCAI) and has been involved with ASTM International (ASTM), the National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI), and the International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA). Curtis wrote the curriculum for the NPCAI Construction School and has been an instructor at the school. Curtis Stoddard is the publisher of Play and Playground Magazine.
PPM: Curtis, you have been in the industry a long time. Can you give us a short history of playground construction? CS: Early playground structures were built by local welders or carpenters. This gave us many creative and unique playgrounds, but durability and safety were sometimes not present. Early manufacturers of playground equipment produced small individual play components that shipped and assembled easily. Playground equipment then evolved into component structures that allowed for multiple designs and bigger structures. By the early 1990s most local playground equipment designers and builders were gone (hard to keep up with the safety requirements). Today most playground construction is done with pre-manufactured equipment that requires assembly, not welding or nailing. Of course, the other difference in the evolution of playground construction is safety guidelines and standards. Today’s builders have many rules to follow. PPM: So defining a playground builder, would you say it takes a trained professional these days? CS: I personally believe (along with many states’ governments) that playground builders should be licensed, insured, and certified. States and cities have their own requirements for building public playgrounds. These requirements should be followed. PPM: Why types of insurance should a contractor have? CS: Any contractor doing public work (or
private) should protect himself and his clients by having the appropriate insurances. There are many kinds of insurance, but liability, workers’ compensation, and vehicle and machinery insurances are the minimum coverages a contractor should have. PPM: How do playground builders become certified? CS: There are currently only a few recognized certification programs. The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) has the Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) certification, and some manufacturers offer a factory trained and certified installer program for their products. Not all companies offer this certification. PPM: You make it sound like playground construction is a specialty like plumbing or electrical. CS: Look, anyone can build a playground. But not everyone can build a playground correctly. I have inspected playgrounds built by general contractors that were not built correctly. I have inspected playgrounds built by Boy Scout troops that were constructed perfectly. Building playgrounds is a specialty that requires a special process. You have grade issues, layout, footings, assembly, concrete, wrap up, and this is all done with pre-finished materials that you cannot scratch or scrape! There is so much that goes into a project to pull off a successful build. PPM: Describe what you mean. What are the important elements that go into building a playground successfully?
8 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2015
CS: Playground builders need to know the guidelines and safety standard requirements for playground equipment as well as the surfacing that is installed below it. They also need to have general contractor knowledge and resources and have experience in construction. These are all crucial to a successful playground construction project. If adherence to manufacturers’ installation details along with adherence to ASTM standards and CPSC guidelines are to be considered to be important, then the last parties responsible for the implementation of these objectives, the contractor and installer, are vital to the success of the playground project. PPM: Are there other skills a playground contractor should have? CS: I could go on forever about the skills a good playground contractor should have. From pre-planning and mobilization to job completion, a contractor is presented with many challenges and must be organized and efficient. He must be a problem solver and have good people skills. Using qualified and experienced playground builders is smart business and good risk management. PPM: Tell us some technical aspects of playground construction. CS: There are basically three areas of playground construction. The first is basic land and site infrastructure, which includes topography issues, drainage, borders, parking, access, trees and shrubs, and site amenities. These are things common to many types of construction. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Second is playground equipment installation, which is a specialty. If you do not like putting bikes together on Christmas morning or putting today’s kit furniture together, then do not become an equipment installer. Installation of playground equipment requires strict adherence to detailed drawings. Many aspects of playground equipment installation are closer to mechanical work than carpentry. PPM: Why do you say that? CS: Any given play structure has thousands of bolts and parts. Putting the right bolt in the right spot is critical to the strength and longevity of a product. Following directions is a very technical part of installation. A builder must be aware of playground hazards, such as crush and shear points, entanglements and impalements, entrapments, sharp points, corners and edges, suspended hazards, and tripping hazards. More contractor responsibilities include equipment heights for swings, slides, and overhead events, footing sizes, and adherence to standards and guidelines, such as CPSC 5.1.1: “Platforms should be generally flat (i.e., ± 2° of horizontal). Play and Playground Magazine has included a list of CPSC Guidelines that apply to playground equipment safety on page 26 in this issue. PPM: What is the third area of playground construction? CS: Third is surfacing. While loose fill products are easy to install, there are many technical requirements for accessibility that fall under regulations set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The same laws and guidelines apply to unitary surfaces along with the technical requirements of that particular unitary product. Pour-in-place surfacing installation can fail due to many issues such as mixing, temperature, application, and curing. Tiles can expand and contract creating huge problems if not installed correctly.
level playing field, and I support licensed, insured, and certified installers. That being said, if the licensed, insured, and certified requirements are being met, a community project can be successful. When I step outside of my construction business, I support properly supervised community built playgrounds 100%. In the next article, Jay Beckwith describes the beauty of community built projects. PPM: What is the future of playground construction?
PPM: What do you mean by hard stance surfacing requirements? CS: Well, the unseen part of the future of North American playgrounds is surfacing. Safety and accessibility clash. Safety requires a soft bouncy surface; accessibility requires a stiff stable surface. How these two eventually work together still remains to be seen. It may be that surfacing becomes the most expensive and technical part of a playground project. At any rate, surfacing installation is sure to remain a big part of playground construction.
CS: Playground equipment is getting higher, has more moving elements, and some manufacturers are introducing electronic devices into the equipment. This means that contractors’ skills must grow with the playground equipment industry’s new trends.
PPM: Let’s talk a moment about what you enjoy most about playground construction?
Taller play equipment means different installation equipment, different safety rules, and a different thought process during construction. It’s the same with electrical – a whole new set of rules and skills are involved in the installation of these play components that require electronics.
Otherwise I have enjoyed the travel. I have been everywhere in the four states that I work in and have met thousands of wonderful people and children. I have built playgrounds at the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park, Zion’s National Park, and so many of the cities and small towns in between. I go into these communities and spend a few days or a few weeks and have grown to know these towns, roads, mountains, and deserts intimately. And to see the big smiles on excited children’s faces always warms my heart. It has given me an opportunity to play…today and every day!
If playgrounds are regulated nationwide the way they are in California, and if hard stance surfacing requirements are put into place, the playground construction industry will need to step up to fill the owners’ needs of compliance with stiffer safety and accessible requirements.
CS: I have always been a builder, so building is in my blood. I do like the whole process from start to finish.
PPM: With all the technical knowledge you are describing for playground builders, it seems you would not support community build construction. CS: Well…with playground construction having been my business, I support a www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Curtis Stoddard surrounded by happy children after a playground build in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami.
SPRING 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 9
Building Community with Community Build Playgrounds by Jay Beckwith
Coming together for a “barn raising� is as old as America. It is only natural that that same spirit has been harnessed to build places for kids to play. THERE IS VERY LITTLE EVIDENCE that the early years of the playground movement used volunteers but is safe to assume that many did. The modern trend of community involvement in building playgrounds dates from 1960 and the work of Paul Hogan and his Playgrounds for Free program. My efforts with Build Your Own Playground began a few years later. Paul and I shared the vision that playspaces for kids could be volunteerbuilt. We also shared the process of site-building the play equipment. The community site-built movement is still alive. Robert Leathers and his company, Leathers and Associates, have done hundreds of installations. There is even a group called Community Build Association (communitybuilt.org) with 26 member companies.
Site-built playgrounds are predominately fabricated with wood, and while that material maximizes citizen involvement, it limits what can be fabricated with hand tools – it’s pretty tough to build a spiral slide with hammers and saws. Realizing this limitation in the ’80s, both BigToys and Landscape Structures developed a series of kits that were ideal for community builders. The big advantage of this approach is that the factory-made apparatus can be made to a consistent standard and supported with warranties and replacement parts. Today, most site-builders use commercially-sourced play events and restrict onsite fabrication to architectural elements, thus creating a hybrid system that can be the best of both worlds. Most manufacturers and governmental agencies now accept volunteer building as a matter of course. The national nonprofit KaBOOM! is by far the largest proponent of this approach having installed well over 2,000 playground systems. Around the world service groups of all sizes are installing playgrounds. The two largest groups are Rotary International and Kiwanis for whom playgrounds have become something of a special focus. Indeed one member, Jim Roberts of Napa, California, has spearheaded the installation of 60 play structures within his community.
The Benefits of Community Built Cost savings is, of course, high on the list of benefits. Equipment installation costs range from 20 to 50% of the value of the apparatus. Today’s play systems are modular and comprised of well-designed and relatively simple components. Anyone who can dig holes, mix cement, and assemble a bike can build one. Most communities have experienced craftsmen who can shepherd the project, and post-installation inspections will catch any errors. Connecting neighbors is often cited as one of the most compelling reasons to do a community-build. Interestingly, the impact of the project by Jim Roberts in Napa became immediately apparent during their recent earthquake. Jim’s projects brought together hundreds of neighbors who got to know each other and learned to work together. This reservoir of collaboration was instrumental in getting Napa back on its feet and in business again within weeks of the disaster. Sense of ownership is another benefit of community building. The feeling that www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Courtesy of Pogo Park
“My dad, mom, and neighbors helped build this playground” is one way to protect playgrounds from vandalism. I get reports every time the word playground is mentioned in a news item. About once a week a playground is torched, most often by a disgruntled youth. This suggests that while community-builds are great, the closer to home the volunteers come from, the better. An extreme example of this is the Pogo Park (pogopark.org) project. Founded and directed by Toody Mather, Pogo Park builds playgrounds in one of the toughest parts of America. Not content with installing commercial equipment, Toody’s team builds their playgrounds literally from the ground up and fabricates everything they possibly can. Neighborhood residents do all the work. The beauty of her system is that rather than just volunteers, many of these workers are paid for their time and are gaining trade skills that will lead to careers. And an added benefit is there has been no vandalism at a Pogo Park. An often-overlooked benefit of community builds is that the participants gain an increased sense of place; that this playspace is their home turf. Modern life is full of disconnects. As a highly mobile society it’s hard for many to feel like they belong. This is another side of the sense of place that these projects engender. The sense of belonging is a very personal, powerful, and empowering experience. I have seen volunteers go on to run for the school board and win. Many others have taken this sense of empowerment to launch significant changes in their lives, families, and community.
Realizing the Full Potential of Community Build Volunteer building has overcome the doubters and proven its value. We know that these projects can save money, be compliant with safety standards, are maintainable, and greatly enhance the sense of community. As the Pogo Park project has demonstrated, the more community involvement there is, the greater the benefits. Given this success, it could become the preferred method of creating playgrounds. That hasn’t happened yet, but there are a number of trends that suggest that community building will become more popular.
Site Fabricated Playgrounds Over the past few decades site-fabricated playgrounds have grown in scale and complexity to rival any other method of construction. Such projects would be problematic without having experienced consultants guiding the process. Imagine, if you will, what you would do if put in charge of such an effort and arrived on workday to find a pile of materials and over 100 eager volunteers. In some respects, the construction is the easy part. Organizing the crews, providing instructions, managing the egos, and insuring the safety of workers is at least as much work. But smaller projects, like those in early childhood programs, are much more feasible, and in past years parent-built play was the norm. Unfortunately, that option is rarely used nowadays. During the rollout of U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and ASTM
SPRING 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 11
International (ASTM) requirements, most such playgrounds got a safety inspection either by choice or by regulation. In those early days many inspectors where poorly trained, often referred to as “one-daywonders,” and they tended to apply the requirements to virtually every element on the playground. A typical example was flagging a boulder along a pathway or a playhouse up against a building, because they didn’t have a 6-ft fall zone on all sides. This draconian process was unfortunate on several levels. First, byand-large the playspaces generally had many, many years of safe use. Unlike public playgrounds, trained adults constantly supervise them. The result of this inappropriate application of safety regulations resulted in the wholesale removal of play features that were lovingly crafted, developmentally appropriate, programmatically essential, and safe. The greatest tragedy however was yet to come, for where were these programs to turn for solutions? You guessed it, playground equipment manufacturers. The problem was that most companies were poorly equipped to meet the need. Yes, they could provide scaled-down play structures and a swing, but active play
represents a small part of the needs of early childhood programs, yet this solution often used 100% of available budget and space. It has only been in the last few years that some commercial suppliers have developed a full range of age and program appropriate playspace furnishing. The majority of early childhood programs will be waiting for a long time before they can remodel their spaces to take advantage of these new products. Or they just may choose to go back to building their own now that they can do so and not be afraid of non-compliance.
Naturalized Playspaces The idea that children need more access to nature is gaining momentum. Such projects are ideal for community builds for several reasons. These projects tend to be less tool-skill intensive, so a much wider range of volunteers can be engaged. Unlike a hardscape playground, which is finished when the last bolt is tightened, a naturalized playscape continues to require care for some time particularly until the plants get established. Many of these projects also include a community garden, so there is a more or less permanent community of residents who
12 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2015
identify with and care for the space. Often referred to as “natural playgrounds,” I contend that they are neither. Far from being “natural,” these spaces require tremendous efforts to select plant materials, prepare soil, install irrigation, and husband the plant materials until they are established. Nor or they “playgrounds” as we have come to understand and use the term, i.e., swings, slides, climbers, and their supporting architecture. Such spaces are more landscape than hardscape. The problem with applying the term playground is that it sets up expectations for standards compliance, maintenance, and function, which are inappropriate and counter-productive.
Artistic Playspaces There is a natural affinity between art, creativity, and childhood. As Paige Johnson has so powerfully demonstrated in her Playscapes blog (www. play-scapes.com), artists have a real place on playgrounds. For example, her Pinterest collection of playground sculpture has 92 pins and her natural playscapes has 212 pins, most of which include sculptural elements in wood and stone. Many designers and some of the most www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Placemaking
Photos courtesy of Leathers and Associates
influential figures in the playground industry started out as artists. In my own experience, I found that my large sculptures became popular with kids for climbing, and it was natural to begin to make them even more suitable for play. Also I really liked the idea that my work would be accessible in parks and not confined to museums. Community-built playspaces have always had the advantage that they are unique and help establish local identify. The inclusion of artists elevates these projects to new levels. This is a niche in the market that is very difficult for equipment manufacturers to fill, structured as they are for mass production.
The Trouble with Artists Adding artists to the process of creating a playscape can be challenging. Each artist has his or her own way of working, how they perceive their work, and their tolerance for public input. The most common method of integrating art into a playground is simply commissioning a work. With the proper scope of work, design performance criteria, and review process, creative additions can be quite successful. An even more exciting process can occur when the artist is willing to allow volunteer collaboration. For kids, working side by side with an artist can be a mind-expanding experience. I recall during a community-build that a child asked me what I did for a living; when she found out that we were doing it right then, her mouth dropped open in disbelief. She ran over to her mother and asked if such a thing could be true. When she learned that it was possible, she shouted, “Mom, can I make playgrounds too?” www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
In recent years there has been a growing movement called “placemaking” to which volunteers are a central resource. Public Workshop (publicworkshop.us) has a program called Tiny WPA that gives teens, and especially girls, hands-on experience by building a playground and other urban amenities. The Project for Public Spaces is another effective organization in this area. They have promulgated Eleven Principles for Creating Great Community Places (www.pps.org/reference/11steps), which include: 1. The Community is the Expert 2. Create a Place, Not a Design 3. Look for Partners 4. You Can See a Lot Just by Observing 5. Have a Vision 6. Start With Petunias: Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper 7. Triangulate Points of Interest 8. They Always Say “It Can’t be Done” 9. Form Supports Function 10. Money is Not the Issue 11. You are Never Finished These principles are polar opposites of the standard process of developing municipal spaces, and it is no wonder that they engender a lot of skepticism by public officials. The key here is that the process is designed to empower citizens rather than rely solely on experts and top down governmental control. While the traditional approach is obviously necessary for most public infrastructure projects, it is not necessary for playgrounds. The good news is that there are thousands of examples of extremely successful projects ranging from school grounds to large parks, so the “It can’t be done” objection loses most of its power to obstruct.
Public Relations Throughout the last three centuries of playground history there has always been a strong thread of public service. Playgrounds have figured in campaigns for health, safety, and accessibility, bringing public attention to the needs of chil-
dren. Projects like those of KaBOOM! are only possible because the donors are not only motivated by civic duty, but also because of the halo effect of such projects on their corporate brand. The relative PR value of playground projects goes something like this. Level One – A donation that leads to a ribbon cutting of commercial equipment installed by contractors is nice but not very noteworthy. Level Two – Community installation of commercial equipment by non-residents gets more notice than just a cash gift. Level Three – Community-build of unique features gets huge attention for a long time. Level Four – A playspace built by the neighborhood that includes plants, gardens, and playful art is a living monument that will continue to generate stories for decades. There have been several studies that show the value of parks and playgrounds for both the community and property owners. It may sound cynical but city managers or park directors should leverage these documented benefits and seize the potential that a level four project represents.
PLAYGROUND PROFESSIONALS
Jay Beckwith
• Began designing play environments in 1970. • Has written several books on designing and building play equipment. • Is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector. • Has written publications and developed programs for playground safety. • Has consulted with playground manufacturers in their design process. • Writes a blog at playgroundguru.org. • Completed a comprehensive upgrade of the Gymboree Play and Music apparatus. • Currently developing location based mobile games with the goal of using smartphones in outdoor play. Read More at
playgroundprofessionals.com
SPRING 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 13
GO WITH THE FLOW
Moving Water from the Playground
by CJ Stoddard PLAYGROUND DRAINAGE is a critical part of keeping playground equipment and surfacing in proper working order, safe and usable. When purchasing a new car, it looks and runs great for a while, but if the oil is never changed and if the windows are left open when it rains, the car may continue to look good on the outside, but the interior and what’s under the hood will be damaged causing the engine to fail and the car to wear prematurely. This is similar to what happens to a playground when there is water in a pit with no accommodations made for getting it out. Water needs to be controlled by keeping it out of the pit altogether or planning a way to move the water out of the surfacing area when it does get in. Standing water will cause the resilient surfacing and play equipment to age and deteriorate prematurely. The structural integrity of the concrete footings will be compromised, rust will begin to shorten the life of any metal in the surfacing, molds and mildews will grow, and the surfacing will not have the impact attenuation that it is designed to have. The life of the investment is shortened and the play area may become unusable.
There are four issues involved with playground drainage: 1. Environmental factors 2. Problems related to standing water in the play area 3. Types of drainage for playgrounds 4. Construction considerations
Environmental Factors Affecting Drainage There are many environmental factors that affect drainage. Five of the most common encountered by playground builders are: 1. Topography shows the graphic representation of the play area illustrating the elevations and their relationship to other features at the site, such as buildings, sidewalks, etc. Topography tells how much slope is in the play area and the direction of the slope. This allows the builder to determine if there is enough slope to safely move water away from and out of the play area or if there is too much slope, which causes loose-fill surfacing materials to gravitate to the lower end of the play area. 2. Water Table indicates the high water
areas, locations of ditches or streams, and the presence of water due to wetlands. 3. Soil Conditions determine the types of soil in the play area, such as clay, coarse gravel, sand, or silt. If the type of soil is unknown, a professional such as a civil engineer may need to be called in. If the sub-base is coarse gravel, extra drainage may not be necessary. If the soil doesn’t allow water to pass through easily, a drainage system may be needed. 4. Location of the play pit in proximity to other structures must be considered. For example, a gutter or lack of a gutter that causes run-off from a building to flow into the play pit must be remedied. Also, sprinklers that keep a play area constantly wet will cause problems with drainage. 5. Type of Safety Surfacing dictates the drainage system needed. Loose-fill surfacing needs vary greatly from unitary surfacing requirements. Best case scenario, the drainage for a surrounding area keeps water out of the playground altogether. If water is going into the play area and continues to stay, a system for moving the water out of the playground area must be designed. Just like streams and rivers, water will flow to the lowest point. The job of playground designers and owners is to control it by intentionally helping it move to the lowest point and away from or out of the playground.
Problems Related to Standing Water in Playgrounds Over time, small and seemly insignificant durations of standing water can cause bacteria growth, such as mold. Standing water attracts and harbors unwanted insects like mosquitoes. Also, the constant freezing and thawing of standing water in a play area will lift and deform unitary materials causing them to lose their resiliency and compliance. Providing a safe play area includes replacing lost or displaced loose-fill materials. If those materials are continuously under water, they lose their fall-height rating, become displaced, and cause other surfacing problems. In standing water, concrete footers can become compromised, and the possibility of footing failure is more than just possible, it’s probable. All these seemingly insignificant things in and of themselves may not cause a playground 14 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2015
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
owner to react with great alarm, however, added up over time, the continued neglect of these issues makes for an unsafe play area, which is a cause for alarm.
Types of Drainage for Playgrounds There are several types of drainage for playgrounds that work in varying situations. Since there is not a single drainage remedy that works in all situations, the correct drainage system must be determined. Simple sump – The idea of a simple sump is to encourage the water to stay well below sub-grade. And, even though the water stays “in the pit,” it is drained below footers, surfacing, and support posts, and, therefore, doesn’t affect the structural integrity. The simple sump requires a site that has a 1% to 2% slope across the area. At the low end a pit is dug deep enough for water run-off to accumulate during high run-off or a big rain storm. The pit is lined with geotextile material and filled with 1” to 5” of clean drain rock up to sub-grade, making sure that the surfacing depth is not compromised. The pit is then covered with more fabric to complete the job. Sump pump – An electrical pump for removing water from the play pit is more costly than a simple sump. Sump pumps are used in climates and locations that require a more aggressive approach to drainage. Play areas located near a stream or canal or that have detention basins placed near them may require a sump pump. Also, for areas where seasonal high water is expected and for climates that get lots of rain continuously like the Oregon coast, sump pumps may be considered the norm. French drain – Ideally, a French drain is designed to keep water out of the pit to begin with. A French drain uses a pre-fabricated perforated pipe that is covered with geotextile material to keep out small particles like silt. Then the pipe is buried in a gravel bed. The pipe, depending on the specifications or design by the engineer or architect, would ideally run along the perimeter of the play area and then connect to an existing storm drain or detention basin. An alternative approach is to run a French drain out of the retaining wall or direct it into a sump pit. Special Considerations for Unitary Surfacing www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
When unitary rubber tiles or pourin-place surfacing are installed, a drain grate or a channel drain is commonly used for evacuation of surface water with the channel at slope underneath sub-grade. Drain grates are made of fiberglass, plastic, steel, or aluminum. They are installed parallel and in regular measurements throughout the pit. Water enters the grate and is then allowed to flow to the exterior drain system.
rock, gumbo, frozen ground, muddy conditions, and snow. However, on build day these builders found 12 inch-sized drainage rock at a depth of 7 feet had been placed in the play pit intentionally when they arrived. Big earth moving equipment had to be used to haul out the “boulders,” and construction of the playground was delayed by several days.
Construction Considerations Of all the considerations for drainage, the most important is this: drainage should not be put in the path of the concrete footers. Pictured here are examples of what should NOT be done when it comes to drainage.
In this picture (above) the architect actually designed the playground pit to have a two by three foot drainage channel going through the middle of the playground. All playground manufacturers have specific directions for how deep, how wide, and how much concrete is required for every hole. Clearly, the architect’s idea of removing water from the play area was a bad idea as it conflicted with the manufacturer’s specification for building a structurally sound playground.
On this playground the site specifications called for the playground area to be the drainage bed for the entire school. Often builders deal with difficult ground conditions when building playgrounds, such as hard pan, river rock, caliche, lava
This picture shows new construction of a site where drainage gravel was installed prior to the playground. The gravel had to be moved back to provide work space for the play equipment installation. It took time to remove the existing gravel and increased the chance of the drainage gravel being contaminated with footer dirt during construction. It would have been better to install this drainage after the equipment was in place. Here again, if drainage gravel covers the entire play area, the specified footer depth may be compromised. An even better solution to putting loose-fill drainage throughout the entire play area is to use the 6 foot use zone as the “drainage” area so the footer depth is in compliance with the manufacturer’s specification.
Final Thoughts Consider the philosophy of the 5 Ps: Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance. It is more cost effective and the best business practice to plan ahead and make good decisions about all the elements of a playground build. For equipment and surfacing to perform their best, proper drainage must be given serious thought and the best plan needs to be implemented.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR CJ Stoddard is President of Lucky Dog Recreation and has been involved with playgrounds his entire life. luckydogrecreation.com
SPRING 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 15
Job It’s a
Well Done
When...
by Roger Davis
IT IS AN EXCITING TIME when a new playground comes to a community. From planning to finish, the local children wait with anticipation. Hopefully, the owner has employed a quality contractor to build the playground, and the owner has been involved with the construction process throughout the project. When the contractor finishes building the play area, the owner is ready to meet with him to do the job completion walkthrough (post-installation inspection) to complete the process of accepting the new playground project. This final process can be viewed as a four step process that is part of the comprehensive maintenance management plan. The four steps of the job completion program are: (1) the post-installation safety inspection, (2) jobsite inspection, (3) owner responsibilities, maintenance, and job acceptance, and (4) documentation. Final documentation at job acceptance is followed by incorporating the new playground into the comprehensive maintenance management program and ensuring the new equipment is insured on the owner’s list of assets.
1st Step: Post-installation Safety Inspection The post-installation safety inspection should be performed by a Certified
Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) representing the contractor and a CPSI representing the owner. This inspection should include a detailed “hands-on” inspection to confirm compliance with ASTM International (ASTM), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) guidelines. This “hands-on” inspection should also include noting any manufacturer fabrication errors, freight damage not already reported, installer errors, and OSHA compliance, which should have been in place from the start of the project. If a non-compliance item is found, the finding should be documented and photographed with a written directive of what corrective action is needed, who is responsible for the corrective action, and when the corrective action should be completed. This post-installation safety inspection is sometimes referred to as an audit – a word that should not be used since this inspection covers more than just compliance with ASTM, CPSC, and ADA.
includes confirming that footing spoils, construction trash, and any other debris have been removed from the jobsite. It is also important to make sure that any and all travel paths created during construction are completely repaired and ADA access is clear and unobstructed. The owner must realize at this point that now is the time to make sure that all elevations are correct. Elevations include the ADA transfer stations, deck heights, slide exits, and overhead component heights. The owner with the contractor should also check to see that posts are plumb, decks are level, and unnecessary manufacturer tags have been removed. Now is also the time to ensure there are no physical or cosmetic problems created either by the installer or ones that may have occurred at the factory. It is tremendously important to confirm that all footings are below sub-grade, all concrete has properly cured, and all equipment has been properly cleaned.
2nd Step: Jobsite Inspection
Owner responsibilities include inspection types and schedules, equipment and surfacing compliance, along with the recommended maintenance procedures. A good playground contractor will discuss with the owner of the new play system the
The jobsite inspection includes the new play equipment, the use zone, the area surrounding the new play system, and any connecting paths used to access the new play area. This inspection
16 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2015
3rd Step: Owner Responsibilities
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
importance of playground safety, which includes CPSC compliance based on the CPSC 325 recommended guidelines for public use play equipment. This discussion should also include risk management, children’s safety, and the age appropriate use with the relating signage. The importance of play equipment usage, play area signage, and ASTM/CPSC label requirements should be discussed, as these along with the maintenance and future care of the equipment and surfacing have now become the owner’s responsibility. The owner should receive a manufacturer-supplied maintenance kit. These kits typically include graffiti remover, tamper proof tools, extra hardware, touch up paint, and inspection report paperwork, which should include inspections forms and recommended inspection intervals and frequencies. The owner should also be provided with an installation manual, parts list, and contacts for parts ordering and recall information. Many owners forget to ask for updated insurance certificates at job close-out, even though these were furnished upon award of the job. It is also a best practice to ask for “as-built” 2D drawings to ensure the play equipment was installed according to the manufacturer’s guidelines and specifications. If any deviations from the original specifications were made, the owner should be sure to have the manufacturer or manufacturer’s representative “sign-off ’ on that variance in order to confirm that the change was approved by the manufacturer and will not negate any warranty or manufacturer’s liability.
•
•
turer if any changes were made. Pictures of the jobsite before, during, and after job completion. It is very important to include photos from all angles that clearly show use zones, elevations, and the condition of the jobsite at the end of the project. These pictures could prove to be invaluable in the future. Insurance certificates, which include general liability, excess umbrella liability coverage, workers’ compensation, and commercial vehicle coverage. It is always a good idea to have the installation company’s Experience Modification Rate (EMR) on file. The EMR shows the installation company’s past experience in regards to
Continued on page 30...
PM15
4th Step: Documentation Once the above has been completed and all punch list items have been corrected to the owner’s satisfaction, the owner is now just about ready to accept the “care, custody and control” of the new playground area and pay the vendor for a job well done. Before he writes that check, the owner should make sure he has the following: • At least one signed copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP) or Invitation for Bid (IFB), the signed contract and/or agreement. • Pre-construction and as-built drawings of the play equipment noting any deviations from manufacturer’s instructions and written acceptance of these changes from the manufacwww.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SPRING 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 17
The Importance of
Building It Right by International Playground Contractors Association (NPCAI)
Building it right is about creating safe play areas before, during, and long after the installation process. 18 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2015
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
BUILDING A PLAYGROUND is not just about setting posts and bolting climbers and slides to it. A few years ago an installer installed an awesome new playground in a park. In order to save money, the job was split between the equipment and the surfacing into two separate contracts with two different companies. The park department was excited about the job and really pushed the supplier and installer to get the equipment manufactured, shipped, and installed. It took a little arranging, but they were able to work the schedule to meet the timeline. The install was a week of hard work, and when it was over, the playground looked great. The park district signed off on the equipment and the installer cleaned up the site, removed the trash, and took down their construction fence. Right after the install was over, some bad weather hit, which made it impossible to get the surfacing installed. It was two weeks before the surfacing installer was able to do the job in a way that met manufacturer’s specifications. The delay was nobody’s fault – except maybe Mother Nature’s. A group of neighborhood kids were at the park every day watching the playground go up. It had a tree house, a HUGE web climber, and a towering dragon slide. This was the coolest playground they had ever seen. The week it took to build the playground stretched out like the last 30 minutes before recess. Time stopped. Anticipation built. One day the kids went out and the playground was open! The installers were gone and the fence was down – time to play! It was everything they could have dreamed of. Their playground games were taken to a whole new level of awesomeness and intensity. They were climbing higher than ever and could almost touch the sky! And then it all took a tragic turn. Somebody fell. There was no surfacing yet. Whose responsibility was it to secure the area after the playground was installed but before the surfacing was in? The playground installer? They had had their fence up already. It would be simple to just leave it up a while longer. The surfacing company was the one delayed. Could it be their responsibility? They had not arrived at the site yet – so was it even their site to begin with? What about the park district? It is their park! The failure occurred simply because expectations were not set. Every party could have secured the site easily. The www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
reality is, unless it is clearly defined, every party will assume it is someone else’s responsibility. With the current atmosphere of bidding jobs and getting the best price, jobs are approached as frugally as possible. Adding in something to a job that may not be required is the fastest way to lose the job. Safety is priority one, and expectations need to be communicated clearly to all involved parties.
Ensuring a Safe and Exciting Play Environment There are four factors that ensure a safe and exciting play environment for children: the equipment and surfacing, the design and layout, proper maintenance and upkeep, and the installation of the equipment and surfacing. None of these factors are more important than the other and all are required to work together for a successful playground project. ASTM International (ASTM) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are constantly crafting standards and guidelines for the industry to follow. Architects and manufacturers work diligently to push the boundaries of play in a creative and safe manner. National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS) have education programs to apply standards and create safety programs for public playgrounds. Companies like International Playground Safety Institute (IPSI) are creating programs which support maintenance and risk management in the public area. What about installation?
Does it really matter? Manufacturers work diligently to write precise installation instructions and generate scaled drawings. Installers just need to follow directions, right? Unfortunately, the world is not flat and sites have obstacles to contend with. There are rocks in the ground, water issues to deal with and soil conditions that vary widely. The CPSC mentions “install” in its Handbook for Public Playground Safety 31 times indicating its importance in creating safe play areas. Compare this to “manufacture” (22) and “maintain” (19). The installer of the equipment is the ONLY entity guaranteed to be at the site and the ONLY entity that has a direct impact on proper installation of the equipment. Most play areas are designed impeccably, manufactured perfectly, laid out on paper flawlessly, certified by the International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA), and complaint with ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). If it is not installed correctly, it immediately becomes a potentially dangerous pile of metal and plastic with a bunch of worthless certifications. If the installer was not properly licensed and qualified, it also becomes a huge liability issue for everyone involved in the process. Further risk is created by an installer who does not know how to secure a jobsite or use heavy construction equipment safely in a public setting. Utilizing a properly qualified park and playground equipment installer is just as important as any other part of
SPRING 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 19
the process. All manufacturers state in their warranty that a playground must be installed per manufacturer’s specifications by a qualified installer. If it is not, then their warranty is null and void, and they will refuse any liability or responsibility for the equipment. Hiring the lowest cost installer without qualifying them is the same as selling the warranty and product liability on the equipment for a pittance – a foolish choice considering that the cost of replacing a slide is generally in the thousands of dollars. The desire to appear fiscally responsible can have unintended consequences that may include the wellbeing of a child.
Qualifying a Playground Installer How do we qualify a playground installer? What should your expectations be for the jobsite? How do you protect your interests? IPEMA certifies equipment. NRPA’s Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) program certifies inspectors. How do I find a legitimate installer? The International Playground Contractors Association (NPCAI) was founded in 1997 by a group of passionate playground installers to address these concerns on behalf of the industry. Since their formation, they have established several programs to legitimatize the playground installation industry and to create a standard. The impact on the industry has been phenomenal. They have created an insurance program that has saved the industry hundreds of thousands of dollars solely on the strength and integrity of their membership. The Recreation Installation Specialist Certification (RISC) program has been embraced by installers
and manufacturers as an effective way to define an installer and raise the standards for everyone. The Qualified Contractor program defines the minimum business criteria that a competent park and playground equipment installer should have. It is the responsibility of the end user to utilize these programs to make sure that they are using competent and qualified contractors on projects. So how is this done? 1. Require any contractor building a play area to be a Qualified Contractor under the NPCAI. There are over 100 qualified contractors in North America. The qualified contractor status is a thirdparty verification that the contractor is a legitimate playground installation business. Hiring a contractor that is not a qualified contractor would be identical to sourcing equipment from a manufacturer that does not think that it is important to get IPEMA certification. Knowingly allowing an installer that is not committed to safety and the proper installation of playground equipment to install your equipment is a disservice to your community. Qualified Contractor status requires the following: a. NPCAI Membership. b. Licensing – A Qualified Contractor should be a properly licensed contractor as required by their state or local community. State licensing requirements can be found at the NPCAI website. c. Insurance – The NPCAI verifies that the contractor carries proper liability and workers’ compensation insurance. A manufacturer’s product liability insurance is not adequate for a contractor and will not protect the
owner against claims relating to the installation. d. CPSI – The NPCAI verifies that a member of the contracting organization is a current CPSI. e. RISC – The contractor should have an employee that has successfully completed the RISC certification under the NPCAI. 2. Make sure that the manufacturer of the equipment approves of the company performing the installation of the equipment. Many manufacturers offer installer certification programs. A healthy working relationship between the sales representative, the manufacturer, and the installer is essential for proper communication during the installation process and the owner’s ability to maintain the equipment over its life. 3. Installation Warranty – An Installation Warranty covers incidents that may occur over the life of the equipment than can be attributed to installation. The best installers offer a lifetime warranty on their installations because they know that if they install it per manufacturer’s specifications in the first place, their work should not be an issue and the manufacturer will take responsibility for any failures. If the manufacturer refuses to honor a warranty due to installation, this allows the owner to go to the installer to remedy the problem. 4. Take the time to check other work by the installer. Make sure that the process went smoothly and the equipment performed as the manufacturer intended. 5. Watch them work on a job. The way they present themselves, the condition of their equipment, and the way they organize their site is a huge reflection on how the crew is run. If an installer does not properly secure their site with a safety barrier, they are creating a hazard. Caution tape is NOT an acceptable way to do this. The minimum should be orange safety fencing.
Communicating Your Expectations Hiring the right installer is the first step in a successful build. The next step is to effectively communicate expectations. Every job is different. Every school, park district, community, and agency works differently. It is not realistic to assume that an installer – even an installer with 25 years of experience – knows the owner’s expecta20 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2015
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
tions. There is no standard way to do a job. It is important to clearly state what you expect the installer to do and be responsible for. It is important for the installer to clearly understand what the owner expects from him in the playground build and what his responsibilities will be. The owner will want to know how the installer expects to execute the job. What should be considered when setting expectations?
and executing a playground project. Many have strong relationships with installers who can advise on complex jobs. Some sales organizations have their own in-house installers who make packaging and executing jobs a seamless process.
Installation Process •
Site Preparation • •
•
•
•
•
Who will remove and dispose of existing equipment and footings? If there is existing surfacing and drainage, who will move it out of the way? Does the drainage need to be preserved or is it being replaced? Is the site level? Who will level it? The recommended slope is 2% or less. Who will prepare the base? Unitary surfacing requires a solid base. If the base is not done per their specifications, then surfacing manufacturers will not stand behind their warranty. Is drainage necessary? Ever been to the Grand Canyon? Water affects everything over time. All playgrounds require a way to move water away from the equipment and surfacing. Improper drainage will also void warranties. What about access to the site? A playground is not accessible if there is no ADAAG compliant accessible path to the site. Who is responsible for this? A beautifully designed play area with colorful pour-in-place surfacing and concrete curbs was finished with no connecting path to the sidewalk. The sidewalk was two feet from the play area. Expectations were not set.
•
•
•
Surfacing •
•
Equipment •
•
Who is receiving and storing the equipment? How will it get to the site? Who is responsible to receive, unload, and inventory the equipment? This is especially important if the supplier is contracted separately from the installer. Security of the equipment during the installation process must also be considered. Will the equipment fit into the area? Who verifies that the equipment will actually fit the site prior to installation? Sales representatives are an asset when it comes to planning
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
What is adequate security for a jobsite and who is responsible? Is chainlink fencing needed or is orange fencing adequate? Generally the longer the job will take, the more important security is. Caution tape is never an acceptable solution. Who is responsible to check for utilities? Generally whoever is digging is responsible to order a utility check. If there are private utilities, there may be an added cost to mark them, and it should be clear who is responsible for these. What is the appropriate way to access the site? Does fencing need to come down? Is it OK to leave ruts from a skid steer or does the contractor need to grade these after the install? What is the acceptable time frame for the project to occur?
handled? What should the installer do with the maintenance kit? • Is a full audit required? Should the surfacing be tested on site to make sure that it is compliant? • A written statement that the equipment was installed per manufacturer’s specifications should be given to the owner from the installer. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it should create awareness of the different factors that need to be considered when working with a good installer. Much more in depth training is available from the NPCAI with their RISC program. It is a three day training on all aspects of park and playground equipment installation with a test at the end. The best part is that it is held in Las Vegas, Nevada in December and Orlando, Florida in January. Playworld Systems and BCI Burke have both incorporated the RISC program into their installer certification courses to demonstrate their commitment to a high installation standard for their play areas.
•
Once again, who is responsible to secure the site? Poured-in-place or bonded rubber takes 72 hours to cure properly. Who will make sure no one gets on the surfacing for this time? Most surfacing companies have an exception to this written into their quotes and contracts and put the responsibility on the site owner. If the surfacing installer is different than the equipment installer, how will the site be secured in the interim? A play area without surfacing cannot be played on. Is bordering required? Who is responsible for that?
Post Install •
•
• •
What is the expectation for the appearance of the site when the job is done? Who is responsible for backfilling around concrete? Is seeding or sodding needed? Is a rough final grade acceptable or is a fine grading needed? Who is responsible for the final inspection? How will punch lists be
Building it right is about creating safe play areas before, during, and long after the installation process. It is about extending the life of the play equipment and protecting everyone’s liability exposure for the life of the area. Most importantly, building it right is about creating environments that enable kids to simply go nuts and be kids in their very own place – the playground.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The International Playground Contractors Association (NPCAI) is a nonprofit organization started in February of 1997 in order to provide a support program and set standards for playground construction professionals. www.playground-contractors.org
SPRING 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 21
Naturalized Playgrounds Utilizing Natural Assets in the Development of a Whimsical Environment
AMONG THE MANY IMPROVEMENTS in playground design over the last decade is an important movement toward incorporating more natural materials into the play space. It’s not hard to see why. Playgrounds that use natural elements tend to be more enticing to both children and adults – picture a lush space that incorporates exciting built elements along with trees, native plant life, natural shade, and water features. But it’s not just the aesthetics that are exciting; when planned carefully, playgrounds and built play spaces that feature natural design elements offer tremendous benefits for users of all ages. What constitutes a naturalized playground? It’s hard to find a single definition, but generally, we’re talking about a play space that combines a built environment with elements found in nature, such as wood, trees, plants, rocks, soil, and water. 22 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2015
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Richard Louv’s book, Last Child in the Woods, was one of the first books to bring together a new and growing body of research indicating that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development and for the physical and emotional health of children and adults. In it, Louv inspired a grassroots movement advocating outdoor play in nature. The research is clear and definitive – there are a variety of benefits from the inclusion of natural elements. The Natural Learning Initiative (NLI), a research and design assistance program at the College of Design, North Carolina State University, has conducted various studies supporting the benefits of playground naturalization, and has categorized the benefits into three critical areas for a child’s healthy development: active living; educational success through engagement with diverse, living environments; and healthy social and psychological development through spontaneous creative play. Take a more specific look at some benefits: • Naturalized playgrounds support increased diversity in play opportunities helping meet the needs of children in different stages of development, with different learning styles, personality types, friendship patterns, and culture. • Children have increased opportunities for learning about nature and for more creative and cooperative play. • Physical activity levels are increased from games that are influenced and www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
stimulated by changes in topography using trees, natural shade, or plants as part of a game or strategy. • The outdoor environment can be used as an educational resource to support learning through hands-on experiences and by bringing classroom learning outside. • Changing seasons and natural changes in the elements can contribute to new and unique play experiences. The benefits are clear, and parents, communities, schools, and local governments are looking to playground designers and manufacturers to help them navigate the planning process to design a naturalized playground. By considering the following factors, a play space can be designed that appropriately uses natural elements to increase the play value of the built environment for a win-win situation for all users.
Topography Topography should be appreciated as a natural asset in playground design and should be considered an important site feature. Playground designers can use Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to map natural topography and trees to ensure conservation of existing elements. Children are attracted to changes in topography as they stimulate themselves running up and down the hills and even rolling down them. Playground equipment can be embedded into natural changes in topography for additional benefits. For example, slides can be placed into slopes
and equipment can be built on the top of higher elevations to create additional opportunities for exciting play. Entrances, pathways, and boundaries that utilize the natural topography can help connect the play environment and organize design components into specific areas. Children’s physical activity is enhanced through changes in topography, offering climbing and running challenges that excite and stimulate children – it’s important to note that a site’s natural topography can be molded to maintain accessibility and provide play opportunities for all children.
Plant Material Augmenting a play space with natural plant material and trees adds significant value offering aesthetic qualities as well as shade and natural cover to enhance the comfort of the play space. This process can include elements already present in the space or a phased approach to planting native trees, shrubbery, and plants for successful incorporation can be done. When done well, plant material and trees can create high-value, child-friendly “play pockets,” natural boundaries, pathways, and shade. They also enhance the play experience by maximizing active, social, and sensory play opportunities, such as socio-dramatic play settings and social gathering areas. Plants provide color, texture, and fragrance within the play space for a multi-sensory experience. Ideally, manufactured play equipment should be located close to large shade trees. Many communities have found it
SPRING 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 23
helpful to contract with a local arborist to help successfully incorporate plants and trees using a phased approach.
Storm Water Abatement and Natural Water Features Building a naturalized playground can also have enormous benefit to the environment. In particular, using infrastructure elements such as rain gardens, pervious pavers, trees, and green roofs can help cope with gallons of storm water and in turn improve the health of local waterways in a community. For example, New York City and the Trust for Public Land recently announced the completion of the first “green” playground in Queens. The playground was designed with the input of students and used infrastructure elements to manage approximately 500,000 gallons of storm water per site each year, helping to improve the health of the local waterways, Flushing Bay and Newtown Creek. There is play value in water features as well, though caution should be exercised in designing play areas with water for safety and public health considerations. Using existing streams and water pockets can provide opportunities for natural exploration and can actually help cool off nearby areas. Both plant material and natural water improve natural habitat conditions for wildlife species that fascinate children, such as butterflies, caterpillars, ladybird beetles, and salamanders and attract songbirds that add sensory appeal to the playground. The movement toward creating more naturalized play environments offers a
win-win for children and the communities they live in. Through them, we are able to provide users with an experience similar to what many of them remember from their childhood days of playing in the woods, but with the added benefit of well-designed, safer built elements that enhance a play experience. They can also improve the health of the environment for generations to come. For more information visit: • Trust for Public Land (www.tpl.org) • US Access Board (www.access-board.gov) • American Association for the Child’s Right to Play (www.ipausa.org) • American Horticultural Society (www.ahs.org) • American Nursery & Landscape Association (www.anla.org) • American Society of Landscape Architects (www.asla.org) • ASTM International (www.astm.org) • Children & Nature Network (www. childrenandnature.org)
24 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2015
• • • •
NatureGrounds (www.naturegrounds.org) National Recreation and Park Association (www.nrpa.org) Natural Learning Initiative (www.naturalearning.org) No Child Left Inside Coalition (www.cbf.org/ncli/landing)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
IPEMA, the International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association, provides 3rd party Product Certification services for U.S. and Canadian public play equipment and public play surfacing materials in the U.S. www.ipema.org
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Learn more about Clemson University and the US Play Coalition’s new:
Playground Maintenance Certificate of Completion Program Who?
Frontline maintenance technicians and their managers.
Why?
What? Learn the Playground Maintenance Diamond of Care and more from experienced instructors and playground safety experts. Become a Playground Maintenance Technician (PMT).
Unsafe playgrounds cost millions and can lead to serious injury and death. By common playground safety issues. Playground safety is no accident.
When and Where? Host a program in your area, contact us: E: pmt@clemson.edu P: 864.656.2525
“A great program for those of us in the maintenance field.” (Gwinnet, GA) “I highly recommend this course… as it not only teaches valuable knowledge, but makes learning easy with top-notch media.” (Gwinnet, GA) “Instructors are professional, experienced and eager to share their experiences.” (Hong Kong) Class in Portland, OR
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SPRING 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 25
Playground Contractors’ Responsibilities According to CPSC Playground construction is a huge part of the playground process and arguably plays the most important part of the owner’s satisfaction with the play equipment. The following is a list from the 2010 U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) “Public Playground Safety Handbook” highlighting portions of the playground process for which contractors are either partially or entirely responsible.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Scope This handbook presents safety information for public playground equipment in the form of guidelines. Publication of this handbook is expected to promote greater safety awareness among those who purchase, install, and maintain public playground equipment. 1.2 Intended Audience This handbook is intended for use by childcare personnel, school officials, parks and recreation personnel, equipment purchasers and installers, playground designers, and any other members of the general public (e.g., parents and school groups) concerned with public playground safety and interested in evaluating their respective playgrounds. 1.6 Background Playground designers, installers and operators should be aware that the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is a comprehensive civil rights law which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Titles II and III of the ADA require, among other things, that newly constructed and altered State and local government facilities, places of public accommodation, and commercial facilities be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. Recreation facilities, including play areas, are among the types of facilities covered by titles II and III of the ADA. The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Boards – also referred to as the “Access Board” – has developed accessibility guidelines for newly constructed and altered play areas that were published October 2000. The play area guidelines are a supplement to the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). Once these guidelines are adopted as enforceable standards by the Department of Justice, all newly constructed and altered play areas covered by the ADA will be required to comply. These guidelines also apply to play areas covered by the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA). 1.7 Playground Injuries Playground-related deaths reported to the Commission involved entanglement of ropes, leashes, or clothing; falls; and impact from equipment tip over or structural failure. The recommendations in this handbook have been developed to address the hazards that resulted in playground-related injuries and deaths. The recommendations include those that address: • The potential for falls from and impact with equipment • The need for impact attenuating protective surfacing under and around equipment • Openings with the potential for head entrapment 26 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2015
•
The scale of equipment and other design features related to user age and layout of equipment on a playground • Installation and maintenance procedures • General hazards presented by protrusions, sharp edges, and crush or shear points 1.8 Definitions Footing Geotextile (filter) Cloth Loose-Fill Surfacing Material Protective Surfacing Unitary Surfacing Material Use Zone
2. GENERAL PLAYGROUND CONSIDERATIONS 2.2 Playground Layout 2.2.1 Accessibility 2.2.4 Conflicting activities 2.2.5 Sight lines 2.2.6 Signage and/or labeling
2.4 Surfacing 2.4.2 Selecting a surfacing material 2.4.2.1 Unitary surfacing materials 2.4.2.2 Loose-fill surfacing materials 2.4.2.3 Installing loose-fill over hard surface 2.5 Equipment Materials 2.5.2 Hardware 2.5.4 Paints and finishes 2.6
Assembly and Installation • Strictly follow all instructions from the manufacturer when assembling and installing equipment. • After assembly and before its first use, equipment should be thoroughly inspected by a person qualified to inspect playgrounds for safety. • The manufacturer’s assembly and installation instructions, and all other materials collected concerning the equipment, should be kept in a permanent file. • Secure anchoring is a key factor to stable installation, and the anchoring process should be completed in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
3. PLAYGROUND HAZARDS
3.1 Crush and Shearing Points 3.3 Entrapment 3.3.1 Head entrapment 3.3.2 Partially bound openings and angles 3.4 Sharp Points, Corners, and Edges 3.5 Suspended Hazards 3.6 Tripping Hazards 3.7 Used Tires
5. PARTS OF THE PLAYGROUND
5.1 Platforms, Guardrails and Protective Barriers 5.1.2 Stepped platforms 5.1.3 Guardrails and protective barriers 5.2 Access Methods to Play Equipment 5.2.1 Ramps, stairways, rung ladders, and step ladders 5.2.2 Rungs and other hand gripping components 5.2.3 Handrails 5.2.3.1 Handrail height 5.2.4 Transition from access to platform 5.3 Major Types of Playground Equipment 5.3.2 Climbing and upper body equipment 5.3.2.1 Design considerations 5.3.2.1.1 Layout of climbing components 5.3.2.1.2 Fall Height 5.3.2.1.4 Use zone 5.3.2.1.5 Other considerations 5.3.2.2 Arch climbers 5.3.2.3 Flexible climbers 5.3.2.4 Horizontal (overhead) ladders 5.3.2.5 Overhead rings 5.3.2.6 Sliding poles 5.3.2.6.1 Fall height 5.3.2.7 Track rides 5.3.3 Log rolls 5.3.3.1.1 Fall height 5.3.4 Merry-go-rounds 5.3.4.1 Use zone 5.3.5 Seesaws 5.3.5.1 Fulcrum seesaws 5.3.5.2 Spring-centered seesaws 5.3.5.3 Use zone for fulcrum and spring-centered seesaws 5.3.5.4 Handholds 5.3.5.5 Fall height 5.3.6 Slides 5.3.6.1 Slide access
5.3.6.2 Slide platform 5.3.6.3 Slide chutes 5.3.6.3.1 Embankment slides 5.3.6.3.2 Roller slides 5.3.6.3.3 Spiral slides 5.3.6.3.4 Straight slides 5.3.6.3.5 Tube slides 5.3.6.4 Chute exit region 5.3.6.5 Slide use zone 5.3.6.6 Fall height 5.3.6.7 Entanglement hazard 5.3.6.8 Other sliding equipment 5.3.7 Spring rockers 5.3.7.1 Fall height 5.3.8 Swings 5.3.8.1 General swing recommendations 5.3.8.2 Fall height 5.3.8.3 Single-axis swings 5.3.8.3.1 Belt seats used without adult assistance 5.3.8.3.2 Full bucket seat swings 5.3.8.3.3 Use zone for single-axis swings – belt and full bucket 5.3.8.4 Multi-axis (tire) swings 5.3.8.4.1 Multi-axis swing use zones 5.3.8.5 Protrusions on suspended members of swing assemblies 5.3.9 Fall height and use zones for composite structure 5.3.10 Fall height and use zones not specified elsewhere
Information about accessing a free digital copy or ordering a print copy of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission “Public Playground Safety Handbook” (publication 325) can be found at www.cpsc.gov/en/Safety-Education/Safety-Guides/Sports-Fitness-andRecreation/Playground-Safety.
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SPRING 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 27
State Licensing Requirements
INDIANA
Indiana Professional Licensing Agency 317-232-2980
www.in.gov/pla
IOWA
Iowa Division of Labor Services 515-242-5871
www.iowaworkforce.org/labor/contractor.htm
KANSAS
Kansas Department of Revenue 877-526-7738
www.ksrevenue.org
KENTUCKY
Kentucky Department of Housing, Building and Construction 502-573-0365
www.dhbc.ky.gov
States that require licensing
LOUISIANA ALABAMA
Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors
DELAWARE
State of Delaware Division of Professional Regulation
334-272-5030
302-744-4500
ALASKA
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
www.genconbd.alabama.gov
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development
www.dpr.delaware.gov
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
907-465-2536
202-442-4400
ARIZONA
FLORIDA
www.commerce.state.ak.us
Arizona Registrar of Contractors 602-542-1525
www.azroc.gov
ARKANSAS
Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board 501-372-4661
www.aclb.arkansas.gov
CALIFORNIA
California Contractors State License Board
www.dcra.dc.gov
Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board 850-487-1395
www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pro/cilb
GEORGIA
Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board 478-207-1416
www.sos.ga.gov/index. php/?section=licensing
916-255-3900
HAWAII
COLORADO
808-586-3000
www.cslb.ca.gov
Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies 303-894-7855
Hawaii Professional and Vocational Licensing
Louisiana Licensing Board for Contractors 225-765-2301
www.lslbc.louisiana.gov
MAINE
Department of Professional and Financial Regulations and Licensing 207-624-8500
www.maine.gov
MARYLAND
Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation 401-230-6220
www.dllr.state.md.us
MASSACHUSETTS
Division of Professional Licensure 617-727-3074
www.mass.gov/ocabr/government/ oca-agencies/dpl-lp
MICHIGAN Licensing and Regulatory Affairs 517-373-1820 www.michigan.gov
MINNESOTA
www.hawaii.gov.dcca/pvl
Minnesota Department of Commerce
IDAHO
www.mn.gov/commerce
651-539-1500
www.dora.state.co.us
State of Idaho Division of Building Safety
CONNECTICUT
dbs.idaho.gov
Mississippi State Board of Contractors
ILLINOIS
www.msboc.us
State of Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection 860-713-6100
www.ct.gov/dcp
208-334-3950
MISSISSIPPI 601-354-6161
Illinois Department of Transportation – Construction Department 217-782-7820
www.dot.state.il.us 28 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2015
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
MISSOURI
Department of Labor and Industrial Relations 573-751-3403
www.dolir.mo.gov
MONTANA
Montana Department of Labor and Industry 406-841-2300
www.bsd.dli.mt.gov/license/license.asp
NEBRASKA
OREGON
Oregon Construction Contractors Board 503-378-4621
UTAH
Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing 801-530-6628
www.oregon.gov/CCB
www.dopl.utah.gov
PENNSYLVANIA
Bureau of Professional and Occupational Licensing
VERMONT
717-787-8503
802-828-2106
RHODE ISLAND
VIRGINIA
www.dos.pa.gov
Vermont Department of Labor www.labor.vermont.gov
Nebraska Department of Labor
Rhode Island Contractors Registration and Licensing Board
402-471-9000
401-222-1268
www.crb.state.ri.us
www.dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/Contractors
NEVADA
SOUTH CAROLINA
WASHINGTON
803-896-4686
360-902-5800
www.llr.state.sc.us/POL/Contractors
www.lni.wa.gov
SOUTH DAKOTA
WEST VIRGINIA
www.dol.nebraska.gov
Nevada State Contractors Board 704-486-1100
www.nvcontractorsboard.com
NEW HAMPSHIRE Professional Licensing 603-271-3402
www.nhlicenses.nh.gov/home
NEW JERSEY
Department of Law & Public Safety
South Carolina Contractors Licensing Board
South Dakota Department of Revenue 605-773-3311
West Virginia Division of Labor Contractor Licensing
WISCONSIN
NEW MEXICO
www.tn.gov/regboards/contractors
Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
615-741-8307
TEXAS
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries
www.wvlabor.com
TENNESSEE
Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors
New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department
804-367-8511
304-558-7890
www. dor.sd.gov
www.state.nj.us
973-504-6200
Virginia Board for Contractors
608-266-2112
www.dsps.wi.gov
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
WYOMING
www.rld.state.nm.us/construction
NEW YORK
512-463-6599
307-777-2800
www.tdlr.texas.gov
505-476-4500
New York Department of Labor
Wyoming Business Council www.wyomingbusiness.org
518-457-9000
www.labor.state.ny.us
NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors 919-571-4183
www.nclbgc.com
NORTH DAKOTA
Secretary of State of North Dakota 701-328-2900
www.sos.nd.gov
OHIO
Ohio Department of Transportation – Division of Construction Administration 614-466-3598
www.dot.state.oh.us/divisions/constructionmgt
OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma Construction Industries Board 405-521-6550
www.ok.gov/cib www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SPRING 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 29
It’s a Job Well Done When... (continued from page 17)
•
•
workers’ compensation claims and is measured against 1.0. It is best to do business with a company whose EMR is 1.0 or less. Hopefully, the owner covered all his bases up front and required builder’s risk, transit/freight coverage, and professional liability including errors and omissions. The owner also should have asked for the installation company’s safety manual and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Program in the event OSHA shows up, which is happening more and more. It is imperative that the owner has the warranties from the manufacturer, the manufacturer’s representative, and the installer. It is always a best practice to get the warranties on specific company letterhead signed by the respective authority. The owner most likely required International Play Equipment
•
•
•
Manufacturer Association (IPEMA) certification and ADA compliance verification on the equipment and surfacing that was installed, and these are now part of his history file. Contact information for all architects, engineers, vendors, sales representatives, and installers should be recorded. The owner’s legal representative should be listed at the top of the first page of the project contact information sheet along with the company’s risk manager, purchasing agent, and direct point of contact for the project. The manufacturer’s correct customer service information should be recorded in the event of the need to order parts or to discuss an issue with the manufacturer. Time will be of the essence when problems arise, and not having the correct contact information could prove to be costly. Finally, a careful check of the document file should be done to ensure that all documents are properly signed and dated, because the gen-
eral assumption is “IF IT IS NOT DOCUMENTED – THEN IT HASN’T BEEN DONE!” Also it is important that all papers from the vendor dealing with compliance confirmation and payment approvals should be notarized and dated, and all papers with the owner’s signature should be witnessed and dated and/ or notarized for his protection. When followed, these important steps will result in a satisfying experience for the owner who can feel assured that the builder has done a good job and that the owner has the information and tools to ensure the long life of the playground.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR With over thirty years’ experience in maintaining public playgrounds, Roger Davis is President of Playground Safety Services, Inc. Roger is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector as well as an OSHA Authorized Trainer for Construction. www.playgroundsafetyservices.com
Find manufacturers of playground equipment, surfacing, shelters, athletic equipment, and site furnishings
Park & Recreation Equipment Directory playgroundprofessionals.com/equipment ™
Local Playground Professionals Directory playgroundprofessionals.com/local
™
Find local sales reps, contractors, inspectors and architects 30 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2015
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SPRING 2015 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 31
an th ? e or ney m e jour m co nt b e b oi e p d sli a to a n int a c po w a Ho ust j
Find out with Unity Slide Climber TM
These questions inspired PlayworldŽ to create the Unity Collection—classic play structures reimagined to infuse more action, and greater connectivity. Unity brings refreshing new possibilities to classic play forms, and new excitement to the playground. Watch the entire Unity Collection in action at: PlayworldSystems.com/Play-Unites
PlaygroundMagazine-Ad-150219.indd 1
2/24/15 9:13 AM