Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 17, September 10, 2024
A. A variety of
play equipment and materials appropriate for children's age, size,
developmental needs, and activities must be provided for both indoor and
outdoor structured and free play.
1. Programs
who qualify for an outdoor space hardship per rule section 2.232(B)(1) are not
required to provide equipment and materials for outdoor play.
B. Indoor and outdoor equipment,
materials, and furnishings must be sturdy, safe, and free of hazards.
C. All other indoor or outdoor playground
facilities, with permanently installed or portable climbing equipment, without
an annually certified playground inspection must meet the following
requirements:
1. Resilient Surfacing
a. All climbing equipment eighteen (18)
inches or higher must have resilient surfacing of at least six (6) inches in
the use zone surrounding the equipment.
b. Department-approved resilient surfacing
includes loose fill materials such as wood chips, wood mulch, engineered wood
fiber, pea gravel, synthetic pea gravel, shredded rubber tires, and sand. Solid
unitary materials include poured in place surfacing, approved rubber mats,
playground tiles, and Astroturf with built in resilient pad.
c. Loose fill resilient surface must be raked
regularly to retain its resiliency and to retain a depth of at least six (6)
inches.
d. Any newly installed
solid unitary materials used for resilient materials must have written
documentation from manufacturer stating the material meet current federal
safety standards. The documentation must be available for review at all
times.
2. Maximum Height
of Equipment
a. The maximum height for
toddler climbing equipment cannot exceed thirty-two (32) inches.
b. The maximum height for preschool and
school-age climbing equipment must not exceed six (6) feet in height with six
(6) inches of Department-approved resilient surfacing.
3. Use Zone
a. Toddler climbing equipment must have a
three (3) foot use zone surrounding the equipment. Toddler slides require a six
(6) foot use zone extending out from the base of the slide.
b. The use zone for swings used by toddlers
is determined by measuring the distance from the top of the swing to the bottom
of the bucket seat. This measured distance must extend from both the front and
the back of the swing.
c. Preschool
and school-age climbing equipment must have a six (6) foot use zone surrounding
the equipment. For slides exceeding six (6) feet in height, the use zone from
the base of the slide must be as long as the slide height.
d. The use zone for swings used by children
preschool age and older is determined by measuring the distance from the top of
the swing to the ground. This measured distance must extend from both the front
and the back of the swing.
4. Moving equipment must be located toward
the edge or corner of a play area or be designed in such a way as to discourage
children from running into the path of the moving equipment.
5. Metal equipment must be placed in the
shade.
6. All pieces of playground
equipment must be designed to guard against entrapment and strangulation. Any
openings in gross motor equipment above ground must be smaller than three and
one half (3 1/2) inches or greater than nine (9) inches to prevent
entrapment.
7. Swings must have
seats made of a flexible material and all "S" hooks must be secured.
8. All outdoor play areas used for children's
activities must be checked daily and kept safe and free from hazardous
materials or debris by removal of debris, dilapidated structures, and broken or
worn play equipment. The staff must identify hazardous, high-risk areas; those
areas must be made inaccessible to children to reduce the possibility of
injuries and accidents.
D. For purposes of a playground facility
inspection, the Department shall accept as satisfactory proof of valid
certification of the playground facility, certification, or a copy of
certification, from an individual who is licensed or certified to perform
playground safety inspections through the National Recreation and Park
Association, or other nationally recognized playground facility safety
organization. The Department shall not require a duplicate inspection if there
is a satisfactory inspection report.
1. All
playground facilities who hold a certified playground safety inspection must
maintain resilient surfacing in compliance with the certification.
E. Children must wear helmets when
riding scooters, bicycling, skateboarding, or rollerblading. The helmet must be
removed after the activity. Motorized riding toys are not permitted.
F. Trampolines and inflatable bouncers are
prohibited.
