ASTM F1292-22

Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surfacing Materials Within the Use Zone of Playground Equipment

ABSTRACT
This specification specifies impact attenuation performance requirements for playground surfaces and surfacing materials and provides a means of determining impact attenuation performance using a test method that simulates the impact of a child’s head with the surface. The test method quantifies impact in terms of g-max and Head Injury Criterion (HIC) scores. G-max is the measure of the maximum acceleration (shock) produced by an impact. The Head Injury Criterion or HIC score is an empirical measure of impact severity based on published research describing the relationship between the magnitude and duration of impact accelerations and the risk of head trauma..Two test methods shall be used to determine the impact attenuation of a playground surface or surfacing materials: critical fall height test, and installed surface performance test. The following apparatus shall be required for implementation of the two test methods: temperature measuring device, impact test system, acceleration measurement system, drop height measurement system, and battery-operated equipment.
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
6.1 The purpose of this specification is to establish minimum impact attenuation requirements for playground surfacing materials in order to reduce the risk of severe head injury from falls.  
6.2 This specification provides a uniform means of quantifying the impact attenuation performance of playground surfacing materials and is appropriately used to compare the relative performance of different playground surfacing materials.  
6.3 This specification is to be used as a reference for specifying the impact attenuation performance of playground surfacing materials.  
6.4 In combination with data relating impact test scores to head injury, the information generated by application of this specification is suitable to estimate the relative risk of a severe head injury due to a fall.
SCOPE
1.1 This specification establishes minimum performance requirements for the impact attenuation of playground surfacing materials installed within the use zone of playground equipment.  
1.2 This specification is specific to surfacing used in conjunction with playground equipment, such as that described in Specifications F1148, F1487, F1918, CSAZ614 (Canada), and SS457 (Singapore).  
1.3 This specification establishes an impact attenuation performance criterion for playground surfacing materials; expressed as a critical fall height.  
1.4 This specification establishes procedures for determining the critical fall height of playground surfacing materials under laboratory conditions. The laboratory test is mandatory for surfaces to conform to the requirements of this specification.  
1.5 The laboratory test required by this specification addresses the performance of dry surfacing materials.  
1.6 This specification also provides optional procedures to determine the critical fall height under wet or frozen test conditions, or both.  
1.7 The critical fall height of a playground surfacing material determined under laboratory conditions does not account for important factors that have the potential to influence the actual performance of installed surfacing materials. Factors that are known to affect surfacing material performance include but are not limited to aging, moisture, maintenance, exposure to temperature extremes (for example, freezing), exposure to ultraviolet light, contamination with other materials, compaction, loss of thickness, shrinkage, submersion in water, and so forth.  
1.8 The impact attenuation specification and test methods established in this specification are specific to the risk of head injury. There is only limited evidence that conformance with the requirements of this specification reduces the risk of other kinds of serious injury (for example, long bone fractures).
Note 1: The relative risk of fatality and of different degrees of head injury may be estimated using the information in Appendix X1, which...

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 30-Nov-2022
• ICS: 97.200.40 - Playgrounds
• Technical Committee: F08 - Sports Equipment, Playing Surfaces, and Facilities
• Drafting Committee: F08.63 - Playground Surfacing Systems

Standards Content (Sample)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation:F1292 −22 An American National Standard
Standard Specification for
Impact Attenuation of Surfacing Materials Within the Use
1
Zone of Playground Equipment
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1292; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
2
Surveys by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and others have
shown that falls from playground equipment onto the underlying surface are a significant cause of
injuries to children. Severe head injuries are the most frequently implicated cause of death in
playground equipment-related falls. Use of appropriate impact-attenuating surfacing materials in the
usezoneofplaygroundequipmentcanreducetheriskoffall-relatedinjury.Inparticular,itisbelieved
that the risk of life-threatening head injuries is reduced when appropriate surfacing materials are
installed.
This specification specifies impact attenuation performance requirements for playground surfaces
and surfacing materials and provides a means of determining impact attenuation performance using a
test method that simulates the impact of a child’s head with the surface. The test method quantifies
impact in terms of g-max and Head Injury Criterion (HIC) scores. g-max is the measure of the
maximum acceleration (shock) produced by an impact. The Head Injury Criterion or HIC score is an
empiricalmeasureofimpactseveritybasedonpublishedresearchdescribingtherelationshipbetween
the magnitude and duration of impact accelerations and the risk of head trauma.
Thepurposeofthisspecificationistoreducethefrequencyandseverityoffall-relatedheadinjuries
to children by establishing a uniform and reliable means of comparing and specifying the impact
attenuation of playground surfaces. Its use will give designers, manufacturers, installers, prospective
purchasers, owners, and operators of playgrounds a means of objectively assessing the performance
ofsurfacingmaterialsunderandaroundplaygroundequipmentandhenceofevaluatingtheassociated
injury risk.
This specification determines the critical fall height for the surface material or surfacing system at
each of three temperatures.
1. Scope 1.3 This specification establishes an impact attenuation
performance criterion for playground surfacing materials; ex-
1.1 This specification establishes minimum performance
pressed as a critical fall height.
requirements for the impact attenuation of playground surfac-
ing materials installed within the use zone of playground
1.4 This specification establishes procedures for determin-
equipment.
ing the critical fall height of playground surfacing materials
under laboratory conditions. The laboratory test is mandatory
1.2 This specification is specific to surfacing used in con-
for surfaces to conform to the requirements of this specifica-
junction with playground equipment, such as that described in
tion.
Specifications F1148, F1487, F1918, CSAZ614 (Canada), and
SS457 (Singapore).
1.5 The laboratory test required by this specification ad-
dresses the performance of dry surfacing materials.
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee F08 on Sports
Equipment, Playing Surfaces, and Facilities and is the direct responsibility of 1.6 This specification also provides optional procedures to
Subcommittee F08.63 on Playground Surfacing Systems.
determine the critical fall height under wet or frozen test
Current edition approved Dec. 1, 2022. Published December 2022. Originally
conditions, or both.
ε1
approved in 1991. Last previous edition approved in 2018 as F1292–18 . DOI:
10.1520/F1292-22.
1.7 The critical fall height of a playground surfacing mate-
2
U.S. CPSC Special Study. Injuries and Deaths Associated with Children’s
rial determined under laboratory conditions does not account
Playground Equipment, April 2001. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,
Washington, DC. for important factors that have the potential to influence the
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
F1292−22
actual performance of installed surfacing materials. Factors PlaygroundSafetySurfaceUnderandAroundPlayground
thatareknowntoaffectsurfacingmaterialperformanceinclude Equipment
but are not limited to aging, moisture, maintenance, exposure F3313Test Method for Determining Impact Attenuation of
to temperature extremes (for exampl
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
´1
Designation: F1292 − 18 F1292 − 22 An American National Standard
Standard Specification for
Impact Attenuation of Surfacing Materials Within the Use
1
Zone of Playground Equipment
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1292; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1
ε NOTE—Corrected 4.3.1 editorially in June 2020.
INTRODUCTION
2
Surveys by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and others have
shown that falls from playground equipment onto the underlying surface are a significant cause of
injuries to children. Severe head injuries are the most frequently implicated cause of death in
playground equipment-related falls. Use of appropriate impact-attenuating surfacing materials in the
use zone of playground equipment can reduce the risk of fall-related injury. In particular, it is believed
that the risk of life-threatening head injuries is reduced when appropriate surfacing materials are
installed.
This specification specifies impact attenuation performance requirements for playground surfaces
and surfacing materials and provides a means of determining impact attenuation performance using a
test method that simulates the impact of a child’s head with the surface. The test method quantifies
impact in terms of g-max and Head Injury Criterion (HIC) scores. g-max is the measure of the
maximum acceleration (shock) produced by an impact. The Head Injury Criterion or HIC score is an
empirical measure of impact severity based on published research describing the relationship between
the magnitude and duration of impact accelerations and the risk of head trauma.
The purpose of this specification is to reduce the frequency and severity of fall-related head injuries
to children by establishing a uniform and reliable means of comparing and specifying the impact
attenuation of playground surfaces. Its use will give designers, manufacturers, installers, prospective
purchasers, owners, and operators of playgrounds a means of objectively assessing the performance
of surfacing materials under and around playground equipment and hence of evaluating the associated
injury risk.
This specification determines the critical fall height for the surface material or surfacing system at
each of three temperatures.
1. Scope
1.1 This specification establishes minimum performance requirements for the impact attenuation of playground surfacing
materials installed within the use zone of playground equipment.
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F08 on Sports Equipment, Playing Surfaces, and Facilities and is the direct responsibility of
Subcommittee F08.63 on Playground Surfacing Systems.
Current edition approved Dec. 1, 2018Dec. 1, 2022. Published February 2019December 2022. Originally approved in 1991. Last previous edition approved in 20172018
ε1
as F1292 – 17a.F1292 – 18 . DOI: 10.1520/F1292-18E01.10.1520/F1292-22.
2
U.S. CPSC Special Study. Injuries and Deaths Associated with Children’s Playground Equipment, April 2001. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington,
DC.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
F1292 − 22
1.2 This specification is specific to surfacing used in conjunction with playground equipment, such as that described in
Specifications F1148, F1487, F1918, CSAZ614 (Canada), and SS457 (Singapore).
1.3 This specification establishes an impact attenuation performance criterion for playground surfacing materials; expressed as a
critical fall height.
1.4 This specification establishes procedures for determining the critical fall height of playground surfacing materials under
laboratory conditions. The laboratory test is mandatory for surfaces to conform to the requirements of this specification.
1.5 The laboratory test required by this specification addresses the performance of dry surfacing materials.
1.6 This specification also provides optional procedures to determine the critical fall height under wet or frozen test conditions,
or both.
1.7 The critical fall height of a playground surfacing material determined under laboratory conditions does not account for
important factors that have the potential to influence the actual performance of insta
...