ASTM F1938-98(2009)
(Guide)Guide for Safer Use of Movable Soccer Goals
Guide for Safer Use of Movable Soccer Goals
ABSTRACT
This guide presents directions for the installation, use, and storage of full-size or nearly full-size movable soccer goals. It is expected that these guidelines can help prevent deaths and serious injuries resulting from soccer goal tipover. These guidelines are intended for use by parks and recreation personnel, school officials, sports equipment purchasers, parents, coaches, and any other members of the general public concerned with soccer goal safety. These guidelines are intended to address the risk of movable soccer goal tipover. In designing soccer goal, the following may be considered: use of a counterbalancing strategy by lengthening the over all depth of the goal to effectively place more mass further from the goal's front posts, selection of light materials for the goal's front posts and crossbar and provides much heavier materials for the rear ground bar and frame members, use of a heavy rear framework and folds flat when not in use, making the goal much less likely to tip over. Securing soccer goals may be done in several ways. The number and type of anchors to be used will depend on a number of factors, such as types of playing surface, soil type, soil moisture content, and total goal weight. These anchor types shall include: Auger-Style Stake which is helical in shape and is screwed into the ground, Peg- or Stake-Style Stake which varies in lengths and diameters, J-Hook-Shaped-Stake Style which varies in lengths and diameters and its curved-top portion is designed to fit over goal members to secure it to the ground, and All-Stakes styles in which a minimum of two stakes must be used for each goal. Sandbags or other counterweights could be an effective alternative to anchors on hard surfaces, such as artificial turf, where the surface cannot be penetrated by a conventional anchor, that is, an indoor practice facility. Also a semipermanent anchor type may be used which is usually comprised of two or more functional components. The main support requires a permanently secured base that is buried underground. One type of semipermanent anchor connects the underground base to the soccer goal by means of two tethers. Another design utilizes a buried anchor tube with a threaded opening at ground level. Net pegs may be tapered, metal or plastic stakes, or both, and should only be used to secure the net to the ground.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide presents directions for the installation, use, and storage of full-size or nearly full-size movable soccer goals. It is expected that these guidelines can help prevent deaths and serious injuries resulting from soccer goal tipover.
1.2 These guidelines are intended for use by parks and recreation personnel, school officials, sports equipment purchasers, parents, coaches, and any other members of the general public concerned with soccer goal safety.
1.3 These guidelines are intended to address the risk of movable soccer goal tipover.
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.
General Information
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Standards Content (Sample)
NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
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Designation: F1938 − 98 (Reapproved 2009)
Standard Guide for
Safer Use of Movable Soccer Goals
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1938; 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.
INTRODUCTION
Thereareapproximately225000to500000soccergoalsintheUnitedStates.Manyofthesesoccer
goals are unsafe because they are improperly designed, manufactured, or installed (unstable and are
either unanchored or not properly anchored or counter-balanced). These soccer goals pose an
unnecessary risk of tipover to children who climb on goals (or nets) or hang from the crossbar.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) knows of four deaths in 1990 alone and
at least 21 deaths during the past 16 years (1979–1994) associated with movable soccer goals. In
addition, an estimated 120 injuries involving falling goals were treated each year in U.S. hospital
emergency rooms during the period 1989 through 1993. Many of the serious incidents occurred when
the soccer goals tipped over onto the victim. Almost all of the goals involved in these tipovers
appeared to be “homemade” by high school shop classes, custodial members, or local welders, not
professionally manufactured. These “homemade” goals often are very heavy and unstable.
Themajorityofmovablesoccergoalsareconstructedofmetal,typicallyweighing150–500lbs.The
serious injuries and deaths are a result of blunt force trauma to the head, neck, chest, and limbs of the
victims. In most cases injuries or death occurred when the goal tipped or was accidentally tipped onto
the victim. In one case, an 8-year-old child was fatally injured when the movable soccer goal he was
climbing tipped over and struck him on the head. In another case, a 20-year-old male died from a
massive head trauma when he pulled a goal down on himself while attempting to do chin-ups. In a
third case, while attempting to tighten a net to its goal post, the victim’s father lifted the back base of
the goal, causing it to tip over, striking his 3-year-old child on the head, causing a fatal injury.
High winds also can cause movable soccer goals to fall over. For example, a 9-year-old was fatally
injured when a goal was tipped over by a gust of wind. In another incident, a 19-year-old goalie
suffered stress fractures to both legs when the soccer goal was blown on top of her.
1. Scope 1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
1.1 This guide presents directions for the installation, use,
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only
and storage of full-size or nearly full-size movable soccer
and are not considered standard.
goals. It is expected that these guidelines can help prevent
deaths and serious injuries resulting from soccer goal tipover.
2. Design and Construction
1.2 These guidelines are intended for use by parks and
2.1 While a movable soccer goal appears to be a simple
recreation personnel, school officials, sports equipment
structure, a correctly-designed goal is constructed carefully
purchasers, parents, coaches, and any other members of the
with counterbalancing measures incorporated into the product.
general public concerned with soccer goal safety.
2.2 The common dimensions of a full-size goal are approxi-
1.3 These guidelines are intended to address the risk of mately 24 ft (7.3 m) in width by 8 ft (2.4 m) in height, and
movable soccer goal tipover.
depth equal to or exceeding the height of the goal (see Fig. 1).
2.3 The stability of a soccer goal depends on several factors.
2.3.1 One effective design alternative uses a counterbalanc-
ing strategy by lengthening the overall depth of the goal to
This provisional standard is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee F15 on
Consumer Products and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F15.43 on
effectively place more mass further from the goal’s front posts
Soccer Goal Safety.
(more mass at the back of the goal).
Current edition approved Dec. 15, 2009. Published April 2010. Originally
2.3.2 A second design selects light materials for the goal’s
approved in 1998. Last previous edition approved in 2004 as F1938 – 98 (2004).
DOI: 10.1520/F1938-98R09. front posts and crossbar and provides much heavier materials
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
F1938 − 98 (2009)
FIG. 1 Components of a Movable Soccer Goal
for the rear ground bar and frame members. This design tends 3.4.2 Peg- or Stake-Style Stake—This style (see Figs. 2 and
to counterbalance the forces working to tip the goal forward. 3) is of varying lengths and diameters and range in size from
2.3.3 Another design uses a heavy rear framework and folds
10 in. (250 mm) to 24 in. (600 mm) in length.
flat when not in use, making the goal much less likely to tip
3.4.3 J-Hook-Shaped-Stake Style—This style (see Fig. 3)is
over.
of varying lengths and diameters. The curved-top portion is
2.3.4 No matter what counterbalancing strategy is used, it is
designed to fit over goal members to secure it to the ground.
imperative that all movable soccer goals be anchored firmly in
3.4.4 All-Stake Styles—A minimum of two stakes must be
place at all times (see Section 3).
used for each goal. More may be required depending upon goal
size, soil conditions, and stake size. All stakes must be fully
3. Anchoring, Securing, and Counterweighting
engaged in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications.
3.1 Secure the goal in place (preferably at the rear of the
J-Hook and peg-sta
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