The trouble with wood chips
May 16th, 2007 | by Vinny |A federal judge ruled that a school district using wood chips around their playground equipment was a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The National Safety Council Playground Safety page agrees, and states
“The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that new playgrounds make appropriate accommodations for disabled children. The most important issue is how the children get into the space. The ADA requires a 60-inch pathway that is firm, stable and slip-resistant. Rubber tiles and matting are good for accessibility, while loose-fill material like sand and wood chips are not. An easy fix for a playground is to add an adaptive swing, but ideally much more can be done.”
It’s important to provide diverse and stimulating play experiences for children of all abilities. I’m with the judge on this one, but not for the same reasons, though. I do agree that wood chips make the area less accessible. I also believe that it should be as accessible as possible. My concern is more with actual installation and maintainence.
Anyone who has ever been to a school playground or two knows that they are very poorly maintained. I understand that wood chips, when properly maintained, provide a better cushion than a rubber pad, no matter how well designed and installed. However, that’s when the wood chips are installed to the right depth. This requires calculating a maximum fall height, estimating a landing zone, and maintaining the wood chips to the proper specs.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends in the Public Playground Safety Checklist a minimum depth of 12 inches of wood chips around playground equipment, extending out 6 feet in all directions, and extending twice the distance of the height of the suspending bar for swings. On most school swing sets, that would mean a protected area of 40 feet from back to front! How many of the playgrounds you visit with your children meet those specs?
Wood chips compost annually, which means they need to be replaces annually. I can tell you I haven’t replaced the chips around our play area in years. I know that schools often add to them, but don’t remove the old chips. The chips on the bottom degrade and compress, limiting their effectiveness in protecting falling children.
Rubber mats are installed by professionals to more rigorous standards. They are designed for longer life. They are made to withstand weathering. They do not require the annual attention that wood chips should get. That being the case, I’m for letting the professionals handle my playground safety. I think the initial investment would pay for itself not only in safety and care, but in accessibility and aesthetics.
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