KENYA STANDARD  KS 2948 -
1:2022  
ICS ##.### 
First Edition  
  
 © KEBS 2022   
 Safe play environ ment for 
children  — Guidelines    
Part 1:  
General Playground Considerations   
 
 
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT MARCH 2022  
 
KS 2948 -1: 2022  
ii © KEBS 2022  – All rights reserved  
 TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION  
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The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee:  
AMC Group Africa Limited (formerly, Apex Management Systems - Consultants Ltd)  
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Consumer Information Network  
Ideaz Software  
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Topserve East Africa Limited  
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Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat  
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© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 2022  
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copyright subsists in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 25 of this Act, no Kenya Standard 
produced by Kenya Bureau of Standards may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by 
any means without prior permission in writing from the Managing Direc tor.  KENYA STANDARD  KS 2948 -
1:2022  
ICS ##.###  
First  Edition  
 
© KEBS 2022  – All rights reserved  iii 
  Safe play environment for children  — 
Guidelines    
Part 1: 
General Playground Considerations   
Kenya Bureau of Standards,  Popo Road, Off Mombasa Road,  
P.O. Box 54974 - 00200,  Nairobi, Kenya  
 +254 020 6948000, + 254 722 2022 37, + 254 734600471  
 info@kebs.org  
 @KEBS_ke  
 kenya bureau of standards (kebs)  
  
KS 2948 -1: 2022  
iv © KEBS 2022  – All rights reserved  
 Foreword  
This Kenya Standard was prepared by the Safety of toys  Technical Committee under the 
guidance of the Standards Projects Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of 
the Kenya Bureau of Standards  
This is the  First edition of this standard.  
The guidelines in this standard are focused on playground -related injuries and mechanical 
mechanisms of injury; falls from playground equipment have remained the larges t single hazard 
pattern associated with playground use  
These guidelines do not represent the sole method to minimize injuries associated with 
playground equipment. However, the recommendations will contribute to greater playground 
safety.  
KS nnn consists o f the following parts, under the general title Safe play environment for children 
— Guidelines   
⎯ Part 1 : General playground considerations  
⎯ Part 2 : Playground hazards  
⎯ Part 3 : Maintaining a playground  
⎯ Part 4 : Parts of the playground  
During the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following document (s):  
1. Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents – Accidents do not have to happen  
2. EN1176 Playground equipment standard  
3. US Consumer Product Safety Commission – Public pla yground safety hand book  
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the assistance derived from this (these) sources  KS 2948 -1: 2022  
 
© KEBS 2022  – All rights reserved  v 
  Introduction  
In recent years, it is estimated that there were more than 200,000 injuries annually on public 
playgrounds across the country that required emergency room treatment. By following the 
recommended guidelines in this standard, safer playground environment for all children can be 
created and reduction of playground -related deaths and injuries ensured.  
The safety of each individual piece of playground equipment as well as the layout of the entire 
play area should be considered when designing or evaluating a playground for safety. Since falls 
are a very common playground hazard pattern, the installation and maintenance of protective 
surfacing under and around all equipment is crucial to prote ct children from severe head injuries. 
Because all playgrounds present some challenge and because children can be expected to use 
equipment in unintended and unanticipated ways, adult supervision is highly recommended. This 
draft standard provides some gui dance on supervisory practices that adults should follow. 
Appropriate equipment design, layout, and maintenance, as discussed in this draft standard, are 
also essential for increasing public playground safety.  
A playground should allow children to develop gradually and test their skills by providing a series 
of graduated challenges. The challenges presented should be appropriate for age -related 
abilities and should be ones that children can perceive and choose to undertake. Toddlers, 
preschool - and school -age children differ dramatically, not only in physical size and ability, but 
also in their intellectual and social skills.  
Therefore, age -appropriate playground designs should accommodate these differences with 
regard to the type, scale, and the layout of e quipment. Recommendations throughout this draft 
standard address the different needs of toddlers, preschool -age, and school -age children; 
“toddlers “refers to children ages 6 months through 2 years of age, “preschool -age” refers to 
children 2 through 5 yea rs, and “school -age” refers to children 5 through 12 years. The overlap 
between these groups is anticipated in terms of playground equipment use and provides for a 
margin of safety.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
vi © KEBS 2022  – All rights reserved  
  
Safe play environment for children — Guidelines   
Part 1: 
General Playground Considerations  
1 Scope  
This draft standard presents safety information for public playground equipment in the form of 
guidelines. The standard is expected to promote greater safety awareness among those who 
purchase, install, and maintain public playground equipment.  
 
2 Applica tion 
 
This draft standard is intended for use by childcare personnel, school officials, parks and 
recreation personnel, equipment purchasers and installers, playground designers, and another 
members of the general public (e.g., parents and school groups) c oncerned with public 
playground safety and interested in evaluating their respective playgrounds. Due to the wide 
range of possible users, some information provided maybe more appropriate for certain users 
than others.  
 
Public” playground equipment refers to equipment for used by children ages 6 months through 
12 years in the playground areas of:  
 
• Commercial (non -residential) child care facilities  
• Institutions  
• Multiple family dwellings, such as apartment and condominium buildings  
• Parks, such as city , state, and community maintained parks  
• Restaurants  
• Resorts and recreational developments  
• Schools  
• Other areas of public use  
 
These guidelines are not intended for amusement park equipment, sports or fitness equipment 
normally intended for users ove r the age of 12 years, soft contained play equipment, constant air 
inflatable play devices for home use, art and museum sculptures (not otherwise designed, 
intended and installed as playground equipment), equipment found in water play facilities, or 
home p layground equipment.  
 
Equipment components intended solely for children with disabilities and modified to 
accommodate such users also are not covered by these guidelines.  
2 Normative references  
There are no normative references in this document.  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.  
3.1 
barrier  KS 2948 -1: 2022  
© KEBS 2022 – All rights reserved  1 
 enclosing device around an elevated platform that is intended to prevent both inadvertent and 
deliberate attempts to pass through the device  
 
3.2 
composite structure  
two or more play structures attached or functionally linked, to create one integral unit t hat 
provides more than one play activity  
 
3.3 
critical height  
the fall height below which a life -threatening head injury would not be expected to occur  designated  
 
3.4 
play surface  
any elevated surface for standing, walking, crawling, sitting or climbing, or a flat surface greater than 2 
inches wide by 2 inches long having an angle less  than 30° from horizontal  
 
3.5 
embankment slide  
a slide that follows the contour of the ground and at no point is the bottom of the chute greater than 12 
inches ab ove the surrounding ground  
 
3.7 
entanglement  
a condition in which the user’s clothes or something around the user’s neck becomes caught or 
entwined on a co mponent of playground equipment  
 
3.8 
entrapment   
 any condition that impedes withdrawal of a body or body part  that has penetrated an opening  
 
3.9 
fall height  
the vertical distance between the highest designated play surface on a piece of equipment and the 
protective surfacing beneath it  
 
3.10 
footing  
a means for anchoring playground equipment to the g round  
 
3.11 
full bucket seat swing  
a swing generally appropriate for children under 4 years of age that provides support on all sides and 
between the legs of the occupant and cannot be  entered or  exited without adult assistance  
 
3.12 
Geotextile (filter) cloth  
a fabric that retains its relative  structure during handling, placement, and long -term service to enhance 
water movement, retard soil movement, and to  add reinforcement and separation betwee n the soil and 
the surfacing  and/or sub -base  
 
3.13 
guardrail  
an enclosing device around an elevated platform that is intended to prevent inadvertent falls from the 
elevated  surface   
2 © KEBS: 2022 : – All rights reserved  
  
3.14 
infill  
material(s) used in a protective barrier or between decks to prevent a user from passing through the 
barrier (e.g., vertical bars, lattice, solid panel , etc.)  
 
3.15 
loose -fill surfacing material  
a material used for protective surfacing in the use zone tha t consists of loose particles such as sand, 
gravel, engineered wood fibers, or shredded  rubber  
 
3.16 
Preschool -age children  
children 2 years of age through 5years of age  
 
3.17 
projection  
anything that extends outward from a surface of the playground equipment and must be tested to 
determine whether it is a protrusion or entanglement hazard, or  both 
 
3.18 
protective barrier  
see barrier  
 
3.19 
protective surfacing  
shock absorbing (i.e., impact attenuating) surfacing material in the use zone that conforms t o the 
recommendations in this draft standard  
 
3.20 
protrusion  
a projection which, when tested, is found to  be a hazard having the potential to cause bodil y injury to 
user who impacts it  
 
3.21 
roller slide  
a slide that has a chute consisting of a series  of individual roll ers over which the user travels  
 
3.22 
school -age children  
children 5 years of age through 12years of age.  
 
3.23 
slide chute  
the inclined sliding surface of a slide  
 
3.24 
Stationary play equipment  
any play structur e that has a  fixed  base and does not move  
 
3.25 
supervisor  
any person tasked with watching children on  a playground. supervisors may be paid professionals (e.g., 
childcare, elementary school or park and recreation personnel), paid seasonal workers (e.g., college KS 2948 -1: 2022  
© KEBS 2022 – All rights reserved  3 
 or high school students), volunteers (e.g., PTA members), or unpaid caregivers (e.g., parents) o f the 
children p laying in the playground  
 
3.26 
toddlers  
children 6 months through 23 months of age  
 
3.27 
tube slide  
a slide in which the chute consists of a totally enclosed  tube or tunnel  
 
3.28 
unitary surfacing material  
 a manufactured material used for protective surfacing in the use zone that may be rubber tiles, mats, 
or a combination of energy absorbing materials held in place by a binder that may be poured in place 
at the playground site and cures to form a unitary s hock  absorbing surface  
 
3.29 
upper body equipment  
equipment designed to support a child by the hands only (e.g., horizontal ladder, overhead swinging  
rings)  
 
3.30 
use zone  
the surface under and around a piece of equipment onto which a child falling from o r exiting from the 
equipm ent would be expected to land. T hese areas are also designated for unrestricted circulation 
around the equipment  
4 General Playground Considerations  
4.1 Selecting a Site  
The following factors are important when selecting a site for a new playground:  
Table 1  - Selecting a site for a new playground  
 Site Factor  Questions to ask  If yes, then…Mitigation  
Travel patterns of children to 
and from the playground  Are there hazards in the 
way?  Clear hazards  
Nearby accessible hazards 
such as roads with traffic, 
lakes, ponds, streams, drop -
offs/cliffs, etc.   Could a child inadvertently 
run into a nearby hazard?  
Could younger children 
easily wander off toward the 
hazard?   Provide a method to contain 
children within the playground . 
For example, a dense hedge 
or a fence. The method should 
allow for observation by 
supervisors. If fences are 
used, they should conform to 
local building codes  
Sun exposure  Is sun exposure sufficient to 
heat Bare metal slides, platforms, 
and steps should be shaded or 
located out of direct sun.   
4 © KEBS: 2022 : – All rights reserved  
 exposed bare metal slides, 
platforms, steps, &  surfacing 
enough to burn children?  
 Provide warnings that 
equipment and surfacing 
exposed to intense sun can 
burn.  
Will children be exposed to 
the sun during the most 
intense part of the day?   Consider shading the 
playground or providing 
shaded areas nearby.  
Slope and drainage   
  Will loose fill materials wash 
away during periods of heavy 
rain?  Consider proper drainage 
regrading to prevent wash 
outs.  
 
4.1.1 Shading considerations  
Utilizing existing shade (e.g., trees), designing play structures  as a means for providing shading 
(e.g., elevated platforms with  shaded space below), or creating more shade  (e.g., manmade 
structures) are potential ways to design a playground to  help protect children’s skin from the sun. 
When trees are used  for shade, additional maintenance issues arise, such as the  need for 
cleaning up debris and trimming limbs.  
4.2 Playground Layout  
There are several key factors to keep in mind when  laying out  a playground:  
a) Accessibility  
 
b) Age separation  
 
c) Conflicting activities  
 
d) Sight lines  
 
e) Signage and/or labelling  
 
f) Supervision  
 
4.2.1 Accessibility  
Special consideration should be given to providing accessible surfaces  in a play area . Equipment 
select ion and location along with the type  of protective surfacing are key components to ensuring 
the opportunity for children with disabilities  to play on the playground.  
4.2.2 Age separation  
For playgrounds intended to serve children of all ages, the layout  of pathways and the 
landscaping of the playground should  show the distinct areas for the different age groups.  
The areas should be separated at least by a buffer zone, which could  be an area with shrubs or 
benches. This separation and buffer  zone will reduce  the chance of injury from older, more active  
children running through areas filled with younger children  with generally slower movement and 
reaction times.  
 KS 2948 -1: 2022  
© KEBS 2022 – All rights reserved  5 
 4.2.3 Age group  
In areas where access to the playground is unlimited or enforced  only by signage, the playground 
designer should recognize  that since child development is fluid, parents and caregivers  may select a 
playground slightly above or slightly below  their child's abilities, especially for children at or near cut-off 
age (e.g., 2 -years old and 5 -years old). This could be  for ease of supervising multiple children, 
misperceptions about  the hazards a playground may pose to children of a different age, ad vanced 
development of a child, or other  reasons. For this reason, there is an overlap at age 5.  
Developmentally a similar overlap also exists around age 2. Playgrounds used primarily by children 
under the supervision  of paid, trained professionals (e.g., c hild-care enters  and schools) may wish to 
consider separating playgrounds by the facility's age groupings. For example, childcare  facility may wish 
to limit a playground to toddlers under  2 exclusively and can draw information from this guide . 
A school, on  the other hand, may have no children  under 4 attending, and can likewise plan 
appropriately . Those who inspect playgrounds should use the intended age group of the playground.  
4.2.4 Conflicting activities  
The play area should be organized into different s ections to prevent  injuries caused by conflicting 
activities and children running  between activities. Active, physical activities should  be separate from 
more passive or quiet activities. Areas for  
playground equipment, open fields, and sand boxes should b e located in different sections of the 
playground . In addition, popular, heavy -use pieces of equipment or activities should  be dispersed to 
avoid  crowding in any one area.  
Different types of equipment have different use zones that must  be maintained. The f ollowing are general 
recommendations  for locating equipment within the playground site. Moving equipment, such as swings 
and merry -go-rounds, should  be located toward a corner, side, or edge of the play  area while ensuring 
that the appropriate use zones ar ound  the equipment are maintained.  
 
a) Slide exits should be located in an uncongested area of the  playground.  
 
b) Composite play structures have become increasingly popular  on public playgrounds. Adjacent 
components on composite  structures should be complementa ry. For example , an access component 
should not be located in a slide exit zone.  
 
4.2.5 Sight  lines  
Playgrounds that are designed, installed, and maintained in accordance  with safety guidelines and 
standards  can still present hazards to children. Playgrounds should be laid out to allow  parents or 
caregivers  to keep track of children as they move  throughout the playground environment. Visual barriers  
should be minimized as much as possible. For example, in a park situation, playground equipment  
should be as visible as  possible from park benches. In playgrounds with areas for  
different ages, the older children’s area should be visible from the  younger children’s area to ensure that 
caregivers of multiple childre n can see older children while they are engaged in  interactive play with 
younger  ones.  
4.2.6 Signage and/or labelling  
Although the intended user group should be obvious from the  design and scale of equipment, signs 
and/or labels posted in  the playground ar ea or on the equipment should give some  guidance to 
supervisors as to the age appropriateness of the  equipment  
4.2.7 Supervision   
6 © KEBS: 2022 : – All rights reserved  
 The quality of the supervision depends on the quality  of the supervisor’s knowledge  of safe play  
behaviour . Playground designer s should be aware  of the type of supervision most likely for their 
given  playground. Depending on the location and nature of the playground , the supervisors may 
be paid professionals (e.g.,  
childcare, elementary school or park and recreation personnel), pa id seasonal workers (e.g., 
college or high school students), volunteers (e.g., PTA members), or unpaid caregivers ( e.g., 
parents) of the children playing in the playground.  
Parents and playground supervisors should be aware that not all  playground equipmen t is 
appropriate for all children who may  use the playground. Supervisors should look for posted signs  
indicating the appropriate age of the users and direct children  to equipment appropriate for their 
age. Supervisors may  also use the information in T able 2 to determine the suitability  of the 
equipment for the children they are supervising . Toddlers and preschool -age children require 
more attentive  supervision than older children; however, one should  not rely on supervision alone 
to prevent injuries.  
a) Supervisors should understand the basics of playground safety  such as:  
 
b) Checking for broken equipment and making sure children don’t  play on it.  
 
c) Checking for and removing unsafe modifications, especially ropes tied to equipment, before 
letting children  play.  
 
d) Checking for properly maintained protective surfacing.  
 
e) Making sure children are wearing foot wear.  
 
Table 2 . Examples of age appropriate equ ipment  
Toddler — Ages 6 -23 
months  
a) Climbing equipment 
under 32” high  
b) Ramps  
c) Single file step ladders  
d) Slides*  
e) Spiral slides less than 3 
0° 
f) Spring rockers  
g) Stairways  
h) Swings with full bucket 
seats  Preschool — Ages 2 -5 
years  
a) Certain climbers  
b) Horizontal ladders less 
than or  
c) equal to 0 ” high for ages 
& 5 
d) Merry -go-rounds  
e) Ramps  
f) Rung ladders  
g) Single file step ladders  
h) Slides*  
i) Spiral slides up to 3 0°  
j) Spring rockers  
k) Stairways  
l) Swings – belt, full bucket 
seats  (2-  years) & 
rotating tire  
 Grade School — Ages 5 -12 
years  
a) Arch climbers  
b) Chain or cable walks  
c) Free standing climbing 
events with flexible parts  
d) Fulcrum seesaws  
e) Ladders – Horizontal, 
Rung, &  Step 
f) Overhead rings***  
g) Merry -go-rounds  
h) Ramps  
i) Ring treks  
j) Slides  
k) Spiral slides more than 
one 3 0° turn  
l) Stairways  
m) Swings – belt & rotating 
tire 
n) Track rides  
o) Vertical sliding poles  
 
Watching and stopping dangerous horseplay, such as children throwing protective surfacing 
materials, jumping  from heights, etc.  
Watching for and stopping children from wandering away from  the play area.  KS 2948 -1: 2022  
© KEBS 2022 – All rights reserved  7 
 4.3 Selecting Equipment  
When selecting playground equipment, it is important to know  the age range of the children who will be 
using the playground . Children at different ages and s tages of development have different needs and 
abilities . Playgrounds should be  designed to stimulate children and encourage them to develop  new 
skills, but should be in scale with their sizes, abilities , and developmental levels. Consideration should 
also be given to providing play equipment that is accessible to  children with disabilities and encourages 
integration within the playground.  
Table 2  shows the appropriate age range for various pieces of playground  equipment. This is not an all -
comprehensive list and , therefore, should not limit inclusion of current or newly designed  equipment that 
is not specifically mentioned. For equipment  listed in more than one group, there may be some 
modifications  or restrictions based on age.   
4.3.1 Equipment not recommen ded 
Some playground equipment is not recommended for use on public  playgrounds, including:  
a) Trampolines  
 
b) Swinging gates  
 
c) Giant strides  
 
d) Climbing ropes that are not secured at both ends.  
 
e) Heavy metal swings (e.g., animal figures) – These are not  recommended because their heavy rigid 
metal framework presents  a risk of impact injury.  
 
f) Multiple occupancy swings – With the exception of tires wings , swings that are intended for more than 
one user are not  recommended because their greater mass, as compa red to  single occupancy swings, 
presents a risk of impact injury.  
 
g) Rope swings – Free-swinging ropes that may fray or otherwise form a loop are not recommended 
because  they present a potential strangulation hazard  
 
h) Swinging dual exercise rings and trapeze bars – These are rings  and trapeze bars on long chains that 
are generally considered  to be items of athletic equipment and are not recommended  for public 
playgrounds. NOTE: The recommendation against the use of exercise rings does not apply to overhead  
hanging rings such as those used in a ring trek or ring ladder . 
 
4.4 Surfacing  
The surfacing under and around  playground equipment is one of the most important  factors in reducing  
the likelihood of life -threatening head injuries. A fall onto  a shock absorbing surface is less likely to cause 
serious  head injury than a fall onto a hard surface. However, some  injuries from falls, including broken 
limbs, may occur no  matter what playgro und surfacing material is used.  
The most widely used test method for evaluating the shock absorbing  properties of a playground 
surfacing material is to drop  an instrumented metal head form  onto a sample of the material  and record 
the acceleration/time puls e during the impact .  
This height can  be considered as an approximation of the fall height below  which a life -threatening head 
injury would not be expected  to occur. Manufacturers and installers of playground protective surfacing 
should  provide the critica l height  rating of their materials. This rating should be greater than  or equal to 
the fall height of the highest piece of equipment on the playground. The fall height of a piece of equipment   
8 © KEBS: 2022 : – All rights reserved  
 is the distance between the highest designated play surface  on a piece of equipment and the protective 
surface beneath  it.  
4.4.1.Equipment not covered by protective surfacing  recommendations  
4.4.1.1  The recommendations for protective surfacing do not apply to  equipment that requires a child to 
be standing or sitting aground  level. Examples of such equipment are:  
a) Sand boxes  
b) Activity walls at ground level  
c) Play houses  
d) Any other equipment that children use when their feet remain  in contact with the ground surface  
4.4.1. 2 Appropriate Surfacing  
e) Pea gravel  
f) Sand  
g) Shredded/recycled rubber mulch  
h) Wood mulch (not CCA -treated)  
i) Wood chips  
j) Rubber mats  – 1 inch to 1.5 inches thickness  
 
4.4.1. 3  Inappropriate Surfacing  
 
a) Asphalt  
b) Concrete  
c) Dirt 
d) Grass  
e) CCA treated wood mulch  
 
 4.4.2 Selecting a surfacing material  
There are two options available for surfacing public playgrounds: unitary and loose -fill materials. A  
playground  should never be installed without protective surfacing of  some type. Concrete, asphalt, or 
other hard surfaces should  never be directly under playground equipment. Grass and dirt  are not 
considered protective surfacing because wear and environmental  factors can reduce their shock 
absorbing  effectiveness. Carpeting an d mats are also not appropriate. Loose -fil should be avoided for 
playgrounds intended for t oddlers.  
4.4.2.1  Unitary surfacing materials  
Unitary materials are generally rubber mats and tiles or a combination  of energy -absorbing materials 
held in place by a  binder that may be poured in place at the playground site and  then cured to form a 
unitary shock absorbing surface. Unitary  materials are available from a number of different 
manufacturers , many of whom have a range of materials with differing  shock absorb ing properties. When 
deciding on the best surfacing materials keep in mind that  some dark coloured  surfacing materials 
exposed to thin tense  sun have caused blistering on bare feet. Check with  the manufacturer if light 
coloured  materials are available or provide  shading to reduce direct sun exposure.  
Site requirements  should be obtained from the  manufacturer because some unitary materials require  
installation over a hard surface while others do not.  
Manufacturer’s instructions should be followed closely, as  some unitary  systems require professional  KS 2948 -1: 2022  
© KEBS 2022 – All rights reserved  9 
 4.4.2.2  Loose -fill surfacing materials  
Engineered wood fibre (EWF) is a wood product that may look  similar in appearance to landscaping mulch, 
but EWF  products are designed specifically for use as a playground s afety  surface under and around 
playground equipment.   
 
There are also rubber mulch products that are designed specifically  for use as playground surfacing. When 
installing these products, tips 1 -9 listed below should be  followed. Each manufacturer of engin eered wood fibre 
and rubber mulch should provide maintenance requirements for  and test data on:  
 
a) Minimum fill -depth data.  
 
b) Toxicity.  
 
4.4.2.2.1  Other loose -fill materials are generally landscaping -type materials  that can be layered to a certain 
depth and resist compacting . Some examples include wood mulch, woodchips, sand, pea gravel, and 
shredded /recycled rubber mulch. Important  tips when considering loose -fill materials:  
 
a) Loose -fill materials will compress at least 25% over time due  to use and weathering. This must be 
considered when planning  the playground. For example, if the playground will  require 9 inches of 
woodchips, then the initial fill level  should be 12 inches. See Table 2 below.  
 
b) Loose -fill surfacing requires frequent maintenance to ensure  surfacing levels never drop below the 
minimum depth . Areas under swings and at slide exits are more susceptible to displacement; special 
attention  must b e paid to  maintenance in these areas. Additionally, wear mats can  be installed in these 
areas to reduce displacement.  
 
c) The perimeter of the playground should provide a method  of containing the loose -fill materials.  
 
d) Consider marking equipment supports with  a minimum fill  level to aid in maintaining the original depth 
of material . 
 
e) Good drainage is essential to maintaining loose -fill surfacing . Standing water with surfacing material 
reduces effectiveness  and leads to material compaction and decomposition . 
 
f) Critical height may be reduced during winter in areas where  the ground freezes.  
 
g)  Never use less than 9 inches of loose -fill material except for  shredded/recycled rubber (6 inches 
recommended ). Shallower  depths are too easily displaced and compacted  
 
h)  Some loose -fill materials may not meet accessibility guidelines.  
 
i) Wood mulch containing chromated copper arsenate(CCA) -treated wood products should not be used; 
mulch  where the CCA -content is unknown should  be avoided(see 4.5.5.1).  
 
Table 2 shows the minimum required depths of loose -fill material  needed based on material type and fall 
height. The depths  shown assume the materials have been compressed due  to use and weathering and are 
properly maintained to  the given level.  
4.2.3 Installing loose -fill over hard surface  
Installing playgrounds over hard surfaces, such as asphalt, concrete , or hard  packed earth  is not 
recommended , unless the installation adds the following layers  of protection. Immediately over t he hard 
surface there should  be a 3 - to 6-inch base layer of loose -fill (e.g., gravel  for drainage).  
The next layer should be a Geotextile cloth. On  top of that should be a loose -fill layer meeting the specifications 
addressed in 4.4.2.2 and Table 2.   
10 © KEBS: 2022 : – All rights reserved  
 Embedded in the loose -fill layer should be impact attenuating mats under high traffic  areas, such as 
under swings, at slide exits, and other places  wher e displacement is likely.  
Figure 1 provides a visual representation  of this information. Older playgrounds that still  exist on hard 
surfacing should be modified to provide appropriate  surfacing.  
4.5 Equipment Materials  
4.5.1 Durability and finish  
a) Use equipment that is manufactured and constructed only of  materials that have a demonstrated 
record of durability in  a playground or similar setting.  
 
b) Finishes, treatments, and preservatives should be selected carefully  so that they do not present a 
healt h hazard to users . 
 
Table 2. Minimum compressed loose -fill surfacing depths  
 
 
Figure 1. Installation layers for loose -fill over a hard surface  
4.5.2 Hardware  
When installed and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s  instructions:  
1)  All fasteners, connectors, and covering devices should not loosen  or be removable without the use 
of tools.  
 
KS 2948 -1: 2022  
© KEBS 2022 – All rights reserved  11 
 2)  All fasteners, connectors, and covering devices that are exposed  to the user should be smooth and 
should not be likely  to cause laceration, penetration, or present a clothing entanglement hazard . 
 
3)  Lock washers, self -locking nuts, or other locking means sh ould be provided for all nuts and bolts to 
protect them from  detachment.  
 
4)  Hardware in moving joints should also be secured against unintentional  or unauthorized loosening.  
 
5) All fasteners should be corrosion resistant and be selected to  minimize corrosion of the materials 
they connect. This  is particularly important when using wood treated with  ACQ/CBA/CA -B2 as the 
chemicals in the wood preservative corrode certain metals faster than others.  
 
6) Bearings or bushings used in moving joints should be easy  to lubr icate or be self -lubricating.  
 
7) All hooks, such as S -hooks and C -hooks, should be closed. A hook is considered closed if there is  
no gap or space greater than 0.04 inches, about the thickness of a dime.  
4.5.3 Metals  
1)  Avoid using bare metal for platforms,  slides, or steps.  When exposed to direct sunlight they may 
reach temperatures high enough to cause serious contact burn  injuries  in a matter of seconds. Use 
other materials that may  reduce the surface temperature, such as but not limited to  wood, plastic,  or 
coated metal . 
2)  If bare or painted metal surfaces are used on platforms  steps, and slide beds, they should be oriented 
so that the  surface is not exposed to direct sun year round.  
4.5.4 Paints and finishes  
a) Metals not inherently corrosion resistant should be painted, galvanized, or otherwise treated to 
preven t trust.  
 
b) The manufacturer should ensure that the users cannot  ingest, inhale, or absorb potentially 
hazardous amounts  of preservative chemicals or other treatments applied to  the equipment as a 
result of contact with playground  equipment.  
 
c) All paints and other similar finishes must meet the current  regulation s for lead in paint.  
 
d) Painted surfaces should be maintained to prevent corrosion  and deterioration.  
 
e) Paint and other finishes  should be maintained to prevent rusting  of exposed metals and to minimize 
children playing with peeling paint and paint flakes.  
 
f) Older playgrounds with lead based paints should be identified and a strategy to control lead paint 
exposure  should be  develope d.  
4.5.5 Wood  
a) Wood should be either naturally rot - and insect -resistant  (e.g., cedar or redwood) or should be 
treated to avoid  such deterioration.  
 
b) Creosote -treated wood (e.g., railroad ties, telephone poles, etc ) and coatings that contain pesticides 
shou ld not be used . 
 
  
12 © KEBS: 2022 : – All rights reserved  
 4.5.5.1 Pressure -treated wood  
A significant amount of older playground wood was pressure -treated with chemicals to prevent damage 
from insects and  fungi. Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) was a chemical used for decades in 
structures (including playgrounds).  
Since December 31, 2003, CCA -treated wood is no longer processed  for use in playground applications. 
Other rot - and insect -resistant pressure tre atments are available that do not contain  arsenic; however, 
when using any of the new treated wood  products, be sure to use hardware that is compatible with  the 
wood treatment chemicals. These chemicals are known  to corrode certain materials faster than ot hers.  
NOTE Existing playgrounds with CCA -treated wood  
Various groups have made suggestions concerning the application of surface coatings to CCA -treated wood (e.g., stains and  
sealants) to reduce a child’s potential exposure to arsenic  from the wood surface. Data from various studies suggest that regular 
(at least once a year) use of an  oil- or water -based, penetrating sealant or stain can reduce  arsenic migration from CCA -treated 
wood. Installers, builders , and consumers who perform wo odworking operations, such as sanding, sawing, or sawdust  disposal, 
on pressure -treated wood should read the consumer information sheet  available at the point of sale. This sheet contains important  
health precautions and disposal information.  
Foot note: 2 Ammoniacal copper quat (ACQ), copper boron azole (CBA), copper azole type B (CA -B), etc.  
When selecting wood products and finishes for public pl aygrounds, it is reccommended : 
a) Avoid “film -forming” or non -penetrating stains (latexsemi -transparent, latex opaq ue and oil -based 
opaquestains) on outdoor surfaces because peeling and flakingmay occur later, which will ultimately 
have an impact on durability  as well as exposure to the preservatives in the wood . 
 
b) Creosote, pentachlorophenol, and tributyl tin oxide are too toxic or irritating and should not be used 
as preservatives for playground equipment wood.  
 
c) Pesticide -containing finishes should not be used.  
 
d) CCA -treated wood should not be used as playground Mulch  
 
4.6 Assembly and Installation  
a) Strictly follow all in structions from the manufacturer when  assembling and installing equipment.  
 
b) After assembly and before its first use, equipment should be  thoroughly inspected by a person 
qualified to inspect playgrounds  for safety.  
 
c) The manufacturer’s assembly and installation instructions, and  all other materials collected 
concerning the equipment, should be kept in a permanent file.  
 
d) Secure anchoring is a key factor to stable installation, and  the anchoring process should be 
complet ed in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications.  KS 2948 -1: 2022  
© KEBS 2022 – All rights reserved  13 
 Annex  A 
(Informative)  
 
Playground Injuries  
A.1 General  
 
The potential hazards that exist with the use of playground  equipment are numerous with over 
200,000 estimated emergency room -treated inj uries annually. P layground equipment -related 
incidents vary from falls, equipment -related hazards, such as breakage, tip over, design , and 
assembly . 
 
Other hazard patterns involve entrapment and colliding other children or stationary equipm ent. 
Playground -related deaths may involve  entanglement of ropes, leashes, or clothing ; falls; and 
impact from equipment tip over or structural failure.  
 
The guidelines  in this draft standard have been developed to a ddress the hazards that result  in 
playg round related  injuries and deaths. The recommendations include those  that address:  
 
a) The potential for falls from and impact with equipment  
 
b) The need for impact attenuating protective surfacing under  and around equipment  
 
c) Openings with the potential for head entrapment  
 
d) The scale of equipment and other design features related to  user age and layout of 
equipment on a playground  
e) Installation and maintenance procedures  
 
f) General hazards presented by protrusions, sharp edges, and  crush or shear p oint 
 
 
 
 
 KS 2948 -1: 2022    
 
© KEBS 2022 – All rights reserved