Termites damage more homes than storms and fires combined. Today, it's poor housekeeping not to include pest control in your maintenance regimen. What they land on can make a big difference in whether a bone gets broken. Nationwide, more than 200,000 children go to hospital emergency rooms with playground injuries. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that most of those injuries happen when the child hits the ground.
Testers drop a head form from a likely height onto different materials.
Playground designers choose from two main types of materials, unitary or loose fill, to cushion the falls, spills and even safe landings on playgrounds. Unitary materials are those spongy tiles that join to make the floor or ground surface softer. Bower said these are most often used in relatively small areas like enclosed playgrounds at fast-food restaurants. But they need almost no maintenance. Bower said loose fill costs less, but needs more care.