IS YOUR PLAYGROUND COMPLIANT?
What is Critical Fall Height and Why Does it Matter?
Does your playground surfacing meet the correct Standards and Code of Practice?
Playtop is a member of the SAPCA (The Sports and Play Construction Association. SAPCA, which promotes high standards of design, construction and workmanship. SAPCA participates fully in the development of British, European and other standards for the construction and performance of sports and play facilities.
What is Critical Fall Height?
“Critical fall height” is the height at which a critical injury can occur. It is based on the “highest designated play area,” or the height of the highest piece of equipment that a child can stand on during normal play.
What’s the purpose of installing Playtop safer surfacing?
Each year, around 10,000 children are injured in playground falls in New Zealand, and most can be prevented by installing a shock absorbing surface.
Of those children admitted to hospital due to serious playground injury over 90% are the result of a fall. Critical height correlates with the impact or shock absorbency, of the surface material.
How Is Critical Fall Height Tested?
Critical fall heights are determined by testing methods that evaluate the shock absorbing properties of the playground surfacing material. Playtop is tested and certified to conform to New Zealand, UK, European, Asian, and American standards for playground safety surfacing.
When it comes to installation, you must take into consideration both the depth of safety surfacing and the area of surfacing needed. The surfacing should extend beyond the edge of equipment use area, especially where kids can fall away from the equipment.
As Playtop is wet-poured on site to the required thickness and area needed, Playtop covers all safety requirements for Critical Fall Height. From 50mm thickness of Playtop at 1.4m height CFH right through to 130mm thickness of Playtop at 3.1m CFH, so whatever height of your play equipment Playtop has you covered!
The use of surfacing materials that have the proper resiliency and impact absorption is one of the most important factors in reducing injuries from falls.
At Playtop NZ children’s safety is our most important concern. When you install Playtop you can rest assured that all our playground safety surface materials are tested and meet all critical fall height standards and requirements.
What is Critical Fall Height?
“Critical fall height” is the height at which a critical injury can occur. It is based on the “highest designated play area,” or the height of the highest piece of equipment that a child can stand on during normal play.
What’s the purpose of installing Playtop safer surfacing?
Each year, around 10,000 children are injured in playground falls in New Zealand, and most can be prevented by installing a shock absorbing surface.
Of those children admitted to hospital due to serious playground injury over 90% are the result of a fall. Critical height correlates with the impact or shock absorbency, of the surface material.
How Is Critical Fall Height Tested?
Critical fall heights are determined by testing methods that evaluate the shock absorbing properties of the playground surfacing material. Playtop is tested and certified to conform to New Zealand, UK, European, Asian, and American standards for playground safety surfacing.
When it comes to installation, you must take into consideration both the depth of safety surfacing and the area of surfacing needed. The surfacing should extend beyond the edge of equipment use area, especially where kids can fall away from the equipment.
As Playtop is wet-poured on site to the required thickness and area needed, Playtop covers all safety requirements for Critical Fall Height. From 50mm thickness of Playtop at 1.4m height CFH right through to 130mm thickness of Playtop at 3.1m CFH, so whatever height of your play equipment Playtop has you covered!
The use of surfacing materials that have the proper resiliency and impact absorption is one of the most important factors in reducing injuries from falls.
At Playtop NZ children’s safety is our most important concern. When you install Playtop you can rest assured that all our playground safety surface materials are tested and meet all critical fall height standards and requirements.
URBAN SURFACING
Why use asphalt and concrete when you can have Playtop Walk!
A totally new concept for infrastructure.
An easy to install, sustainable, high friction, decorative, one layer resin bound aggregate system!
A non slip safety surfacing suitable for architectural, commercial and private projects, for an extensive range of applications.
By 2050 two thirds of the world’s population will be living in cities, there will be an ever-growing global trend toward urbanization. One of the biggest challenges facing urban planners and architects is creating and using not only modern architecture but also suitably adapted, modern, and above all sustainable products. Walkways, parking areas, patios, pedestrian zones, and private traffic surfaces make a big contribution to city inhabitants’ well-being and precisely for this, there is now a sustainable new material called Playtop Walk. This product exploits the principle of binding decorative aggregate, certified truck tyre rubber with a polyurethane binder, creating a strong, water permeable surface.
No more flooding! Thanks to an intelligent mix of selected stone and binder, the surface has a high degree of porosity. Rainwater can disperse preventing large puddles forming. Eco-friendliness with great design, attractiveness and longevity.
Playtop Walk is suitable for pedestrian, bicycle and equestrian traffic on pathways and rural trails. Playtop Walk meets the accessibility requirement for wheelchair users, prams and buggies. The black rubber granules and decorative aggregates are bound together with a specially formulated moisture curing polyurethane binder, to produce a firm surface with good grip and resilience. When constructed on a suitable base the surface is fully porous (100% permeable) and meets the requirements for SUD’s (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems)
Playtop Walk meets the highest standards and is the forward looking material for design of public and private spaces. Playtop Walk forms and open-porous and high strength surface and has many benefits for users and the environment.
For more information https://www.playtopnz.com/playtop-walk.html
An easy to install, sustainable, high friction, decorative, one layer resin bound aggregate system!
A non slip safety surfacing suitable for architectural, commercial and private projects, for an extensive range of applications.
By 2050 two thirds of the world’s population will be living in cities, there will be an ever-growing global trend toward urbanization. One of the biggest challenges facing urban planners and architects is creating and using not only modern architecture but also suitably adapted, modern, and above all sustainable products. Walkways, parking areas, patios, pedestrian zones, and private traffic surfaces make a big contribution to city inhabitants’ well-being and precisely for this, there is now a sustainable new material called Playtop Walk. This product exploits the principle of binding decorative aggregate, certified truck tyre rubber with a polyurethane binder, creating a strong, water permeable surface.
No more flooding! Thanks to an intelligent mix of selected stone and binder, the surface has a high degree of porosity. Rainwater can disperse preventing large puddles forming. Eco-friendliness with great design, attractiveness and longevity.
Playtop Walk is suitable for pedestrian, bicycle and equestrian traffic on pathways and rural trails. Playtop Walk meets the accessibility requirement for wheelchair users, prams and buggies. The black rubber granules and decorative aggregates are bound together with a specially formulated moisture curing polyurethane binder, to produce a firm surface with good grip and resilience. When constructed on a suitable base the surface is fully porous (100% permeable) and meets the requirements for SUD’s (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems)
Playtop Walk meets the highest standards and is the forward looking material for design of public and private spaces. Playtop Walk forms and open-porous and high strength surface and has many benefits for users and the environment.
For more information https://www.playtopnz.com/playtop-walk.html
BARK VS PLAYTOP
How much are you spending on upkeep and maintenance?
Have you thought seriously about the safety and hazards of bark surfacing?
Playtop NZ provides SAFE playground rubber surfacing for children to play on and here's why we think bark is inferior.
Bark may be swallowed, scattered or thrown into a child’s eyes. Bark decomposes and compacts over time reducing impact absorption. Bark can conceal animal excrement, dangerous sharp items and other foreign materials. Fungal growth occurs when wet and bark decomposes. Hot humidity and freezing temperatures can reduce its effectiveness.
Playtop NZ provides SAFE playground rubber surfacing for children to play on and here's why we think bark is inferior.
Bark may be swallowed, scattered or thrown into a child’s eyes. Bark decomposes and compacts over time reducing impact absorption. Bark can conceal animal excrement, dangerous sharp items and other foreign materials. Fungal growth occurs when wet and bark decomposes. Hot humidity and freezing temperatures can reduce its effectiveness.
- Stop spending money on maintenance - constant upkeep and replenishing bark can cost thousands of dollars. Trying to keep a minimum Critical Fall Height depth is near impossible, when bark is scattered by children and constantly needs raking. Replacing bark becomes an annual expense.
- Finally get rid of the mud and puddles - bark when wet becomes messy and waterlogged especially under swings and high use play equipment. Bark decomposes over a very short time and pools with water and lets face it whatever edging is used, it never contains bark and it is left messy and scattered!
- An ageing surface becomes a danger hazard - Painful splinters and sparse surfacing under playground equipment are a safety concern.
- Wheelchairs cannot be maneuvered on woodchips, and is built in tripping hazard! We believe all kids should be inclusive.
- Lets face it wood chips are not pretty! Who wants a brown playground?
- Ready for a change? Get inspired!
- WHY INSTALL PLAYTOP?
- No joints, continuous porous material means less maintenance
- Elastic properties of specialised EPDM rubber - Safe, cushioning and impact absorbing
- Hard wearing - Playtop is resilient to accidental and deliberate damage, weather extremes and had a high flame tolerance - no more constant maintenance
- Graphics can be installed for academic purposes, number, alphabet etc - no more boring surfacing
- Your specific designs can be easily incorporated in to wet pour rubber surfacing - lets get creative!
- Can be applied at different depths for impact absorption and Critical Fall Height Specifications - kids safety is our policy!
- Cost effective with no wastage as it is wet poured into the required shape, no more yearly investment for bark!
- The thickness of wet pour surfacing can be adapted to suit requirements allowing for cost savings - no matter what your play equipment, we have you covered!
- For use inside and outside, Playtop has insulation and soundproof properties. change in weather or temperature does not affect Playtop Surfacing.
- Wet pour safety surfacing can be installed on an existing surface. and allows water and rain to drain away, no more puddles and mud!
- Available in 20 colours to produce a bespoke finish - choose your colour scheme and recreate your play area!
- Playtop is tested and certified to conform to UK, European, Asian, American and New Zealand standards for playground safety surfacing. Long life span and 5 year guarantee.
Why Playing Outside Makes Children Smarter
- Outdoor play is a multi-sensory activity.While outdoors, children will see, hear, smell and touch things unavailable to them when they play inside. They use their brains in unique ways as they come to understand these new stimuli.
- Playing outside brings together informal play and formal learning. Children can incorporate concepts they have learned at school in a hands-on way while outdoors. For example, seeing and touching the roots of a tree will bring to life the lesson their teacher taught about how plants get their nutrients.
- Playing outdoors stimulates creativity. Robin Moore, an expert in the design of play and learning environments, says, “Natural spaces and materials stimulate children’s limitless imagination and serve as the medium of inventiveness and creativity.” Rocks, stones and dirt present limitless opportunities for play that can be expressed differently every time a child steps outside.
- Playing outdoors is open-ended. There is no instruction manual for outdoor play. Children make the rules and in doing so use their imagination, creativity, intelligence and negotiation skills in a unique way.
- Playing in nature reduces anxiety. Time spent outside physiologically reduces anxiety. Children bring an open mind and a more relaxed outlook back inside when they are in more traditional learning environments.
- Outdoor play increases attention span. Time spent in unstructured play outdoors is a natural attention builder. Often children who have difficulty with pen and paper tasks or sitting still for long periods of times are significantly more successful after time spent outside.
- Outdoor play is imaginative. Because there are no labels, no pre-conceived ideas and no rules, children must create the world around them. In this type of play, children use their imagination in ways they don’t when playing inside.
- Being in nature develops respect for other living things. Children develop empathy, the ability to consider other people’s feeling, by interacting with creatures in nature. Watching a tiny bug, a blue bird or a squirrel scurrying up a tree gives children the ability to learn and grow from others.
- Outdoor play promotes problem solving. As children navigate a world in which they make the rules, they must learn to understand what works and what doesn’t, what lines of thinking bring success and failure, how to know when to keep trying and when to stop.
- Playing outside promotes leadership skills. In an environment where children create the fun, natural leaders will arise. One child may excel at explaining how to play the game, while another may enjoy setting up the physical challenge of an outdoor obstacle course. All types of leadership skills are needed and encouraged.
- Outdoor play widens vocabulary. While playing outdoors, children may see an acorn, a chipmunk and cumulous clouds. As they encounter new things, their vocabulary will expand in ways it never could indoors.
- Playing outside improves listening skills. As children negotiate the rules of an invented game, they must listen closely to one another, ask questions for clarification and attend to the details of explanations in ways they don’t have to when playing familiar games.
- Being in nature improves communication skills. Unclear about the rules in an invented game? Not sure how to climb the tree or create the fairy house? Children must learn to question and clarify for understanding while simultaneously making themselves understood.
- Outdoor play encourages cooperative play. In a setting where there aren’t clear winners and losers, children work together to meet a goal. Perhaps they complete a self-made obstacle course or create a house for a chipmunk. Together they compromise and work together to meet a desired outcome.
- Time in nature helps children to notice patterns. The natural world is full of patterns. The petals on flowers, the veins of a leaf, the bark on a tree are all patterns. Pattern building is a crucial early math skill.
- Playing outdoors helps children to notice similarities and differences. The ability to sort items and notice the similarities and differences in them is yet another skill crucial to mathematical success. Time outdoors affords many opportunities for sorting.
- Time spent outdoors improves children’s immune systems. Healthy children are stronger learners. As children spend more and more time outdoors, their immune systems improve, decreasing time out of school for illness.
- Outdoor play increases children’s physical activity level. Children who play outdoors are less likely to be obese and more likely to be active learners. Children who move and play when out of school are ready for the attention often needed for classroom learning.
- Time spent outdoors increases persistence. Outdoor games often require persistence. Children must try and try again if their experiment fails. If the branch doesn’t reach all the way across the stream or the bark doesn’t cover their fairy house, they must keep trying until they are successful.
- Outdoor play is fun. Children who are happy are successful learners. Children are naturally happy when they are moving, playing and creating outside. This joy opens them up for experimenting, learning and growing.
Innovation and Sustainability - Nike Grind
Playtops commitment to quality and its environmental credentials are just some of the reasons why it was approached by Nike to become a global partner for Nike Grind. For over 20 years, Nike has been taking back its worn-out sport-shoes, recycling and grinding them up for a new kind of outdoor use - playground surfacing!
Through a program called Nike Grind, the company estimates it’s found new life for upwards of 25 million pairs of athletic shoes.
The company then seeks out high-value partners like Playtop to transform its raw recyclables into something transcendent. Playtop NZ is turning Nike’s rubber into playgrounds, pool surrounds, decks, splash pads and walkways. Surfaces made with Nike Grind cover more than 1 billion square metres across 10,000+ projects, from Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester to Yankee Stadium in New York City.
Playtop NZ used over 1000m2 of Nike Grind when surfacing New Brighton Destination Playground in Christchurch, and works with individuals, schools, ECE centres and NZ councils on various projects around New Zealand. Surface thickness can range from 40mm to 130mm, depending on the height of playground equipment and critical fall height required . The higher the monkey bars, the thicker the surface!
Every project is different as the product is wet-poured to any design and Playtop’s customers can choose from a palette of 20 different colours. Severe head injuries for children decrease significantly with the use of Playtop safer surfacing.
Playtop NZ - Keeping our Kiwi Kids Safe!
Through a program called Nike Grind, the company estimates it’s found new life for upwards of 25 million pairs of athletic shoes.
The company then seeks out high-value partners like Playtop to transform its raw recyclables into something transcendent. Playtop NZ is turning Nike’s rubber into playgrounds, pool surrounds, decks, splash pads and walkways. Surfaces made with Nike Grind cover more than 1 billion square metres across 10,000+ projects, from Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester to Yankee Stadium in New York City.
Playtop NZ used over 1000m2 of Nike Grind when surfacing New Brighton Destination Playground in Christchurch, and works with individuals, schools, ECE centres and NZ councils on various projects around New Zealand. Surface thickness can range from 40mm to 130mm, depending on the height of playground equipment and critical fall height required . The higher the monkey bars, the thicker the surface!
Every project is different as the product is wet-poured to any design and Playtop’s customers can choose from a palette of 20 different colours. Severe head injuries for children decrease significantly with the use of Playtop safer surfacing.
Playtop NZ - Keeping our Kiwi Kids Safe!
Destination Playgrounds
#PlaytopNZ is pleased to be involved in Destination Playgrounds around New Zealand as in the safer surfacing we installed at New Brighton, Christchurch.
Destination playgrounds are community spaces that encourage more activity, neighbourhood engagement and more ownership by communities, these playgrounds provide a better and more challenging play experience for children. PlaytopNZ surfacing conforms to NZ European, Asian, and American standards for playground safety surfacing and has wheelchair access certification, allowing every child the opportunity of inclusive play.
Our safer surfacing is sustainable and our commitment to quality and its environmental credentials are just some of the reasons why it was approached by Nike to become a global partner for Nike Grind. Nike collects old sports shoes and recycles them to create a material called Nike Grind. which Playtop includes in its surfacing.
NZ is growing and as higher-density living increases so is the need for accessible safe family-friendly green spaces. Our communities have asked for playgrounds that are safe, attractive and original, and provide an all-day experience for the family.
PlaytopNZ is working with local councils to provide the best possible playground surfacing for the future.
Destination playgrounds are community spaces that encourage more activity, neighbourhood engagement and more ownership by communities, these playgrounds provide a better and more challenging play experience for children. PlaytopNZ surfacing conforms to NZ European, Asian, and American standards for playground safety surfacing and has wheelchair access certification, allowing every child the opportunity of inclusive play.
Our safer surfacing is sustainable and our commitment to quality and its environmental credentials are just some of the reasons why it was approached by Nike to become a global partner for Nike Grind. Nike collects old sports shoes and recycles them to create a material called Nike Grind. which Playtop includes in its surfacing.
NZ is growing and as higher-density living increases so is the need for accessible safe family-friendly green spaces. Our communities have asked for playgrounds that are safe, attractive and original, and provide an all-day experience for the family.
PlaytopNZ is working with local councils to provide the best possible playground surfacing for the future.
Why are outdoor playgrounds so important for Children?
It makes sense to let children play outside, to really experience things and learn about their environment. Open spaces where children can come together and play, express themselves through the freedom of running, jumping and exploring is essential to their development. Outdoor play takes children away from excessive TV and computer use and gives them time to reconnected with the natural world, benefiting children’s well-being and learning.
Outdoor playground environments provide different play opportunities that cannot be replicated inside. The constantly changing environment gives freedom and allows contact with natural elements. Children benefit from being exposed to sunlight and open air, which contributes to a stronger immune system.
Children need opportunities to explore, experiment, discover, shout, yell, sing, create and be kiwi kids again!
Through outdoor play and the exploration of natural elements, it is possible for the kids to learn about their own physical and emotional capabilities. Children can push their limits and ask questions - How high can I make the swing go? Dare I go down the slide headfirst? How high can I climb? To learn about the world around them, children must be exposed to it!
Children who learn to enjoy the outdoors have a much higher likelihood of becoming adults who enjoy cycling, hiking, running or other outdoor activities, this is critical as obesity becomes an ever increasing concern in NZ and worldwide.
PlaytopNZ is committed to children's safety, and we take great pride in providing safer surfacing around both North and South Island of New Zealand.
Outdoor playground environments provide different play opportunities that cannot be replicated inside. The constantly changing environment gives freedom and allows contact with natural elements. Children benefit from being exposed to sunlight and open air, which contributes to a stronger immune system.
Children need opportunities to explore, experiment, discover, shout, yell, sing, create and be kiwi kids again!
Through outdoor play and the exploration of natural elements, it is possible for the kids to learn about their own physical and emotional capabilities. Children can push their limits and ask questions - How high can I make the swing go? Dare I go down the slide headfirst? How high can I climb? To learn about the world around them, children must be exposed to it!
Children who learn to enjoy the outdoors have a much higher likelihood of becoming adults who enjoy cycling, hiking, running or other outdoor activities, this is critical as obesity becomes an ever increasing concern in NZ and worldwide.
PlaytopNZ is committed to children's safety, and we take great pride in providing safer surfacing around both North and South Island of New Zealand.
Playground Safety
Playgrounds are exciting places for children to be outdoors and active. Despite the benefits, playgrounds are also common places where kids get hurt. There are several things that parents and caregivers can do to help make the playground safer for children. This includes providing strong supervision, ensuring that equipment is free of potential hazards, and steering kids to age-appropriate play areas.
Although minor bumps, bruises, and cuts frequently occur on playgrounds, many playground injuries are more severe. Broken bones, sprains and strains, internal organ injuries, dislocations and concussions are the most common playground-related injuries that require a doctor's care.
Falls from the equipment to the ground are THE TOP cause for childhood emergency room visits due to playground-related injuries. Children fall because they slip, lose their grip, or lose their balance while playing on monkey bars, swings, slides, roundabouts, and seesaws.
Whether playground injuries are caused by falls or other types of contact, attention to THE most important factor (Surfacing) can help to reduce the incidence of injury.
PLAYGROUND SURFACE
The type of surface on the playground IS THE most important factor in the number and severity of injuries due to falls. The number and severity of injuries can be reduced by using Playtop Safer Surfacing.
Independent test laboratories have tested Playtop to the new European and American Standards for impact-absorbing surfacing - awarding each standard thickness a Critical Fall Height rating. This represents the maximum approved height of fall from neighbouring play equipment.
Although brain injuries are the main concern, the cushioning effect of the resilient material also reduces risk to backs, shoulders, arms and legs.
The bars in the diagram represent the Critical Fall Height of play equipment in metres. The required thickness in millimetres of Playtop Safer surfacing is shown in green below the corresponding bar.
Although minor bumps, bruises, and cuts frequently occur on playgrounds, many playground injuries are more severe. Broken bones, sprains and strains, internal organ injuries, dislocations and concussions are the most common playground-related injuries that require a doctor's care.
Falls from the equipment to the ground are THE TOP cause for childhood emergency room visits due to playground-related injuries. Children fall because they slip, lose their grip, or lose their balance while playing on monkey bars, swings, slides, roundabouts, and seesaws.
Whether playground injuries are caused by falls or other types of contact, attention to THE most important factor (Surfacing) can help to reduce the incidence of injury.
PLAYGROUND SURFACE
The type of surface on the playground IS THE most important factor in the number and severity of injuries due to falls. The number and severity of injuries can be reduced by using Playtop Safer Surfacing.
Independent test laboratories have tested Playtop to the new European and American Standards for impact-absorbing surfacing - awarding each standard thickness a Critical Fall Height rating. This represents the maximum approved height of fall from neighbouring play equipment.
Although brain injuries are the main concern, the cushioning effect of the resilient material also reduces risk to backs, shoulders, arms and legs.
The bars in the diagram represent the Critical Fall Height of play equipment in metres. The required thickness in millimetres of Playtop Safer surfacing is shown in green below the corresponding bar.