Commercial Playgrounds in Phoenix, AZ: Meeting Fall Height Standards with Artificial Grass

ASTM 1292-04 is a standard that defines the safety requirements for commercial playgrounds in Phoenix, AZ. The ASTM 1292-04 requirement refers to something called fall height rating, which measures how far off the ground a child could be and still safely land on their feet without injury. A low fall height rating means it’s safer than one with a high fall height rating.

Can you meet the ASTM 1292-04 rating with natural grass?

Unfortunately, it’s hard to meet the ASTM 1292-04 standard with real grass as playground surfacing. Elements like hydration level, mowing frequency and temperature constantly cause surface conditions to change, making it difficult to maintain.

In addition, regular playground activities such as running and jumping can wear grass down. This is especially evident around the base of equipment like slides and swing sets. Once the grass is gone, all that’s left for kids to fall on is the hard, packed ground.

Aside from making it difficult to meet the ASTM 1292-04 standard, a few more things make natural grass unsuitable for playgrounds:

• It gets dangerously slippery when wet
• Grass surfaces are filled with sharp rocks, twigs and other debris that can cause injury
• Foot traffic eventually creates dips and ruts on natural ground, which adds more trip hazards
• Kids can get exposed to bugs, pests, toxic weeds, chemicals (such as pesticides) and allergens on artificial grass

How does synthetic grass help playgrounds meet ASTM fall height standards?

Synthetic grass from commercial landscape contractors near me has many advantages over natural turf, such as surface uniformity and durability. This means no matter how many kids use the playground, how often or how roughly, all that activity and foot traffic won’t create divots and dips.

These features are designed to soften the impact of falls, tumbles and rolls. This is a key reason why so many schools and commercial playgrounds in Phoenix, AZ have switched to artificial grass. To help them satisfy ASTM 1292 fall height standard.

On top of that, synthetic turf also eliminates common grass hazards like pests and toxic lawn treatments, making it a safer alternative to grass overall.

Create a Safer Play Space for Children with Artificial Grass

If you’re a facilities manager looking for a beautiful, low-maintenance way to boost the safety of your playground, reach out to Sunburst Landscaping today.

As one of the top commercial landscaping companies near me in Arizona, we have extensive experience installing turf in schools, private and public parks and HOAs, common areas and more.

We can help you with everything, from planning out the design to handling the installation itself. Or maybe, you’re still at the research phase— we’d be happy to answer any question you may have. Call us at 623-412-2200 or send us a message and we’ll get back to you ASAP!