Fall Height Rating Explained by Commercial Landscaping Companies Near Me

Commercial playgrounds are an important part of Phoenix communities and provide children with a safe place to play and explore. However, to ensure that children are protected while they are playing. Commercial playgrounds must meet certain safety standards and requirements, including fall height rating. Here’s a more in-depth explanation from commercial landscaping companies near me.

What is Fall Height Rating?

Fall height rating is the measurement of how high a child can fall from a piece of playground equipment before they are injured. This measurement is used to determine the appropriate type of safety surfacing that should be installed around the equipment. 

For example, if a piece of equipment has a fall height rating of 6 feet, the safety surfacing around it should be able to absorb the impact of a child falling from 6 feet without causing injury.

If you own or manage commercial playgrounds in Phoenix AZ, you absolutely need to ensure that you are meeting the necessary fall height rating requirements to keep children safe.

Is Natural Grass Good Enough?

Unfortunately, no. It doesn’t matter how thick or tall your playground grass is – underneath all that grass is an unforgiving surface.

For one, soil compacts and erodes over time, making it less effective at absorbing the impact of a fall. Secondly, dry soil can create hard surfaces which can cause serious injury to a falling child.

On top of that, ever noticed how slides, crawl tubes, and other playground equipment often have bald spots around them? That’s because children slide down the equipment at high speeds. Causing friction that wears away the grass. 

This means that even with regular maintenance, natural grass may not be a safe or reliable solution for meeting fall height rating requirements.

Add the rocks, roots, and other debris that can be found in a traditional grassy area and you have yourself an unsafe play environment.

Artificial Grass for Commercial Landscaping Playground Safety

Commercial artificial turf in Phoenix AZ is specially designed to meet the necessary fall height rating requirements for commercial playgrounds. 

Several elements contribute to artificial grass’s ability to absorb impact and cushion a fall, and here are just some:

• Landscaping Shock pads

  A key component of artificial turf for playgrounds, shock pads are exactly as they sound: they absorb the shock of a fall and reduce impact. When installed beneath artificial turf, they create a dual-layer cushioning system that can assist in meeting fall height rating requirements much better than real grass, concrete, gravel, and other common playground surfaces.

• Tough Construction

  Did you know that artificial grass is used by the NFL, MLB, and other professional sports leagues? It’s because of its extremely durable construction that’s resistant to heavy wear and tear. The same toughness is present in playground artificial grass. So kids can run, jump, tumble, and slide all day with no worry of bald spots or wear patterns forming.

• Infill

  Infill is a granular material that is added to the turf base. Helping support the blades of grass so they stand up and look lush. It also serves as the third layer of cushioning, absorbing impact and creating a softer surface to play on. On top of shock pads and the turf itself.

Create Safe and Beautiful Play Spaces with Artificial Grass Landscaping

Sunburst Landscaping has worked with countless schools, playground owners and municipal districts. Also, commercial landscaping companies near me creates high-performance, safe playgrounds that meet all safety requirements.

Whether you’re planning to replace your current playground surface or install a brand new one, the Sunburst Landscaping team can help. Send us a message or call us today at 623-412-2200 for a FREE quote and consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!