PLAY MAT^{^TM}

Children and accidents just seem to go together!

"Let us protect
our most valuable natural resource
(our children),
with a proven fall protection surface."

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has reported that each year approximately 240,000 children are injured on playgrounds seriously enough to require emergency room treatment. Concrete, asphalt, and the compressed earth just add to the injury. Rubber mats are expensive, wood chips can have sharp edges and cause splinters, and products manufactured from recycled products could bring all kinds of Toxic Chemicals into your child's environment.

Disadvantages of Other Material:

Sand:

Spreads easily outside of containment area.

Small particles bind together and become less cushioning when wet; when thoroughly wet, sand reacts as a rigid material.

Tracks out of play area.

Abrasive to floor surfaces, plastic materials, and clothing.

Adheres to clothing.

Susceptible to fouling by animals.

Gravel:

Difficult to walk on.

If displaced onto nearby hard surface pathways, could present a fall hazard.

Hard pan may form under heavily traveled areas.

Abrasive to floor surfaces.

Rubber Mats:

Initial cost is high.

Under surfacing may be critical for thinner materials.

Often must be used on almost level uniform surfaces.

May be flammable.

Subject to vandalism (e.g., ignited, defaced, cut).

Full rubber tiles may curl up and cause tripping.

Some designs susceptible to frost damage.

PLAY MATTM

Disadvantages of Other Material:

PLAY MAT^{^TM}