Understanding the ‘Play Area’ of a Swing Set

The play area refers to a zone that extends 6 feet beyond the swing set on all sides. This includes the space above the swing and the slide. The ground must be level; the set should not be installed on a sloping ground, which can cause it to crack or lean. Leaning places additional stress on all the joints and connections; in time, this will cause them to fail.

The play area must be free of all structures such as trees, rocks, branches, wires, fences and any other obstacles in order for children to play safely. Tripping hazards also need to be removed including roots, stumps, sprinkler heads, plumbing, railroad ties and electrical connections. Children and be seriously injured running or swinging into these obstacles.

60% of injuries are caused by falls to the ground, so protective surfacing must be used. Providing ground protection around the swing set is one of the more critical safety factors. There are synthetic surfaces, which are acceptable, but check the test data on its shock absorbing performance . Grass and dirt alone are not sufficient shock absorbing agents, adding sand and mulch will help absorb a fall and reduce injuries.

The fall zone, which is the area that must be covered with the protective surfacing, should also be free of other equipment and obstacles that a child might fall on. Plus, stationary climbing equipment and slides should have their own fall zone that extends a minimum of 6-feet in all directions from the perimeter of the equipment. The swings themselves need to have a fall zone extending 6 feet from the outer edge of the support structure and extend twice the height of the swing from the ground to the top of the swing structure.

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