Importance of Safety Surfacing for Outdoor Fitness Parks
As communities are becoming increasingly more aware of the value of providing accessible and free outdoor spaces to exercise, outdoor fitness parks have become more and more common. Not only do outdoor fitness parks encourage both mental and physical health, but they also help to bring the community together as one. However, as these parks continue to grow, making sure they are safe for everyone should be at the top of the priority list. Arguably the most important aspect of keeping these areas safe is the surface that is used around and beneath the equipment.
Complying with ASTM Standards
As many parks & recreation professionals know, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) sets the industry standards for surfacing. For unsupervised outdoor fitness equipment specifically, ASTM F3101-21a sets the standard for the design, manufacture, installation, and maintenance of equipment. These standards are set to ensure safety and reduce injury in public areas such as parks, schools, and other recreational settings. Installing proper safety surfacing that meets the ASTM standards helps to minimize risks and makes outdoor fitness sites safer and more welcoming for users.
Protection From Falls
One of the most clear and obvious reasons why safety surfacing is important is to protect users from injury in the event of a fall. Not all outdoor fitness equipment is built with safety in mind, and certain equipment can involve climbing, balancing, or other movements where a fall could easily occur. The fall height of the equipment is determined by the tallest height a person could fall from when properly using the equipment. Installing proper safety surfacing helps to cushion these falls and reduce the potential for injury.
Not all safety surfacing is built the same, so it is critical to choose the right kind for your equipment. The higher the potential fall height, the thicker or more absorbent the surfacing must be. Installing the appropriate type and thickness of safety surfacing is crucial to providing the best protection for users.
Different Types of Safety Surfacing
There are many types of safety surfacing, each with its own benefits. In this blog, we’ll briefly examine three of the main options.
Poured-in-Place (PIP) Rubber:
PIP Rubber is the most popular choice in most scenarios due to its durability and the wide variety of color customization that comes with it. PIP is made from a two-layered system that consists of a base layer of recycled rubber and a top layer of colored EPDM rubber. PIP has phenomenal absorption and is common for outdoor fitness gyms and playground structures alike.
Artificial Turf:
Similar to a PIP rubber, turf combines aesthetics and safety. If you want your surfacing to look natural but also be a soft surface for preventing injuries, turf is the way to go. Turf can withstand heavy use and is ideal for heavy foot traffic fitness sites that see a lot of visitors.
Wood Fiber Chips:
Wood fiber chips are a natural option for safety surfacing. They are biodegradable and offer great impact absorption. These are a very cost-effective option. Due to their natural nature, wood fiber chips will likely require more maintenance compared to synthetic surfacing. Maintenance can include raking to keep an even surface and replacing over time as they breakdown.
Make Your Outdoor Gym Aesthetically Pleasing
There’s a lot more that comes with safety surfacing than just safety. Installing safety surfacing will substantially enhance the visual appearance of your site. Similar to how nobody wants to drive a car with worn-down tires or wear an old pair of sneakers for a run, you wouldn’t want your brand-new and exciting outdoor fitness equipment to lay on a plain piece of concrete.
If you want your fitness site to look more natural, then an option like artificial turf or wood fiber chips will give it a more green, appealing look. Surfacing options such as a PIP Rubber come in a variety of colors and can be customized with logos or patterns to fit your city or town. The outdoor gym below at Robert Burns Park in Los Angeles was installed with green and black PIP Rubber to match the equipment and surrounding trees. If they had stuck with plain concrete underneath and no safety surfacing, the visual appeal of the gym would be nowhere near what they have now!
Conclusion
When installing an outdoor gym, safety surfacing should always be a part of the project. The right surfacing ensures compliance with ASTM standards, provides protection for risks of injury or falls, and makes your site look much more pleasing to the eye. Investing in safety surfacing can be a big decision. whether it be a PIP Rubber, Artificial turf, wood fiber chips, or one of the many other options out there, choosing the right surfacing can turn your outdoor gym from just good enough to great.