Add as a preferred source on Google

Industry Playground Safety Experts Highlight Benefits of Free Play, Playground Safety Resources during 2015 National Playground Safety Week

  • 04/20/15

Harrisburg, Pa., – The International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA), the playground industry's leading playground safety certification organization, will celebrate National Playground Safety Week (April 20-24) this week by highlighting the organization’s popular materials and resources to educate about playground safety and the scientific benefits about play.

"Through the efforts of many, the playground industry has continued to push the limits of creativity and innovation in design, while maintaining safety standards that help minimize risk,” said Richard Hawley, president, IPEMA. "The resources we offer, from the Play Pledge, to our surfacing guide and checklist, help remind parents, educators and playground owners and operators about ways they can encourage free, safer play every day. National Playground Safety Week is the ideal time to build momentum for play."

IPEMA’s resources for education about free play and play safety include:

  • The Play Pledge – by downloading and signing this simple pledge, parents and children are committing to making play a priority for at least one hour of outdoor play a day at home and/or at school.
  • The Checklist for Access – This checklist provided by IPEMA is intended to help owners of public play area’s understand how to use the Department of Justice’s 2010 Standards for Accessible Design. The Checklist provides everything you need to know about access route dimensions, surfacing requirements and play equipment ramps and transfer stations for playgrounds of all sizes.
  • The Surfacing Guide for ADA Compliance – the surfacing guide provides a complete source of regulations concerning proper installation and maintenance of all IPEMA certified playground surfaces, including: artificial turf, engineered wood fiber, interlocking tile, poured-in place and rubber mulch.

Playground Safety Tips and Resources
Additionally, IPEMA and the Voice of Play will be sharing research, facts and educational materials for parents and caregivers about helping to increase safety on the playground. Tips and information can be found on the Voice of Play website, and the organization's Facebook and Twitter pages. Tweets surrounding National Playground Safety Week will include the hashtag #SafePlay15 on Twitter.

Featured

  • LSU Breaks Ground on $200M Residential Project

    Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., recently broke ground on a new residential complex, according to university news. The South Quad residential project will consist of two buildings and add a total of 1,266 beds for freshmen students. The development comes with a price tag of $200 million, and it’s scheduled to open to students in fall 2027.

  • South Texas K–12 District Debuts Region’s First Electric Bus Fleet

    The Valley View Independent School District in Pharr, Texas, recently announced a partnership with Highland Electric Fleets to launch the district’s—and the region’s—first fleet of all-electric school buses, according to a news release.

  • Countway Library at Harvard Medical School

    From Shadows to Sanctuary: The Transformation of Light at Countway Library

    The renovation of Countway Library at Harvard Medical School demonstrates how biophilic design and advanced lighting strategies transformed a formerly dark, insular space into a vibrant, welcoming hub that supports wellness, learning, and community engagement.

  • Malibu High School Campus Completes $102M Phase 1 of Construction

    Malibu High School in Malibu, Calif., recently announced that it has completed phase 1 of construction for its new campus, a news release reports. The first phase consisted of developing and modernizing the site of a former elementary school into a new, 70,000-square-foot, two-story facility.

Digital Edition