California Playground Safety
California is the first state in the nation to develop comprehensive minimum standards for playground safety. These new regulations are based on (1) the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) playground safety guidelines, and (2) performance standards developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), which were designed to encourage manufacturers to produce safer playground equipment and products. Unlike the federal CPSC safety guidelines, which are not mandatory and do not have the force of regulations, California's New Playground Safety Regulations also require initial safety inspections of all playgrounds open to the public.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About the Playground Regulations
The playground safety regulations became effective January 1, 2000. The text of the California Playground Safety Regulations is available online. However, you will also need to obtain the two documents that have been extensively "incorporated by reference" in the regulations. To obtain these, you must contact the original source:
- "Guidelines for Public Playground Safety," U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), publication #325 (date code: 009711).
Contact the regional office of the Commission nearest you: for Northern California, (510) 637-4050; for Southern California, (949) 829-8249. There is no charge. You may also download the Guidelines from the CPSC website: http://www.cpsc.gov.
- "Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use, ASTM, Publication Designation: F 1487 - 98."
This American Society for Testing and Material (ASTM) document is protected by copyright and must be purchased. The cost is approximately $45. To order, mail or fax purchase order to: ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Dr., West Conshohocken, PA 19428. (You may also use a credit card.) For more information, call ASTM Customer Service at (610) 832-9285, or on the web: http://www.astm.org.
For additional questions about these Playground Regulations, contact us at epic@cdph.ca.gov.