A Longitudinal Study of Playground Surfaces to Evaluate Accessibility - Final Report

Maintenance

Maintenance is one of the greatest factors affecting the accessibility of the surfaces in the sample.  There was a lack of installation/maintenance information provided by the manufacturer to the playground owner prior to purchase and there was a steep learning curves related to working with various surface systems. Each of the 16 participating municipalities had maintenance personnel trained through the either the National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI) or the Illinois Park District Risk Management Association (PDRMA).  The participating agencies recognized maintenance as a critical need in order to provide a safe environment for the public to recreate.  All of the municipalities had “playground crews” responsible for visiting each playground site, making visual inspection of the area, collecting trash, and completing repairs as needed.  The playground crews ranged in number from 1‒3 staff, usually with one full-time employee and 2‒3 seasonal staff during the summer months.  At least 30 minutes was spent on site.  However, the frequency of visits to each site varied among the different agencies.  Large playgrounds at regional parks and sites where programming occurred were most often visited.  Some were visited daily during peak summer months.  Smaller neighborhood parks may have been visited 1‒3 times per week or two times per month.

Surface deficiencies were found to exist at each site regardless of the frequency of visits by the playground crew.  Any correlation between the frequency of maintenance and the SDS was inconclusive.  However, over the course of the longitudinal study, the research team found that where the playground crews became more engaged in the study, the maintenance specific to accessibility began to improve.  This finding was most evident at sites visited in 2012, the final season of data collection.  A marked improvement in SDS was noted at sites where playground owners had become more fully engaged in the study.  They participated in two conference calls for study updates, made inquiries, and/or participated during research team site visits to gain greater understanding of the assessment process. At least three EWF sites had improved SDS where the surface material was observed as more level and better compacted than previous site visits.  One site utilizing PIP as the primary access route and EWF as the secondary access route was assessed with less than 1 percent slope at the transition between the two surface materials.  This was observed as the most improved and maintained transition between surface materials of the sample.

PIP was recorded as the surface material requiring the least instances of maintenance.  Maintenance areas were noted where the surface had cracks, buckles, openings or a granular layer had worn away under high traffic areas like swings, transfer steps and the egress at slides.  While PIP had the least instances requiring maintenance, it is still notable because the surface repairs can be extensive.  Repairs must be done by either the original installer or professional certified by the manufacturer resulting in added costs.  The patch repairs also necessitate cutting away a larger section of surfacing in order to fill and level the deficient area. 

A greater number of TIL sites were recorded in need of maintenance than originally hypothesized.  TIL deficiencies included punctures holes ranging from .50 inches to more than 2 inches in diameter; and instances where the seams had started to shift or buckle creating openings and changes in level along the accessible route.  The playground owners reported mixed opinions on continued use of the TIL systems.  The playground owner that had invested the most, both in material and staff training, had the highest number of surface deficiencies requiring maintenance.  After five years of use, the playground owner decided to go with a different unitary surface system.  Yet, a neighboring playground owner who had the surface installed by a contractor, only had to replace one tile during the study.  The playground crew reported the replacement of the tile took two people less than an hour and it was relatively easy. The contrasting experiences of the two agencies could be as simple as products supplied by two different manufacturers.

EWF sites were recorded in need of maintenance most frequently and earliest in the study.  As has been mentioned previously, maintenance issues were most needed to correct accessible routes and clear ground spaces where the running slope and cross slope exceeded the accessibility standards.

Findings from the study illustrate the critical need for maintenance, regardless of the type of surface material used for the accessible route.  It is essential for ongoing maintenance from visual site inspections to patch repairs or material replenishment be planned at the conception of the new playground project.  Further, the maintenance crew should be trained in both playground safety and the accessibility requirements to ensure ongoing compliance with the standards.