HEAD START CENTER DESIGN GUIDE

6.7 Specific Site Technical Criteria

6.7.1 Fences and Enclosures

Best practice indicates that:

• Play yards must be enclosed by fences to define them, to allow ease of supervision of children, and to protect children from unauthorized individuals or stray animals. The design of the fence should be more than simply utilitarian. In general, GSA discourages chain link fence, other than dark vinyl-coated types. Exposed galvanized wire, which has a highly institutional appearance, is not appropriate. Fences should not have sharp exposed connections accessible to children.

Other guidelines:

• Bollards, raised planters, or other devices to keep automobiles from veering into the play yard should be provided.
• Whether the fence should be transparent or opaque and how high it should be depend on the location and environmental conditions.
• It is important that the spaces between fence pickets are between 3.4 inches and 9 inches wide to prevent children's heads from being entrapped. Openings less than 3.4 inches should be large enough to prevent finger or hand entrapment, but not so small that fingers and hands cannot penetrate the opening. There should not be any openings between 0.3 inch and 1 inch. Refer to the most recent edition of the Handbook for Public Playground Safety by the CPSC.
• A 6-ft.-high fence should enclose the play yard when views into the play yard are allowed. As an alternative, a shorter fence with plantings or landscape features planted or positioned in such a way that an adult would not be able to reach over the fence may be acceptable.
• When the play yard is adjacent to hazards, near busy roadways, or in a high-security- risk neighborhood, an 8-ft.-high fence should enclose it. Views from the play yard should be screened either by the fence itself or with plants or other suitable devices. Bollards, raised planters, or other devices should be used to protect play yards next to driveways or roads where cars could swerve into the area.
• The fence bottom should be a maximum of 3 in. above the ground. Exposed fence bottoms should have a smooth finish.
• Wood fences should be smooth finished and splinter-free and, if treated for exterior use, should be guaranteed to be non-toxic.
• Gates should be self-closing and latching. Children's fingers should be protected from pinching or crushing on gate hinge spaces. Each play yard should have a vehicle gate to allow service.
• Fences may be used for protection from the elements and to control sunlight and wind exposure.
• Fences should be safe, with smooth caps and no finials or sharp picket tops.
• Fences should be designed to discourage climbing. However, they must be able to withstand code-specified force applied horizontally.
• Fence construction should not use horizontal rails, except for the cap and base, to prevent climbing.
• Fastening devices used for fence construction should not project outward where they could injure children.

6.7.2 Plant Materials

Best practice indicates that all plant materials must be non-toxic. See Appendix D for a listing of common toxic and non-toxic plant material. In addition, local agricultural extension services can provide information on toxic or poisonous plants in the local area. Plant hazards include berries, thorns, and plants with toxic leaves, stems, roots, or flowers.

GSA advises:

• Plant materials should be used to bring natural elements to the play yard environment. (Plants that readily attract bees may be excluded).
• The atmosphere of the center can be enlivened by the color, texture, sound, and motion of plant materials.
• Children's observation of plant growth is beneficial.
• Plant materials that display seasonal changes are desirable. Visual barriers, screens, and shade and wind protection can be created using plant materials in preference to, or in conjunction with, man-made structures.
• Plant materials should be used to define interesting play areas.
• Trees with low-hanging limbs should be avoided because children could use them to climb to unsafe heights or scale fences.

6.7.3 Dimensions and Clearances

Best practice indicates:

• Main entrance pathways should be 6 to 8 ft. wide. All pathways must provide adequate clearances as prescribed by the UFAS and ADA standards. Pathway slopes should be no greater than 1:20 unless they are provided with a handrail. (More than 1:20 is considered a ramp.) Cross slopes should be limited to 1:50.
• Platforms, stairs, handrails on stairs, guardrails, and protective barriers on platforms should comply with requirements in the latest edition of the Handbook for Public Playground Safety by the CPSC. The height of platforms and the age group using the platform will determine when a guardrail or protective barrier is required. Guardrails may be used in platforms at lower heights, while protective barriers should be provided on higher platforms.
• Handrails should be provided to accommodate the intended age group on all stairs, including adults. For children, heights will range between 20 and 36 inches above the leading edge of the tread. In certain instances it may be necessary to have two railings mounted at differing heights.
• Guardrails should be provided for infants and toddlers on all platforms higher than 12 inches above adjacent surfaces. Guardrails must be provided for pre-school-age children on all platforms greater than 20 inches above adjacent surfaces. The top of the guardrail must be 30 inches above the platform. The guardrail should not have openings between 3.4 and 9 inches to avoid the possibility of head entrapment. To prevent finger entrapment, there must be no openings in the fence between 0.3 and 1 inch wide.
• Protective barriers should be provided for all children on all platforms more than 30 inches above adjacent surfaces. The protective barrier should be 30 inches above the platform, with no openings larger than 3 inches and no horizontal footholds.
• Maximum platform height for infants is 18 inches above the adjacent floor level.
• Maximum platform height for toddlers is 36 inches above the adjacent floor level.
• Maximum platform height for pre-school children is 4.5 ft. above the adjacent floor level.
• Pathways under trees and constructed elements must have at least 6.7 ft. of headroom.
• There must be a fall zone with a resilient surface under all climbing and moving fixed play equipment from which children could fall as specified in the current CPSC and local licensing criteria. Typically a 6-ft. radius is called for. Criteria for resilient surfaces are discussed below in Section 6.7.6.
• There should be a 6-ft. radius clear approach zone to all play equipment, not including the fall zone. No tricycle path should run through a fall zone.

6.7.4 Shading

At least half of the play yard should be exposed to sunlight during the morning and afternoon when it will be used. The degree and orientation of shade depend on local climatic conditions. Shade areas, including porches, gazebos, and other structures, should provide a minimum shaded area of 6 ft. in any direction. Shading structures and materials that may be used include trees, exterior screened rooms, park shelters and structures, awnings, and umbrellas.

6.7.5 Play Yard Surfaces

Surfaces for play yards, based on their physical properties, can be categorized into three general types: resilient, hard, and grass/turf. GSA advises using a variety of ground surface textures in a playground.

6.7.6 Resilient Surfaces

Surfacing is critical and should be one of the most important decisions.

Resilient surfaces reduce the impact from falls and should be used in specific equipment areas referred to as "fall zones." Refer to ASTM F-355, Shock Absorbing Properties of Playing Surface Systems and Materials and the most recent publication of the CPSC's Handbook for Public Playground Safety, for specific requirements concerning these resilient surfaces. Examples of approved resilient surface materials are pre-engineered wood chips, not simply wood mulch, pre-formed rubber matting, and poured-in-place rubberized surfaces. Water should drain through these surfaces.

The fall-absorbing abilities of each surface depends upon the installed thickness and the method or system of installation. However, whichever type is used, GSA advises designers to follow the CPSC recommendations.

These surfaces vary dramatically in cost. The least expensive are the loose-fill variety, which typically require a much higher level of maintenance to ensure that the required depth is maintained. This problem should be discussed during the design process. The designer may recommend the more expensive rubberized solutions for ease of maintenance, but should receive written assurances that its impact-absorptive properties are not lessened by exposure to sunlight. Adequate drainage should be provided under any resilient material, including wood chips. A combination of materials, such as grass, resilient surface, and pre-engineered wood chips, incorporates the advantages of each material and renders a more natural, less institutional appearance than any one surface alone.

GSA advises that the designer should also note the following:

• Organic materials, such as wood chips, bark chips, and processed wood fibers, have good impact-absorbing potential but require proper maintenance to ensure proper, consistent depth. Children may try to ingest them.
• Tire chips have good resiliency and are relatively inexpensive, but can leave black marks on shoes and clothing. Children may try to ingest these and they are not recommended.
• Manufactured resilient mats should retain slip resistance when wet.
• Artificial turf alone does not have the resiliency for fall zones and can be abrasive and convey an unattractive, unnatural impression. This material is not recommended.
• The surface must be wheelchair accesible.

6.7.7 Hard Surfaces

Hard surfaces should be provided in areas used for wheeled riding, in game court areas, and on some all-weather pathways, such as those for wheelchair access. Examples of hard surface materials are concrete, asphalt, stone, or masonry pavers. The durability of each material will vary based on factors such as the method of installation and the thickness of the surface material.

The severity of weather affects all paving surfaces, but cast-in-place concrete over a well compacted sub-grade is the most durable, maintenance-free paving material for hard surface areas. It should be finished to be non-slip. Asphalt paving is an acceptable alternative in vehicular areas, but it degrades more quickly than concrete. Masonry pavers make a durable surface and have numerous options for patterns.

GSA advises considering the following:

• The use of pavers may introduce joints and textures in the paving surface. They can become uneven over time, if they are not laid over a concrete base. Unevenness may present a tripping hazard. Depending on the method of installation, the cost varies. Asphalt usually is the least expensive, and stone or masonry pavers is the most expensive. It is possible to use a variety of surface configurations and materials to increase the impression of "naturalness" in the play yard. Specifications and supervision to ensure excellent compaction will affect the serviceability of the surface material.
• Materials for pathways should allow use during inclement weather. Acceptable materials include concrete, asphalt, stone or masonry pavers, rubberized surfaces, rubber matting, or wood chips. The edge of pathways should not create trip hazards, and they may need to be tapered for transitions. Any surface should allow access by wheelchairs.
• The main entrance pathway should be paved. Gravel and loose stone are not recommended for walkway surfaces, since children may put them in their mouths or throw them. Smooth surfaces provided for wheeled toys should not have joints wider than 1/2 inch because they can cause toys to tip.

6.7.8 Grass/Turf Surfaces

Grass/turf is desirable for open play areas but is not appropriate in fall zones. This surface is seasonal, and is not suitable during periods of rainfall or snow. Exposure to grass/turf allows children to experience natural materials and provides a pleasant texture to play on, but the surface requires constant maintenance and may need an irrigation system.