Playground Accessibility/ADA Compliance

Playguide™ Bulletin No. 2

In 1992, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)of 1990 became effective. This federal law prohibitsdisability-based discrimination by states, localgovernments and private entities (such asrestaurants or child-care centers) that provide publicaccommodation. The law expands and helps clarifySection 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Itapplies to new and existing play areas — meaningthat — all playgrounds must be brought intoADA compliance.

The ADA offers no specific definition of what makesa playground “accessible.” However, a nationallyrecognized industrial standards organization, theAmerican Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM),has written guidelines in response to ADA, originallypublished in 1993, and revised several times since.The ASTM F1487-05 Standard is adocument that provides specificguidance on designing playgroundsand play equipment for accessibilityand safety.

In 1993 the Architectural andTransportation Barriers ComplianceBoard (Access Board) announced theorganization and appointment ofmembers to a Recreation AccessAdvisory Committee. The purpose ofthis committee was to provide adviceand information to the Access Boardregarding accessible design inrecreation facilities and outdoordeveloped areas. The Access Boardpublished this report in 1994. ThisReport received so much publiccomment that the Access Board feltit was necessary to establish a broaderbased "regulation negotiation"committee to refine this report in lightof the public comments.

This 15 member Reg-Neg committee submitted theirrecommendations in July 1997. The Access Board hastaken these recommendations and after publiccomment and staff review, has established designguidelines for playgrounds by adding technical andscoping provisions to the existing ADA accessibilityguidelines (ADAAG). These guidelines are the standardof practice and the legal basis for determiningcompliance with ADA. Only new or altered play areasare affected.

The guidelines require looking at play areas as acollection of individual play components to determinethe minimum amount required to be accessible.Minimum requirements are based on the number andtype of ground level components and elevated playcomponents provided.

Elevated play components are part of a compositeplaystructure where the entrance and/or exit of theactivity is above ground level.

Access to at least 50 percent of the elevated playcomponents is required. Access by way of a transfersystem is acceptable when less than 20 elevated playcomponents are provided. If 20 or more are provided,then a ramp is required to at least 25 percent.

Ground level play components arethose that are approached andexited at the ground level. Access toground level components is requiredto at least one of each type providedand in a number proportionate tothe number of elevated playcomponents provided. An accessiblesurface to each accessiblecomponent is required.

“Providing a play

experience for

children of all

abilities is a

real challenge.”

The minimum number and types of groundlevel play components required to be on anaccessible route:

The minimum accessibility requirementsfor elevated play components:Know your responsibilitiesunder the ADA.

Before we look at specific ways to achieve equal playaccess for all children, it’s important to understand yourlegal responsibilities under the ADA.

The ADA specifically requires that “each service,program or activity conducted by a public entity, whenviewed in its entirety, be readily accessible to, and usableby, individuals with disabilities.”

The law covers “both indoor and outdoor areaswhere human-constructed improvements, structures,equipment or property have been added to thenatural environment.”

Any individual or group can file a complaint that chargesdiscrimination on the basis of disability. The Departmentof the Interior is responsible for administering the law asit relates to parks and recreation areas.

What is an accessible playground?

An accessible playground is one that offers a range ofplay experiences to children of varying abilities. Thisdoes not mean that each and every feature or eventmust be usable by every child.

For example, a playground that offers swinging,sliding, climbing, and manipulative or interactiveexperiences must provide comparable experiences forall. But, if it has several slides and two or more swings,it is considered accessible if children with disabilitiescan use one of the slides and one of the swings.

Start your design with an accessible path.

In designing a playground, your first step is to providean accessible route of travel to the play area. Thisshould include an accessible protective surfacing toeach structure or freestanding event that is intendedto be used by children with disabilities.

Combining loose and synthetic surfaces is a commonsolution. If you choose this approach, be aware ofpotential trip hazards where the wood fiber, sand orother loose material meets the unitary surface. Also,take steps to prevent wheelchairs from dropping off theaccess path’s edge and tipping over. (Gradually sloping— 30 degrees or less — the transition edge is a commonsolution.) If possible, use loose materials along only oneside of the unitary surface to further minimize risk.

Your access route should be at least 5-feet wide toallow two wheelchairs to pass. In addition, aturnaround/parking space at least 5 feet in diametershould be provided next to any playstructure thatrequires transferring from a wheelchair ontothe structure.

Plan for age-appropriate transfer points.

The act of transferring onto a playstructure is similarto transferring onto a bed. Physical therapists estimatethat 40 to 60 percent of wheelchair users can and willtransfer out of their chairs onto a playstructure. Somechildren may need help initially. Depending on theirage, children in wheelchairs need a transfer point

Number of Elevated Minimum Number of Minimum Number ofPlay Components Ground Level Play Different Types of

Provided Components Required Ground Level Playto be on Accessible Components Required to

Route be on Accessible Route

1 Not Applicable Not Applicable

2 to 4 1 1

5 to 7 2 2

8 to 10 3 3

11 to 13 4 3

14 to 16 5 3

17 to 19 6 3

20 to 22 7 4

23 to 25 8 4

More than 25 8 plus 1 for each 5additional 3 over 25,or fraction thereof

Total Number of Minimum Percentage Minimum PercentageElevated Play Components Required to be Required to beProvided Throughout Accessible by Transfer Accessible by Rampa Play Area for each System or Ramp

Age Group

1 to 19 50% None

Example: 12 6 0

20 + 25% 25%

Example: 20 5 5

*NOTE: If a ramp connects at least 50% of the elevated play components and at leastthree different types, then no ground level components are required.

Playguide™ Bulletin No. 2

between 11 and 18 inches in height to make thistransfer by themselves. Grab bars or other devicesshould be provided.

Once these children are on the playstructure, steps nohigher than 8 inches will let them move about and playwith their peers. Such steps should be at least 14-inches deep and 24-inches wide to accommodatechildren of various ages and sizes.

Give careful thought to ramp design.

Ramps provide another way for children to access anelevated deck. They should be at least 36-inches wide,at no more than a 1:12 slope, and they must havehandrails and curbs. To reduce circulation conflicts andabuse, ramps should be no more than 12-feet longbetween level landings. Landings should be at least 5feet in diameter to let two wheelchairs pass and toallow a child in a wheelchair to turn around.

Accessing the structure from an earth berm with aramp can minimize the number of ramps and landingsas well as the space and amount of surfacing neededto gain height. The accessible route of travel can beginoutside the play area, continue up the berm at nomore than a 1:20 slope, and finish with a short ramp orbridge to the playstructure. This design approach isless expensive and more attractive than a network oframps and landings.

Provide sufficient deck space on theplaystructure.

If children can roll their wheelchairs onto an elevateddeck, the deck must be at least 5 feet in diameter sothe wheelchairs can turn around. If a transfer point isavailable on the deck, provide a space of at least 30by 48 inches beyond the turning space for parking.However, leaving an unoccupied wheelchair on anelevated deck is a potential hazard to other users,and is not recommended except in specialsupervised areas.

Examine costs early to avoid commonmistakes.

The cost of building an accessible playground variessubstantially, according to the design approach andthe materials used. For example, a structure withramps, large areas of accessible safety surfacing, andmany equal-access play events will be more expensivethan a playstructure that meets only the minimumstandards for accessibility.

Finding the right balance between accessibility goalsand your budget should be done early in the planningprocess, to avoid shortcuts that can lead to expensivemistakes later on. Many “accessible” playgrounds fail tomeet accessibility standards for reasons that include:

� Users with disabilities were not involved in thedesign process.

� No accessible route of travel to the play area.

Playground Accessibility/ADA Compliance

Typical accessible play area with similaropportunities available to all

� Transfer points that are too high for the childrenusing the playground. (As stated earlier, anappropriate height for a transfer point is 11 to 18inches, depending on the age of the user.)

� No means of returning to the transfer deck afterdescending a slide. (To avoid this humiliatingtreatment of children with limited lower-body mobility,steps of an age-appropriate height — 8 inchesmaximum — and size — 24-inches wide, 14-inchesdeep — should be located in close proximity to theslide exit and be available at ground level.)

� The playground focuses only on wheelchair access,ignoring users with impaired vision, hearing loss,developmental disabilities, and other physical ormental challenges.

Don’t neglect safety.

Safety shouldn’t be compromised for accessibility. Forinstance, tactile warnings in loose protective surfacingor guide rails within the use zone may help the visuallyimpaired, but will be a hazard to the majority of users.There are other ways of orienting a visually impairedchild to playground activities. Much of this orientationresponsibility lies with the care giver.

It’s important to note that many amenities intendedfor users with disabilities will contribute to an overallimprovement in safety and “user-friendly” design.Ramps, shorter step heights, roomier decks, hand railsand grab bars can enrich the play experience forchildren of all ages and abilities.

Encourage community involvement.

Designing a playground that provides an integratedplay experience for children of all abilities is a realchallenge. Involving users with disabilities is perhapsthe most important step in creating a successfulplayground for all children.

If you are looking to truly make animpact on your community withprograms and services around auniversally-accessible playground,check out Shane’s Inspiration.Shane's Inspiration is a nationalnonprofit organization that designs and implementsfully-inclusive playgrounds throughout the country andacross the world. Landscape Structures works withShane’s and supports their mission of promoting playfor all kids. Learn more about Shane’s Inspiration atwww.shanesinspiration.org.

Look to your equipment manufacturerfor professional assistance.

Whether you are looking at your total play area or atspecific equipment needs, your play equipmentmanufacturer should be able to help you ensure similarplay opportunities for all users. An accessibleplayground design from Landscape Structures is likelyto combine ground level activities, transfer modules,access paths, ramps or earth berms if needed, andplay events designed to be available to all.

We’ve been a leader in definingand promoting playground accessibility.

Landscape Structures has a long history ofinvolvement with playground accessibility issuessince the passage of the ADA. Landscape Structures’Chairman Steve King is the task group chairman ofthe ASTM committee that developed and updates the1993 standards concerning accessibility and safety inpublic playground equipment, and he was also theonly manufacturer appointed to the Federal AccessBoard Recreation Access Advisory Committee thatworked to further define accessibility standards.

SOURCESASTM F1487-07, Standard Consumer SafetyPerformance Specification for Playground Equipmentfor Public Use.

ASTM F1292-04, Standard Specification for ImpactAttenuation of Surfacing Materials within the Use Zoneof Playground Equipment.

ASTM F1951-99, Standard Specification forDetermination of Accessibility of Surface SystemsUnder and Around Playground Equipment.

Federal Register, Department of Justice, Part III, 28CFR Part 36, July 26, 1991: Non-discrimination on theBasis of Disability by Public Accommodations and inCommercial Facilities.

Federal Register, Department of Justice, Part II, 28 CFRPart 35, July 26, 1991: Non-discrimination on the Basisof Disability in State and Local Government Services;Final Rule.

Report of the Recreation Access Advisory Committee,Architectural and Transportation Compliance Board, 1331F Street N.W., Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004-1111.info@accessboard.gov

Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards, ADA AccessibilityGuidelines, Architectural and Transportation BarriersCompliance Board (sec. 3 and 15.6), 1331 F Street N.W.,Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004-1111.info@accessboard.gov

601 7th St. South, Delano, MN 55328, Tel 763.972.3391, 888.4FUNLSI, Fax 763.972.3185, playlsi.com

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