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 COMMERCIAL vs RESIDENTIAL PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT
The statements given on this page are for informational purposes ONLY. playproviders.com in no way intends or implies that the generalized statements below should be taken and/or used as a guide to building a residential or commercial play system or swing set. Likewise, it is not intended or implied that these are the only resources that should be relied upon when building, or adding on to, a play system or swing set. As a guide to building a SAFE and FUN play system or swing set, it is up to each individual to research all guidelines, requirements, and suggestions provided by the governmental agencies, playground safety publications, and various internet websites.
What are the differences between residential and commercial playground equipment?
In general, residential products are manufactured for light duty use in a light play environment and provide no "resistance" to vandalism or heavy traffic use. Residential products are intended for "Residential Use Only" and for children under the age of 13.
Commercial products, on the other hand, are manufactured to reduce the threat and damage of vandalism and are manufactured to withstand heavy traffic or use of the products. Commercial products are manufactured for "Commercial Use", tested and rated for commercial use, and meet and/or exceed ASTM and the CPSC Standards and Guidelines.
Are there guidelines to follow when adding to or building a play system?
Currently there are no governed or legal guidelines for residential construction or parts. Typically these parts are not tested for weight ratings or other specifications because it is not required by law. Nor is it a requirement for manufacturers of residential playground parts to provide specifications of the products manufactured and sold. However, many manufacturers state that residential products CANNOT be used for any commercial application, and should only be used in residential applications for children under the age of 13. And, although there are no legal guidelines for residential play equipment, there are several good publications and websites available that will provide general "do's and don'ts" for building residential play sets.
There are several governmental agencies that provide and enforce guidelines and laws for commercial play equipment. Among these agencies are the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA), and ASTM International to name a few.
All commercial play equipment must meet or exceed guidelines set forth by various governmental agencies and should only be built and installed by contractors meeting and abiding by these guidelines. Failure to follow these guidelines can result in fines by the agencies and, even worse, severe injury or possible death to children. All commercial play equipment has been tested and rated to meet or exceed the guidelines set forth by ASTM International and the CPSC.
Commercial rated play equipment should be used in any application that will be used for commercial playground use such as commercial or state parks, recreation facilities, schools, churches, day cares, community parks, and any other application that will have use that exceeds normal residential / single family play. There are many other applications that would also require commercial equipment that can be determined by researching ASTM, the CPSC, or by contacting a licensed playground installation contractor. |
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