ASTM F2049-08a

This guide sets forth minimum standard requirements for use in local codes and ordinances relating to public, multi-family, residential, and commercial outdoor play areas or zones and their environments.

This guide does not have the effect of law, nor is it intended to supersede local codes and ordinances of a more restrictive nature.

This guide provides certain recommendations to assist those who intend to provide protection against injuries or fatalities associated with any possible vehicle passage into, or pedestrian passage to or from, a play environment by children. This would include, but not be limited to, state and local governments, model code organizations, building code groups, and consumers. It is understood that the format will vary depending upon the specific use and local conditions.

1.1 This guide provides the recommended minimum requirements for denoting various types of fences/barriers for the protection of children's outdoor play spaces in public, commercial, and multi-family residential use locations. This guide excludes individual single family residential use play equipment locations. Interior fences located in a play area that has a perimeter fence established shall only have to comply with the latch height requirement indicated in 7.6.2.

1.2 This guide provides for the safety of occupants in play areas or zones as it pertains to vehicular intrusion as well as other participant intrusion, and for children containment or entry/exit. This guide has the intent to also keep children inside a predetermined area in an effort to enhance supervision; to keep children from running out of the area into water and other hazards; to minimize the likelihood of facial lacerations on low gate and fence hardware; to minimize the likelihood of abduction; and to restrict access to railroads, highways, roads, and other such hazards.

1.3 This guide does not choose the product components for the fence system, the choice of which should be made by the operators of the play space and their specification writers or drafters based upon their determination of the merits of the products that could be used.

1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The SI values given in parentheses are for information only.

1.5 This guide does not purport to address the aspect of safety within a play area or zone. It is the responsibility of the user of this guide to establish appropriate safety practices as related to the play area and determine the applicability of regulatory requirements prior to use.