It's 2:00 PM. Do you know what your child is playing on?
As children joyously romp and play, the potential for injury lies silently beneath their feet. The cause? Wood mulch playground surfacing, the hidden hazard.
What wood mulch manufacturers are saying about wood mulch
"During freezing conditions, all of our playground surfaces will naturally be less resilient, particularly with poor drainage. Restrict use of the area accordingly."
"Should there be moisture retention in the "system", it will freeze when the temperature drops below the freezing mark. Please check your surface frequently in the winter weather. When the surface is frozen, the impact attenuation properties are lost and for this reason, the play area should not be used."
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As temperatures drop, wood mulch chips harden into icy pellets. The natural combination of water absorption, freezing, and natural compacting results in a surface that is completely incapable of protecting children from fall-related injuries. Some wood mulch manufacturers recommend shutting down wood mulch surfaced play areas in cold weather. Some school systems have been forced to do just that, due to playground injuries.
Kids play on playgrounds no matter what the weather. Is your child safe?
In addition to cold weather hazards, Wood mulch also:
- Decomposes over time
- Is easily dispersed
- Has been found difficult to retain the proper depth for safety
- Compacts considerably with usage
- Has been associated with numerous playground injuries
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