If you were designing or refurbishing a playground, one of the most important safety considerations would be fall protection. Among the various surface options available, grass mats can be a popular choice due to their natural appearance, drainage capability and cost-effectiveness. However, best practice ensures they adhere to specific safety regulations, especially regarding Critical Fall Height (CFH), to ensure compliance and, more importantly, child safety.
What is Critical Fall Height?
Critical Fall Height refers to the maximum height from where a fall is unlikely to cause a serious injury, based on the impact absorption properties of the surface beneath. It is defined under the European safety standard EN 1177:2018 and applies to playground surfacing across the UK and Europe.
The CFH of a playground surface is determined through laboratory testing, where a head form is dropped from increasing heights onto the surface to measure the impact from various free fall heights. The CFH is the maximal fall height where the surface limits the severity of the impact to acceptable levels.
Our Critical Fall Height Certification
Our grass mats are made from natural and recycled rubber and are designed to be installed over natural grass or soil. While they don’t provide as much cushioning as loose-fill materials like bark or engineered wood fibre, they retain the natural aesthetic of grass while still offering a level of impact absorption that improves safety.
Our playground safety grass matting has been independently tested to ensure that it meets a critical fall height of 3 meters (when installed on grass). As play equipment should never have a free fall height of over 3 meters, this makes our grass mats suitable for use in areas like playgrounds where safety is paramount.
Why Adhering to Safety Standards Matters
Failing to have the soft surfacing that is required for critical fall height needs when playground equipment is involved can lead to:
- Increased risk of head injury in the event of a fall
- Non-compliance with British standards in regards to health and safety best practices
- Potential liability claims in case of injury
- Invalidation of playground insurance policies
To avoid these issues and prevent injury, it’s essential to choose safety surfacing like grass mats based on the fall height of the highest accessible platform on any given piece of equipment. For example, if a climbing frame has a platform or equipment edge at 2 meters that a child could fall from, the surfacing beneath must be rated for a minimum critical fall height of 2 meters.
Grass mats can be an effective and attractive safety surface for playgrounds, but only if they are from a trusted retailer and installed as well as maintained in line with Critical Fall Height requirements. Always verify that there is a CFH certification in place before installation and ensure the chosen product is suitable for the fall height of your equipment. By doing so, you’ll not only meet legal requirements but also ensure a safer play environment for children. If you have any questions about our critical fall height certifications our friendly team are always happy to help.
