Selective surfacing makes for effective spending!

With growth in awareness of health and safety regulations and the threat of legal action for non-compliance, local authorities and businesses are increasingly looking at ways to upgrade the safety of their concrete-surfaced play areas.  When an accident occurs, evidence is usually sought that those responsible have taken reasonable care to ensure safety, and to limit the chance and severity of accidents.  Because the majority of significant playground injuries are caused by falls from play equipment to the ground, one of the key provisions in this area is impact-absorbing safety surfacing (IAS).

To make a concrete-surfaced playground safer, however, can be expensive, disruptive and time-consuming, as it traditionally involves digging up and replacing the whole surface with IAS.  Matta Products (UK) now offers a simple and cost-effective solution, that makes use of the fact that some playground areas have a stronger need for IAS – under swings and slides for example.

The unique design of the company’s ‘Play Mattas’ product allows customers to be selective about which playground areas to upgrade with safety surfacing, laying as much or as little as required in the areas that are most in need of a critical fall height surface.  With no need to re-surface the entire playground, it’s an excellent way to ensure safety where it really counts, while spending budget sensibly.

Tested and conforming to BS EN1177, Play Mattas recycled rubber tiles are designed to be installed over any hard surface including tarmac, concrete and paving whilst providing a critical fall height of up to 2.8m.   

Because Play Matta tiles are installed on top of the existing playground surface, there is no need to dig the surface out and this keeps groundwork to a minimum.  It also has the combined advantage of ensuring speedy completion and allowing installation to take place in all weathers – a real boon in the British Isles!

Play Matta tiles are also ideal for revitalising sites with damaged safety surfaces; for example the wetpour and rubber tile surfaces that commonly suffer from damage through heavy wear or vandalism. Available in a choice of vibrant and attractive colours, Play Mattas restore the appearance of the site, but more importantly ensure that the appropriate critical fall height is maintained around the equipment.

For more information relating to Matta Products visit www.matta-products.com

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