Call to Action! A regulatory and governing body should be created to ensure standardizations are established and followed for the #playground industry. There are too many unsafe playgrounds that pose serious liability issues to kids throughout our country.
Define the Scope of Work: There are significant issues regarding the procurement of #playground #surfacing throughout the nation. #Buildingsandgrounds #Managers or #Directors of #Facilities are responsible for ensuring #contractors and #vendors alike are supplying or installing #certified #engineeredwoodfiber (#certified #woodchips) on #playground surfaces. Unfortunately, the marketplace is flooded with non-certified #products creating serious potential for #liability and #injury. Additionally, the downstream affect of using non-certified product creates an unfair bid environment for contractors when #work is solicited. When there is a lack of oversight from decision makers, contractors and vendors have a tendency to supply bids that are not equal in comparison. The inability to standardize a bid process creates disadvantages for vendors who are "doing the right thing" compared to those that are simply looking to "acquire work" through any means necessary. The article below outlines the difference between certified playground #material compared to non-certified playground material. Naturally, certified material requires more testing and oversight to meet #regulatory standards, resulting in higher price point to secure #product. Contrarily, inferior product is substantially discounted and has a cheaper barrier to market. The result: contractors are able to charge less for services when using non-compliant material. Regardless of whether procurement managers are responsible for purchasing #certified #woodchips, #salt, #fertilizer or additional #costofgoods in the #landscape #industry, there needs to be a defined scope of work that establishes standards thus creating a fair #bidding environment for all contractors participating. #schooldistricts #municipalities #daycare #childcare #safety #insurance #liability #blowertrucks #mulchblowing #mulch #regulations Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) Ipema U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Wisconsin School Safety Coordinators Association