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Certified playground mulch, more properly called Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF), is a manufactured wood product of differing particle sizes that has been tested and certified by IPEMA (The International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association) www.ipema.org for use as playground surfacing. IPEMA is the only independent national certification program for safety in playground surfacing in the US and Canada.
Key Takeaways
- Certified playground mulch is officially called Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF), a manufactured wood product tested and certified by IPEMA for playground use.
- IPEMA is the only independent national certification program for playground surfacing safety in the U.S. and Canada.
- Fibar EWF meets or exceeds all relevant ASTM standards, including impact attenuation, shock absorption, particle size, accessibility, and flammability.
- You can confirm IPEMA certification by looking for the IPEMA logos on a product's website or promotional materials.
- Fibar EWF has passed both the flammability test and the accessibility test for mobility devices, including wheelchairs.
What does it mean to be IPEMA certified?
Being IPEMA certified means that IPEMA has used a third-party testing organization to test for compliance with specific standards that have been set by ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) www.astm.org to ensure a safe and compliant playground surface. When choosing playground surfacing, it is important that you choose material that has been tested and meets these standards. At Fibar, we believe in safety first. Fibar®, Engineered Wood Fiber, has been tested and meets or exceeds the standards! Let us look at these standards and what each one means.
ASTM F1292 – Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surfacing Materials within the Use Zone of a Playground. In simpler terms, it tests the safety of the playground surfacing in the event of a fall.
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ASTM F3351 – Determination of shock absorption properties of a playground surface at a specific impact height. This determines the height at which the playground safety surface could absorb the impact of a fall.
ASTM F2075 – Certification of Conformance for Engineered Wood Fiber for Use as a Playground Safety Surface Under and Around Playground Equipment. This test determines that the particle sizes are correct and rules out the presence of Tramp and Hazardous Metals.
How do I know if my playground mulch (EWF) is IPEMA certified?
Only those products that have been tested by IPEMA’s third party testing organization have permission to use the logos shown above. The use of the logos on the Fibar website www.fibar.com or promotional materials guarantees that our products have been tested by IPEMA’s third party testing agency and they meet or exceed these standards.
What other standards apply to material used as playground mulch (EWF)?
In addition to the testing mentioned above, it is also important that playground mulch (EWF) meets the following ASTM standards.
ASTM F1951 – Standard Specification for Determination of Accessibility of Surface Systems Under and Around Playground Equipment. This test determines if the playground surface is firm enough for wheelchair use.
ASTM D2859 – Standard Test Method to Determine Flammability. This test measures the spread of flames on a surface when the surface is exposed to an ignition source.
We can report that tests prove that Fibar Engineered Wood Fiber has passed the flammability test and is also considered an accessible material for mobility devices.
The next time you are shopping for playground mulch (EWF) look for the IPEMA logos so you can be assured that your surfacing will meet all the necessary safety requirements.
At Fibar, we take the guesswork out of choosing our Engineered Wood Fiber as a Certified Safety Surface!
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