Types of fall protection: characteristics, advantages and our recommendation

In public and semi-public areas, such as playgrounds, schools or parks, the fall areas around play equipment and sports facilities must be designed in such a way that the risk of injury is minimised. There are basically three types of fall protection floors that meet these requirements: loose material, fall protection panels and cast EPDM flooring. The different materials are described below and their respective advantages and disadvantages are analysed.

bulk material

Bulk material refers to loose filling material with certain grain sizes, such as bark mulch, wood chips, sand or gravel. These materials are often used as fall protection on playgrounds.

Advantages of bulk goods

• Natural look: Bulk material blends particularly well into a natural environment and creates a natural, inviting atmosphere.
• Affordable initial purchase: The acquisition costs for bulk material are comparatively low, which makes it attractive for budget-conscious projects.
• Easy customization: Bulk material can be adapted relatively easily to different surface shapes and sizes, even with irregular geometries.

Disadvantages of bulk goods

• Difficult cleaning: Dirt, leaves, rubbish and animal droppings are difficult to remove, which requires regular maintenance.
• Regular refill required: Bulk material must be checked and refilled every year as it compacts over time or is carried out of the fall areas by wind and use. This leads to additional follow-up costs.
• Insufficient fall protection quality: The material can easily become thinned due to weather conditions or intensive use, reducing the fall protection height. This can compromise safety.
• Biological decomposition: Materials such as bark mulch or wood chips rot over time and must be completely replaced, which also leads to regular follow-up costs.

fall protection plates

Fall protection tiles are made from rubber granulate, which is made from recycled car tires. These tiles are laid in a composite structure, creating a solid, interlocking surface that provides safety and is easy to maintain.

Advantages of fall protection panels

• Sustainability: The fall protection panels are environmentally friendly because they are made from recycled materials. This promotes the circular economy.
• Simple construction without edge edging: Thanks to the special interlocking, no separate edge edging is required, as the surface together with the edge panels forms a closed unit.
• Easy to clean: Cleaning is straightforward and can be done with a broom or a water hose.
• Good drainage: The panels contain an integrated drainage system, which enables very good water permeability and thus rapid drying of the surface.
• Secure stand: The non-slip surface offers a secure footing during gymnastics and sports, for example at calisthenics stations.
• No follow-up costs: Unlike bulk material, there is no need to refill or replace the material regularly.
• easy to repair: If damaged, individual panels can be easily replaced, allowing for cost-effective and quick repairs.

Disadvantages of fall protection slabs

• Higher initial costs: The acquisition costs for fall protection slabs are higher than for bulk material, which requires a higher investment.
• Difficulty with irregular surfaces: Designing surfaces with curves or irregular shapes is more difficult with fall protection tiles and requires more effort, which can increase installation costs.

Cast EPDM

EPDM (ethylene propylene diene rubber) is a rubber-elastic, water-permeable surface that is poured on site. The system consists of SBR and EPDM granules that are mixed with a polyurethane binder. This surface is mainly used on high-traffic playgrounds, sports facilities and calisthenics facilities.

Advantages of cast EPDM

• Varied design options: EPDM can take on almost any shape, which makes it ideal for surfaces with complex geometries (e.g. curves or height differences).
• Free color selection: The color design is very flexible, so that colorful and child-friendly patterns or designs can be easily realized, which increases the attractiveness of the playgrounds.
• Easy to clean: As with the fall protection panels, cleaning with a broom or water hose is easy, which makes maintenance easier.
• Seamless surface: Since EPDM is cast on site, it creates a seamless surface without joints, which is a visually appealing and safe solution.

Disadvantages of cast EPDM

• High acquisition costs: EPDM flooring involves very high investment costs, making it the most expensive of the three options.
• Complex repairs: If damage occurs (e.g. due to vandalism), repairs are costly. In addition, there may be color differences between the repaired and the original surface, which can impair the optical quality.

Comparison & Advantages and Disadvantages

Conclusion

Choosing the right impact protection material depends on a number of factors, including available budget, type of use and maintenance requirements. Loose material is a cost-effective solution for natural environments, but requires regular maintenance. Impact protection tiles offer a sustainable and low-maintenance option, but are more expensive to purchase. EPDM is particularly suitable for complex surfaces and creative designs, but is the most expensive and can be difficult to repair if damaged.