March 15, 2012 marks an important day for playground design... new accessibility standards will come into effect.
In addition to general requirements for site design, this is the first time that specific requirements for play area design have been included within ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) guidelines, so it is important to be familiar with them if you are involved with play area design.
These are two sections specific to play design:
Chapter 2 - Section 40 relates to general scoping and technical requirements. Section 40 is specific to play areas. If you click on the link, it won't take you directly to this section. You will need to scroll down or click on the appropriate index links that come up.
Chapter 10 - Section 1008 relates to the specific requirements for accessible routes, transfer elements, etc...
If you are responsible for play design (i.e. a landscape architect who is stamping drawings), it is your responsibility to be familiar with these requirements to ensure that your play spaces meet code requirements.
