How thick should playground safety mats and playground safety tiles be?

The thickness of playground safety mats and playground safety tiles must be selected according to their tested critical fall height, which must at least match the free fall height of the playground equipment. The greater the potential fall height, the thicker the mats or tiles need to be.

Thickness alone does not indicate the fall height a product can accommodate. Construction, density and elasticity also affect shock absorption.

As a broad guide for free fall height, the following thicknesses apply: - Up to 100 cm: 3 cm - Up to 150 cm: 5 cm - Up to 200 cm: 7 cm - Up to 300 cm: 10 cm

For shock absorption, the decisive value is always the critical fall height stated for the relevant product in its BS EN 1177 test report.