However, children are natural risk takers, some more than others. Adult supervision is essential because only the parents or caregivers can determine the abilities of each child.   Although some 3-4 years olds can climb better than 5-6 year olds, they may not have the upper body strength for overhead events. Each play event has to considered separately.

Putting Children First Since 1971

At Henderson, we don’t compromise on safety. With over forty-nine years’ experience and third-party testing, you can be sure that Henderson is serious about the safety of the children who use our playgrounds every day.

Safety standards and committees

Our products are designed to meet or exceed the current CAN/CSA Z614, ASTM F1487, and CPSC standards. Henderson is an active participant on both the CAN/CSA Z614 and ASTM F1487 standards. We also participate in the third-party product certification program through IPEMA. For more information, please see the Standards & Guidelines.

Safety by design

Because the safest playground is the one that is designed specifically for the user’s skill level and stage of development, our designers are expertly trained to design challenging, age-appropriate equipment for the target user group. We offer plenty of component selection for the 1.5 to 5 and 5 to 12 age groups.

Product testing above and beyond

We go beyond the minimum industry standards. At Henderson, we perform our own specialized product testing to ensure all of our products meet our strict standards for quality and safety, including extensive cycle testing on our rotating equipment.

Multiple on-staff playground inspectors 

All of our designers and playground sales consultants and installers receive extensive training in the latest safety standards. If they are unable to answer all of your questions, we have a few certified playground inspectors on staff at all times.

Safer PVC-Free Coatings

Decks are PVC-coated (Poly-Vinyl Chloride) 12 gauge metal. All parts are cleaned with a state-of-the-art 6-stage wash system that utilizes environmentally safe chemicals and Nanotechnology to provide excellent corrosion resistance and paint adhesion when compared to traditional iron phosphate pretreatment systems.  Once parts have passed through a dry-off oven, a proprietary heat-activated primer is applied for superior adhesion to the metal substrate.  Once the primer has dried, each part is preheated to a temperature no less than 350° F and submerged into liquid PVC.  Play surfaces and wear surface on-site amenities shall have a coating thickness of .085-.150 in. IMPORTANT NOTE: PVC shall comply with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement act of 2008 by having a concentration that does not exceed 0.1% of the following phthalates; DINP, DIDP, DNOP, DEHP, or BBP.  This formulation is also free of heavy metals such as Lead and Cadmium.

Anti-skid surfaces

Anti-skid HDPE is used throughout our product line wherever we feel extra traction can enhance safety, including PlayTots’ early childhood playgrounds, Orbis products, and spinning events. The embossed surface has high-grip protrusions that hold the tread of the shoe. And because water does not sit on the surface, our anti-skid HDPE is especially effective following rainfall or in the morning dew.