• Playground safety is important.Zave Smith/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
  
  Falls from playground equipment are a significant cause of childhood injury. In fact, according to the American College of Surgeons, head injuries resulting from falls are the third leading cause of childhood death. For this reason, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has published industry standard ASTM F1292 which addresses wood chip specifications for children's playgrounds. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission endorses that standard.
  
  

Material

• According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), wood filler used for children's playgrounds can be made from engineered wood fibers or wood chips or mulch that has not been chemically treated. Engineered wood fiber is wood made from plywood, sawdust and other wood byproducts.
  
  

Size Specifications

• Wood filler should be of varied sizes, but none should exceed 2 inches in size. The CPSC recommends that filler under playground equipment should be at least 9 inches deep to provide the highest level of protection against potential head trauma due to a fall.
  
  

Protection

• No amount of filler can ensure that no injuries will result from a fall. However, industry standards are designed to protect children from severe head injuries.