Playfield equipment includes all types of equipment used on fields of recreational play. Playground, football, soccer, and other related equipment are included in the playfield equipment category. The nets and posts needed for outdoor court sports, such as basketball, volleyball, and tennis are other components of the playfield equipment category, in addition to the goals and scoreboards for organized sports.

Uses

Playfield equipment is generally used in playgrounds and sports facilities. Different types of playfield equipment include swing sets, slides, jungle gyms, artificial turf, basketball backboards, football goal posts, soccer goals, baseball equipment, golf bag racks, and bike racks.

Playfield equipment also includes equipment for physical fitness, traditional and arch style baseball backstops, basketball uprights, backboards and goal rims, tennis, volleyball and badminton court posts and nets, portable field bleachers, flagpoles and site amenities, and coated tables and benches with aluminum, wood, or plastisol. Playfield equipment is used in football fields, baseball fields, soccer fields, golf courses, lacrosse fields, and in basketball courts.

Consumer Safety

Playfield equipment has changed over time; from the old monkey bars, to the new exotic play structures with large diameter piping, deck type platforms, and high tech polyethylene plastic components and slides. A notable change came about when the US Consumer Products Safety Commission was established. The organization has subsequently published two handbooks of guidelines for playfield equipment, to assist public agencies and manufacturing companies in eliminating playground accidents. In November 1993, the American Society for Testing and Materials published an American Standard F1487-93, which is now the standard consumer safety performance specification for public usage playfield equipment. Companies furnish playground and field equipment for public use with the sole intent of offering safe and sturdy equipment for users. It is recommended to review the existing playfield equipment and see if any of these new guidelines apply to the facilities. In sum, playfield equipment and structures help to encourage healthy outdoor activity. From a simple slide, swing set, or a multi-use play structure, all types of equipment are now available for playgrounds. Proper supervision should be enforces as well as setting up consistent maintenance programs to help control safety when using playfield equipment.