If you run a childcare centre, you've probably heard "AS 4422" mentioned by an assessor, an insurer or a playground inspector, usually right when something needs fixing. This guide explains what it means, what it requires, and how to check your outdoor space without needing to be an engineer.
What is AS 4422?
AS 4422 is the Australian Standard for playground surfacing. It sets out how impact-absorbing surfaces should be specified, tested and installed, so that if a child falls from equipment, the surface reduces the risk of serious injury, particularly to the head.
It sits alongside AS 4685, the standard for the playground equipment itself. In simple terms: AS 4685 covers how the equipment is built and spaced, and AS 4422 covers what it lands on.
Does my centre have to comply?
Centres are assessed under the National Quality Framework, not directly against the standards. But ACECQA's guidance says any impact-absorbing surface under or around equipment for children's use should comply with the relevant Australian/New Zealand playground surfacing standards. In practice, AS 4422 is the benchmark authorised officers, inspectors and insurers expect you to be meeting.
THE KEY IDEA: critical fall height
Every piece of climbing equipment has a free height of fall: the greatest height from which a child could fall. Every surfacing product has a critical fall height (CFH): the maximum fall height it has been tested to protect against.
The rule is simple to state: under any equipment with a free height of fall, the surface must be tested to AS 4422 with a CFH that meets or exceeds that height. A general rule of thumb is that surfacing is required where the fall height exceeds 600mm. Check your equipment's specific requirements, as the detail depends on the equipment type and age group.
Example: a climbing frame with a 1.5m free height of fall needs surfacing certified to a CFH of at least 1.5m. A surface certified to 1.0m is not compliant for that equipment, however good it looks.
What are my surfacing options?
There's no single "best" surface. Here's how the main options compare for a childcare setting.
Unitary surfaces (wet-pour rubber and rubber tiles). These are one continuous surface or interlocking system. They're low maintenance, work for prams and wheelchairs, and don't shift or need topping up. They cost more upfront.
Loose-fill (softfall mulch, sand). Lower cost upfront, but the material needs regular raking and topping up to keep the depth the certificate relies on. Compliance can quietly drift out of spec as material displaces.
Synthetic turf systems. Artificial grass on its own doesn't provide the impact attenuation needed under climbing equipment. It's fine as a general play surface and for low-height areas, but under taller equipment you need a tested system (grass plus a specified underlay or base) with a certificate showing its CFH. Always ask for the test results for the complete system, not just the turf.
What assessors and inspectors look for
- Certification: documentation showing the surface is tested to AS 4422 and its CFH rating.
- Coverage: the surface extends across the whole impact zone around each item, not just directly underneath.
- Depth and condition: loose-fill at the right depth, and unitary surfaces free of tears, gaps, compaction or degradation.
- Trip hazards: edges, joins and transitions between different surfaces.
- Heat: summer is when surface temperature becomes a real issue. One Queensland services policy advises that a surface which feels too hot, or is 50°C or more, is too hot for play.
- Records: inspection and maintenance logs showing you're managing the space over time.
A quick self-check for your centre
- List each piece of equipment and its free height of fall.
- Find the surfacing certificate for the area beneath it. Is the CFH equal to or greater than the fall height?
- Check the surface covers the full impact zone.
- Look for wear: compaction, tears, bare patches, displaced material.
- Check for tripping points where surfaces meet.
- Test surface temperature on a hot day.
- Keep everything (certificates, photos, inspection records) in one file.
If you can't answer any of these, that's your starting point.
PLANNING AN UPGRADE? Bring your architect in early
Most surfacing problems start at design stage. When you brief an architect or landscaper, ask them to specify surfacing by its AS 4422 test certificate and CFH, not just by product type, so you end up with a compliant surface rather than one that only looks right on the plan.
Aloro Group has supplied rubber softfall and synthetic turf to Australian projects for over 20 years. Our playground surfacing system combines Bounce TPV, Shock Pad Interlocking Tile 20mm, A910 Binder and Base Rubber into a single build-up designed for safe, durable and AS 4422-compliant play surfaces.
Have questions about a specific product or your compliance requirements? Contact one of our specialists on 1300 052 398 or at sales@aloro.com.au, and we'll get you the information you need. If you're working with an architect or landscaper, we're happy to speak with them directly.
