HIC - What does the abbreviation HIC mean?

Much attention is paid to the equipment itself on the playground. However, an important aspect of playground safety, which is the type of surface, should not be overlooked. Safety surfaces play a key role in reducing the risk of injuries to children. Their proper placement under and in the area around the equipment determines whether a fall can lead to serious head injuries. Preventing head injuries on playgrounds is a priority, so you should always choose surfaces that meet HIC safety standards, using the highest quality products.
 

What does the acronym HIC mean?

HIC is the Head Injury Criterion. The acronym comes from the English words: Head Injury Criterion. It refers to the assessment of possible head injury that our children may sustain when falling on a particular surface. This type of testing is mainly conducted for safety surfaces, i.e., rubber tiles that reduce injuries to our youngest treasures. The dedicated Polish standard PN-EN 1177 has strict requirements regarding critical fall for certification for grass mats.
 

What is the Head Injury Criterion (HIC)?

A safe surface is the most important aspect when designing and using recreational spaces for children. It plays a key role in reducing the risk of injuries, especially head injuries. In the further part of the article, we will try to explain what the Head Injury Criterion HIC is and how it affects the choice of fall-absorbing surface types.

The Head Injury Criterion HIC is a measure of the probability of a head injury occurring as a result of a head impact with the ground during a fall from a specified height. It is an essential parameter used to assess the shock-absorbing properties of sports and recreational surfaces. The HIC coefficient allows for estimating the probability of a head injury. The HIC value should be as low as possible.
 

Safe playground surface compliant with the PN-EN 1177 standard

The wide range of surfaces available on the market includes, among others: wood chips, gravel, grass, bark, poured surfaces made of rubber granules, grass mats, and sand. The EN 1177 standard applies to all fall-absorbing surfaces from heights intended for play on playgrounds.

According to the PN-EN 1177 standard, all playground surfaces must meet specific standards and be tested for HIC value. This standard specifies, among other things, the critical fall height, which is the maximum vertical height from which a child can fall without a more serious head injury. It is worth emphasizing here that the most serious head injuries can lead to loss of consciousness, permanent brain damage, and even loss of life.
 

What is the Critical Fall Height (CFH)?

Critical Fall Height (CFH) (from Polish WSU) is the maximum vertical distance measured from the point from which a child can fall to the body support surface. The CFH value is expressed in centimeters (cm).

The Critical Fall Height (CFH) is a key parameter that determines the maximum distance a child can travel in the event of a fall from the most exposed point (of a given playground equipment) to the surface, which is intended to cushion this fall. CFH is a safety parameter that is taken into account during the design, construction, and equipping of playgrounds.

The HIC value should not exceed 1000 units when tested for the Critical Fall Height (CFH) for the surface to be considered safe. 

Critical Fall Height HIC - why is it so important?

Already at the design stage of a playground, it is worth paying special attention to a properly selected surface that will significantly reduce the consequences of any falls of children resulting from hitting their head on the ground from a considerable height. This will ensure the maximum level of safety and meet the necessary standards for playground surfaces.

It is assumed that an HIC index above 1000 means an increased risk of a critical head injury.
 

Benefits of using HIC-certified surfaces

Confirmed playground safety

A fall from a greater height creates a risk of serious injuries in children, including serious fractures, dislocations, loss of consciousness, and even death. HIC-certified surfaces are tested for fall absorption from specific heights. The HIC of a surface is simply the maximum fall height that will not cause serious consequences.
 

Compliance with safety standards

Playgrounds should be covered with special, certified rubber tiles or mats. This facilitates obtaining technical acceptance and eliminates the risk of fines and costly corrections.

Adaptation to the type of equipment

A given surface with an HIC certificate can be precisely matched to the fall height resulting from the design of a given piece of playground equipment.
 

What surface to choose for a playground?

Each type of ground surface is characterized by a different level of cushioning. Undoubtedly, rubber surfaces offer a high level of cushioning, which is why they are so eagerly chosen for recreational facilities.

Our playground mats meet the necessary standards to protect children from the health consequences of an impact. They are installed around and under the equipment. Certified safe playground surfaces are characterized by proper cushioning, durability, and anti-slip properties. They are free of sharp edges and other elements that could threaten the safety of children during play.

Playground mats allow water to drain freely, providing additional grip that minimizes the risk of slipping. Traditional surfaces (mulch, sand, grass) provide limited protection and require frequent maintenance. Rubber is naturally resistant to degradation from UV radiation and high temperatures. What's more, mats with certified shock absorption are resistant to heavy foot traffic and dampen annoying noises.
 

On which rubber products can we find the HIC coefficient?

If you are wondering on which products made from rubber compounds you will find HIC certification, it will be present on the following products:

• grass mats and hollow mats 23mm thick
• green grass mats
• safety surfaces
• SBR tiles
• SBR rubber tiles for playgrounds with EPDM
• colorful playground mats

As you can see, certified rubber products help increase the safety of our children. They allow them to play safely and reduce the effects of injuries. We invite you to read our article: grass mats installation and assembly instructions, which will help with proper installation.

Isn't it worth buying certified safe surfaces?
 

Safe surfaces for children's playgrounds can be bought at the Power Rubber store

Rubber surfaces with an HIC certificate are an investment in safety and compliance with applicable standards and regulations. 

We invite you to purchase Certified SBR and EPDM Tiles for playgrounds in many color variants! These tiles connect to each other, creating a stable and non-slip surface.

If you have any questions, please contact us by phone: +48 22 292 40 24 or +48 50 51 603 03, or at the given email address (power|powerrubber.com| rel="nofollow"|Power|PowerRubber.com) or through our contact form