HIC - What does the abbreviation HIC mean?

Many attention is paid to the equipment itself on the playground. However, an important aspect of playground safety that should not be overlooked is the type of surface. Safe surfaces play a crucial role in limiting the risk of children's injuries. The proper placement of these surfaces under and around the equipment determines whether a fall can lead to serious head injuries. Preventing head injuries on playgrounds is a top priority, so it is important to always choose surfaces that meet safety standards for HIC, using high-quality products.
 

What does the abbreviation HIC mean?

HIC stands for Head Injury Criterion. The abbreviation comes from the English words: Head Injury Criterion. It refers to the assessment of possible head injuries that our children may sustain in case of a fall onto different surfaces. Such studies are mainly conducted for safe surfaces, such as rubber sheets that reduce the harm to our youngest treasures. The dedicated Polish standard PN-EN 1177 has strict requirements in terms of critical fall height for certification of growth 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 crucial role in reducing the risk of injuries, especially head injuries. In the following part of the article, we will explain what the Head Injury Criterion (HIC) is and how it affects the selection of shock-absorbing surfaces for falls.

The Head Injury Criterion (HIC) is a measure of the likelihood of sustaining a head injury due to impact with the surface when falling from a certain height. This essential parameter is used to evaluate the shock-absorbing properties of sports and recreational surfaces. The HIC coefficient allows 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

A wide range of surfaces available on the market includes wood chips, gravel, grass, bark, poured surfaces made of rubber granules, growth mats, and sand. The EN 1177 standard covers all surfaces designed to cushion falls from heights intended for playing on playgrounds.

According to the PN-EN 1177 standard, all playground surfaces must meet specific standards and be tested for HIC values. This standard specifies, among other things, the critical fall height, which is the maximum vertical height from which a child can fall without suffering a serious head injury. It is important to emphasize 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?

The Critical Fall Height (CFH) is the maximum distance measured vertically from the point at which a child may fall to the supporting 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 fall from the most vulnerable point (a specific play equipment) to the surface meant to cushion the fall. The CFH is a safety parameter considered during the design, construction, and equipping of playgrounds.

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

Why is the Critical Fall Height HIC so important?

Already at the playground design stage, it is important to pay special attention to selecting the right surface that significantly reduces the consequences of potential falls of children from considerable heights. This will ensure maximum safety levels and meet the necessary standards for playground surfaces.

An HIC index above 1000 is considered to indicate an increased risk of a critical head injury.
 

Benefits of using HIC-certified surfaces

Confirmed safety on the playground

A fall from a greater height poses a risk of serious injuries to children, including severe fractures, dislocations, loss of consciousness, and even death. HIC-certified surfaces are tested for shock absorption from specified 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 sheets or mats. This facilitates technical approval and eliminates the risk of penalties and costly corrections.

Adaptation to the type of equipment

A surface certified with HIC can be precisely tailored to the fall height resulting from the construction of a specific play equipment.
 

Which surface to choose for a playground?

Each ground level has a different level of shock absorption. Undoubtedly, rubber surfaces offer a high level of shock absorption, which is why they are widely chosen for recreational facilities.

Our playground mats meet the necessary standards to protect children from health consequences in case of impact. They are installed around and under the equipment. Certified safe playground surfaces feature appropriate shock absorption, durability, anti-slip properties. They are free from sharp edges and other elements that could endanger children during play.

Playground mats allow water to drain freely, providing additional grip that minimizes the risk of slipping. Traditional surfaces (wood chips, sand, grass) provide limited protection and require frequent maintenance. Rubber is naturally resistant to degradation from UV rays and high temperatures. Furthermore, shock-absorbing certified mats are resistant to heavy pedestrian traffic and dampen annoying noises.
 

On which rubber products will we find the HIC coefficient?

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

• growth and perforated mats 23mm thick
• green growth mats
• safe playground surfaces
• SBR plates
• SBR rubber playground plates with EPDM
• colorful playground mats

As seen, certified rubber products enhance the safety of our children. They allow for safe play and reduce the consequences of injuries. Feel free to check out our article: growth mats installation and mounting instructions, which will help you with proper installation.

Isn't it true that it's worth purchasing certified safe surfaces?
 

Safe playground surfaces for children are available at Power Rubber store

Rubber surfaces with HIC certification are an investment in safety and compliance with current standards and regulations. 

We invite you to purchase Certified SBR and EPDM Plates for playgrounds in many color variants! These plates are combined to create a stable and non-slip surface.

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