- Home
- About Unity
- Products
- Technical / Testing
- Technical Info
- Life Cycle
- Install Guide
- Repair & Main
- USGBC - LEED
- NYC Rooftops
- Skin Evaluation
- Approvals, Certifications & Memberships
- Athletic & Recreational Surfaces Specification 02790
- Roofing Pavers - Ballast Tiles/Mats/Blocks Specification 07761
- Testing Results
- Fall Safety Height
- Skid Resistance
- Fire Retardant
- Weather (aging)
- ADA
- Thermal Conductivity
- Wind Uplift
- Glue
- Fabric / Mesh
- Anchor Bolts
- Paints
- Sealers
- Skin Evaluation
- Projects
- Before & After
- Before, During & After
- References
- Contact US
- Rep Login
In The NEWS!
Are Playgrounds Safe?
More parents seem to be letting their kids play in the street. According to the Canada Safety Council, this is a bad practice. It's preferable to use the local playground - provided the playground is safe.
"It is clearly unsafe to turn the street into a play area," says Canada Safety Council president Emile Therien. "Children should never be encouraged to play where there could be traffic."
Why not install barriers and speed humps to make streets a safe place for children to play, as some advocate? "The money would be far better spent on good public playspaces, states Therien. It's irresponsible to make children think playing in the street is okay."
However, many parents fear for their child's safety on the apparatus. Playground falls are a major cause of hospitalizations among children. Every year about 28,000 children go to hospital with injuries related to recreational equipment, according to the Canadian Paediatric Society. Many of those injuries are fractures that need to be sent to the operating room. Children have even been strangled to death when a drawstring caught on equipment.
In 1998, the Canadian Standards Association introduced a new edition of its standard for public playspaces and equipment. Designed to provide requirements to help improve the safety of playgrounds, the standard, CAN/CSA-Z614-M98 Children's Playspaces & Equipment, is intended to promote and encourage well-designed, well-maintained, innovative and challenging playspaces.
More and more agencies are implementing the CSA standard, says Therien. He believes that widespread application will reduce playground injuries. The Canada Safety Council is urging all agencies that operate playgrounds to implement the standard, which is voluntary.
CSA does not test or certify playground equipment, so parents won't find the familiar CSA Mark on equipment at daycares, parks or schools. Here's what you should look for if you're concerned about your local playground.
- To reduce incidents of head entrapment and prevent serious head and neck injuries, gaps in play space equipment should be less than 90 mm (3.6 inches), or greater than 225 mm (9 inches).
- Protective barriers and guardrail heights keep children from inadvertently falling off platforms and elevated play surfaces. For children 18 months to 5 years the barrier should be at least 725 mm (29 inches). For children 5 to 12, the top height should be at least 950 mm (38 inches).
- The distance between the top of a guard rail or play surface and the protective surfacing beneath it is called a fall height. As a fall height increases, so does the amount of protective surfacing required beneath it.
- There should be a protective surface around any piece of equipment from which a child could fall. Surfaces should absorb impact and cushion a fall. The surfacing should be composed of materials such as wood chips, sand, engineered wood fibres, and fine and medium gravel.
- Look for any features that could entangle drawstrings or other clothing on play equipment where there is uncontrolled motion, like sliding and jumping. These should be eliminated.
- The playground owner or operator should have a comprehensive maintenance program and inspect the equipment frequently for any potential hazards.
"Unity"Creations, LTD" is proud to announce the introduction of our newest 2 ¼" (inch) "Play-Land" series. This product features the new ASTM 1292-04 drop test for a seven (7') foot fall rating. This fall rating is superior for this thickness of tile/mat/block and is only available at "Unity." Additional, for use with larger sized playground equipment, etc., Unity's 3 ½" (inch) thick "Soft-Land" series passes a drop test from twelve (12') feet. We are able to get such great results and produce the most consistent products on the market today from owning and operating our own recycling center. We maintain the quality control of our products though our sister company that recycles tires and rubber into finished, useable products. We no longer out source our raw materials as most other manufacturers do. We ourselves control size, texture and quality in our factories, which allows us to get such great testing results. As always, we would like to thank our customers, clients, employees and everyone that has made this company a success throughout the years.
Unity Creations, LTD of Saugerties , NY , will benefit from a $500,000 award to the Ulster County Development Corporation to help the company purchase equipment needed to produce crumb rubber for making rubber safety tiles. Unity already manufactures the recycled rubber tiles, but has been purchasing tire crumb from outside sources. Success of this project will result in 96,000 passenger and truck tires being recycled into 961 tons of crumb rubber. Unity will use 80% of the yield to make 38,400 safety tiles, and sell the remaining 20% on the open market. In addition, each year $240,000 will be saved on tire disposal fees, and Unity will save $200,000 on crumb rubber purchases. Twenty-six jobs will be created. http://www.nerc.org/bulletin/20040701.html
What's New on the Floor? The View from The CSI Show™ 2005
Technical Education
Sustainable building technologies led the CSI Show's roster of technical educations sessions, with 10 sessions on applications of the US Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification programs, seminars on energy management strategies, construction waste reduction, and green building product presentations. New LEED rating systems for existing buildings (LEED-EB) and commercial interiors (LEED-CI) were introduced.
With the presence of the Total Facilities Management show, building security and safety was also a popular topic, with sessions included those on security glazing, building surveillance, and access control. Design and construction technology education sessions focused on the building envelope, reflecting a trend of increasing awareness of envelope problems and new technologies and products to address those problems. Fenestration design, dew point analysis, air barrier systems, building envelope commissioning, structural waterproofing, and moisture failures were all explored in detailed presentations.
On the Expo Floor
Product manufacturers and attendees were both pleased with the turnout and interaction on the expo floor this year at the CSI Show. Design professionals were equally optimistic about their workloads, and many of the specifiers we spoke to were already working long hours to keep up with the demand for their in-house or consulting services. The CSI Show is a uniquely focused product expo for the manufacturers, with fewer attendees than other industry shows, but offering the opportunity to talk to specifier decision makers whose average work year often involves dozens of projects totaling hundreds of millions of dollars of dollars of in-place construction.
Reflecting the emphasis of the education programs, expo booth product presentations placed an emphasis on green building products, energy-related products, and building envelope products. Grace Construction Products are introducing a new air barrier product. PPG Industries has expanded their array of solar control low-e glazing products.
Several small companies brought their innovative green building products to the expo for the first time. St. Louis Metalworks Co. showed Green Roof Blocks, modular anodized aluminum planting medium trays equipped with setting pads matching the roof membrane. Green Roof Blocks offer a simplified method of managing plant growth on roofs in conjunction with conventional roof membrane systems. Products such as this may help owners achieve LEED credits related to urban heat islands, reducing impervious surfaces, and reducing design energy costs. www.greenroofblocks.com. (see photo)
Unity Surfacing Systems presented rubberized safety surfacing for flooring, pavers, and playground safety surfaces made from 100 percent recycled tires and rubber. A key component of their product is a patented tongue and groove technology that helps prevent shifting and wind uplift. This use of recycled material may also be a practical addition to upcoming LEED projects. www.surfacingsystems.com. (see photo)
News & Events
Unity Creations Ltd. Receives Financial Support Through A New York State Empire State Development Corporation Environmental Services Unit Grant
March 24, 2004
Kingston , New York /Hudson Valley Region - The Ulster County Development Corporation (UCDC) today announced it has received a $500,000 grant from the New York Empire State Development Corporation Environmental Investment Program.
The grant will be used to assist Town of Saugerties based Unity Creations, Ltd. in the purchase and installation of equipment necessary to initiate a tire recycling program and production of crumb rubber which then will be formed into 100% recycled rubber cushioned safety tiles.
Unity Creations' goal is to recycle 3,750 tons per year of passenger and truck tires, which would otherwise end up on a landfill, and produce 1,536 tons of crumb rubber. This crumb rubber will be used to produce 61,440 rubber safety tiles.
The total project investment is $1,131,215 and will increase Unity Creations' number of full time employees from 7 to 36.
"UCDC is pleased to recognize such a worthwhile environmentally conscious company as Unity Creations and its owner George Prinz should be commended for his vision and commitment to safety through the production of recycled rubber tiles. His efforts are making our environment both healthier and safer," stated Chester J. Straub, Jr., UCDC President. Straub added, "George Prinz represents the true entrepreneurial spirit which continues to add strength and appeal to our community. His commitment to sustainable development will provide Ulster County and the industries he serves a better future."
"Our aim is to be the leader in the 100% recycled safety surfacing, flooring and paver industry,"
stated George Prinz, the owner of Unity Creations Ltd. He added, "our patented products serve applications worldwide such as playgrounds, daycare centers, fitness and recreational centers, parks, marinas, and a range of residential and commercial uses."
The Environmental Investment Program provides funding for capital investments, research, development and demonstration, and technical assistance projects that produce measurable results in pollution prevention, reuse, and recycling. Additional information may be obtained at www.nylovesbiz.com.
UCDC is a private, non-profit organization that acts as a catalyst for creating wealth, improving the quality of life and fostering economic opportunity for Ulster County and its citizens. Every year UCDC helps hundreds of companies with start-up, relocation, or expansion by providing access to a range of services from site selection, financing incentives and benefits, revolving loan fund programs, workforce programs, and business support resources.
Additional information on how UCDC programs are working with Ulster Countyâ€Ts communities and businesses can be accessed via the world wide web at www.ulsterny.com. UCDC may also be contacted at 845-338-8840 or develop@ulsterny.com. e
www.ulsterny.com
www.nylovesbiz.com.