http://www.dailywebtv.com/Halton/video/11677/Playgrounds-and-Daycares - Every year in Canada, about 2,500 children are hospitalized due to injuries suffered on playgrounds, according to statistics from Safe Kids Canada. Not all playgrounds meet Canadian Standards Association (CSA) guidelines for cushioning impact, guidelines that have been put in place to decrease the incidents of injuries. A natural grass surface under playground equipment does not provide a soft landing place but an artificial grass surface can exceed recommended “force of impact standards”, according to Robert Hodichak of AGL Artificial Grass and Landscaping. The company’s sales manager says that playground surfaces installed by AGL exceed CSA requirements for falls and head injury criteria. The surface must provide a certain degree of cushioning based on a fall from a height of 12 feet. To facilitate a soft landing the artificial grass is laid over a rubber infill and a foam pad can also be added for increased fall height protection. The 100% polyethylene blades not only create the inviting environment of a green grassy plain, they are soft to the touch and repel stains. Unlike wood chips and pea gravel, the artificial grass stays in place and doesn’t need to be replenished in high use areas like under the swings.