IPEMA

IPEMA, or International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association, is a nonprofit trade association representing manufacturers of playground equipment and related products. It administers the IPEMA Certification program, an independent third-party certification that attests that playground equipment and surfacing meet recognized safety standards. The program is designed to provide a uniform measure of safety to buyers, including schools, parks departments, and municipalities, and to facilitate procurement of safe products.

Products are submitted to IPEMA for testing and certification through accredited laboratory partners. Tests cover structural integrity, impact attenuation of surfacing, and compliance with access and maintenance requirements, depending on the standard referenced. The most commonly used standards are ASTM F1487 (United States) for playground equipment and EN 1176/1177 (Europe) for equipment and impact-attenuating surfacing, with some regions recognizing additional standards. Certification is granted to specific product lines rather than to individual units. Once certified, manufacturers may affix the IPEMA mark to product literature and, in some markets, packaging and labeling.

IPEMA is governed by a board of directors elected from its member manufacturers. It maintains a public registry of certified products and works with ASTM International and European standardization bodies to align its program with current safety requirements. While certification indicates conformity to tested standards, it does not guarantee product performance under every condition and is not a regulatory body; users should consider site-specific factors and maintenance.