What is BS EN 17435 about?
BS EN 17435 on surfaces for sports areas specifies test methods for measuring the impact attenuation of sports surfaces. Three different methods are specified.
- In Procedure A, a series of tests are undertaken from differing drop heights and the HIC values are plotted, and the Critical Fall Height is determined
- In Procedure B, a single test is undertaken from differing drop heights and the HIC values are plotted, and the Critical Fall Height is determined
- In Procedure C a series of tests are made at a fixed drop height and the maximum value of HIC is calculated
The test method given in BS EN 17435 is primarily intended for use on both natural and synthetic turf sports surfaces. It may be carried out in a laboratory on test specimens or in situ on installed sports surfaces.
Note: This test method may not be suitable for sports surfaces covered by EN 14904.
Who is BS EN 17435 for?
BS EN 17435 on HIC and CFH is useful for:
- Manufactures of sports equipment
- Sports facility management
- Government authorities
- Sports federations
- Sporting commission officials
Why should you use BS EN 17435?
Sports injuries occur for a variety of reasons; in many contact sports, they are a result of athlete-on-athlete collisions. Injuries also occur when athletes fall onto the surface on which they are playing. Of these, the most severe are likely to be injuries to the head, which can be life-changing or even life-threatening.
BS EN 17435 provides a test method that has been developed to measure the ability of sports surfacing materials to reduce the likelihood of severe head injuries occurring. It is intended that this test method will be specified in standards for sports surfaces used for activities where head impacts with the surface are likely.
BS EN 17435 helps you to identify if the surface of the sports areas is up to the minimum safety requirements to avoid critical head injury to athletes. With the help of BS EN 17435, you can calculate the HIC and CFH, to understand the severity of the head injury that might befall the athletes.
The insights provided by BS EN 17435 will help you maintain the necessary safety parameter for sports surfaces (both natural and synthetic turf).