November 10^th, 2004 - Welch Products announces the Iowa Playground Surfacing Program (IPSP); a partnership between the National Safe Surfacing Initiative (NSSI), the sales and marketing arm of Welch Products, and the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB).  

 

In response to demand from schools in need of safer playground surfacing, the Iowa Playground Surfacing Program provides schools with on-site playground surfacing assessments, Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) compatible surfacing designs, training and financing.  Five-year interest free financing was arranged by the Iowa Association of School Boards for qualifying schools interested in re-surfacing their playgrounds with DuroMat Extended Life™ playground safety tiles.

 

"We are extremely pleased to be working with the IASB on such a worthwhile project," said Tim Mahoney, NSSI President.  "This program really helps schools to budget for new surfacing which is an important part of playground safety when you realize that 70% of all injuries are caused by falls to the surface.  Maintaining loose fill playground surfacing such as pea gravel, wood chips, and sand that the schools typically use, to CPSC guidelines, is not only critical it is also expensive.  DuroMat Extended Life™ tiles are a common sense investment that will require little maintenance over their 20 to 25 year life expectancy and they've been proven to reduce serious playground injuries by 55%."

 

The National Safe Surfacing Initiative will be hosting a booth at the IASB tradeshow on November 18^th, 2004.