(WASHINGTON, DC) – The Department of General Services (DGS), working with its client-agency partners at the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and DC Public Schools (DCPS), is pleased to announce the summer schedule for the FY2022 G-MAX hardness testing for the District’s synthetic turf fields.

Testing will occur between Tuesday, June 28, through Friday, July 15, 2022. District fields will not be closed while testing is underway. However, if a field fails impact testing, it will temporarily be taken off-line to complete necessary repairs for maximum field life expectancy and usage. Testing dates may vary at the city’s 55 synthetic turf field locations based on weather conditions and field accessibility.

“As the implementation agency for all District owned facilities, parks, and fields, DGS remains committed to ensuring that District assets are properly maintained for District residents and visitors to enjoy safe and fun summer activities on fields. The annual testing, monitoring, and maintenance of these fields will occur in all eight wards. Field results will be available on the Agency’s website after testing is completed,” said Keith A. Anderson, Director of the Department of General Services.

G-MAX testing is the standard method developed for testing and determining the shock attenuation of artificial turf and natural athletic fields. The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) International’s standard F1936-10, the most commonly used standard, established a GMAX value of 200 for the maximum allowable limit for safety.

DGS looks forward to the continued partnership with our client agencies to ensure the wellbeing of District residents and visitors, and to monitor any innovative and relevant advances in the scientific research regarding field and playground surface materials.

Additional information from the Interagency Working Group on Artificial Turf and Playgrounds is available here.