The Department of General Services (DGS) and its client-agency partners at the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and DC Public Schools (DCPS), announce the summer schedule for the FY2023 GMAX hardness testing for the District’s synthetic turf fields.
Testing will occur between Sunday, June 25th, through Saturday, July 8th, 2022. District fields will not be closed while testing is underway. However, if a field fails impact testing, it will temporarily offline to complete necessary repairs for maximum field life expectancy and usage. Testing dates may vary at the city’s 74 synthetic turf field locations based on weather conditions and field accessibility.
“The Department of General Services (DGS) remains committed to ensuring that District assets are properly maintained for District residents and visitors to enjoy, safe and fun, summer activities on DCPS and DPR fields throughout the District,” said Delano Hunter, Acting Director of the Department of General Services. “Field results will be available on the Agency’s website after testing is completed.”
GMAX 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 used standard, established a GMAX value of 200 for the maximum allowable limit for safety.
DGS looks forward to the continued partnership with client agencies to ensure the well-being 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.