Standards for indoor and outdoor sports facilities under way. (American Park and Recreation Society).

The ASTM Committee FO8 on Sports Equipment and Facilities urges parks and recreation professionals, architects and engineers who are involved in designing and operating sports facilities to develop standards with Subcommittee FO8.66 on sports facilities. "The scope of the subcommittee is to develop standards pertaining to facilities including the use, safety and maintenance of such facilities," says Gary M. Montebell, director of ice operations, Liqui-Chill, Oakmont, Pa., and committee chair. "The standards may be general or specific to a sport. Issues such as building design, or materials used in ice-rink facilities, roller/inline rinks, skateboard parks, ball fields, as well as facility padding, are being discussed."

Stressing the need for standards, Montebell says, "In February at a Big Ten men's track and field indoor championship, a 19-year-old male died after attempting to pole vault." In March, a 13-year-old died two days after a hockey puck struck her head at a National Hockey League game in Ohio. The puck flew over a glass partition and hit the girl about 15 rows above the ice.

For more information, contact Montebell at [e-mail] or 412-828-4476. The committee will meet Nov. 6-9 in Miami Beach, Fla. For meeting or membership details, contact dames Olshefsky, manager, ASTM Technical Committees, at [e-mail] or 610-832-9 714.

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