What does field safety look like when you measure it?
The Head Injury Criterion (HIC) test helps answer that question. HIC correlates with the likelihood and severity of a head injury and has been used for decades in the auto industry and on playground surfaces. In 2018, it was adopted by
@ASTMIntl (ASTM) for athletic fields.
The HIC test drops a 10.1 lb. hemisphere projectile, shaped like a human head, from increasing heights to determine a field’s Critical Fall Height. The higher the Critical Fall Height, the safer the surface. A good natural grass field will typically produce a minimum Critical Fall Height of about 6 feet or higher.
Why do we test? Because safety matters, and one test alone does not tell the whole story. When HIC, Gmax, and AAA testing are used together, field owners get a more complete picture of impact performance at installation and throughout the field’s lifecycle.
Q: Why is it important to install a shock pad under synthetic turf, and what do the test results show?
A: Testing shows that synthetic turf systems with Brock shock pads can help fields achieve player safety ranges found in natural grass while delivering more consistent performance over time. When HIC, Gmax, and AAA results are reviewed together, they provide a clearer picture of how the field performs at installation and throughout its lifecycle.
Consistent testing leads to better decisions, better long-term field performance, and better insight into how a field is performing for the athletes who use it every day. Learn more at:
na2.hubs.ly/H04GbWH0
#AthleteSafety #FieldTesting #BrockShockPads
ALT HIC testing measures impact safety—higher scores mean better protection. A Brock shock pad beneath synthetic turf absorbs force, reduces head injury risk, and delivers more consistent, safer fall height performance compared to turf-only systems