ASTM F3681-24: Beach Umbrellas and Anchor Devices
Beach umbrellas have a long history, dating back thousands of years to Ancient Egypt. These umbrellas (or sunshades) were made from stretched papyrus, palm, leaves, and feathers attached to a stick. Used by fan-bearers to protect the kings and Pharaohs from the sun, ancient umbrellas helped the elite of society maintain a pale complexion. While beach umbrellas are still used to protect us from the harsh UV rays, they are also designed with safety at the top of mind. If not properly anchored in the sand, they can be a source of potential danger, so ASTM F3681-24: Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Beach Umbrellas and Anchor Devices covers anchor devices.
Airborne Beach Umbrella Incidents
In windy conditions, beach umbrellas can detach from the sand, disrupting the safety of anyone throwing a frisbee, lying down to get a tan, or boogie boarding in the ocean. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) notes that beach umbrellas have been sent flying on crowded beaches by wind gusts and consequently have killed people and caused many serious injuries.
Wind gusts can be significantly high by the beach; they are typically 40% higher than the average wind speed. The thought of your beach umbrella getting swooped by a gust of wind as you are tanning or reading a book is probably quite irksome. Luckily, a voluntary safety standard—ASTM F3681-24—is now in place to help manufacturers minimize the hazard from airborne beach umbrellas that has resulted in lacerations, impalements, and even death.
What Is ASTM F3681?
ASTM F3681-24 establishes performance requirements for beach umbrella/anchor systems to prevent the beach umbrella/anchor system from detaching from the sand, including any entity that provides the use of beach umbrellas. The test methods in this standard are to be used for the evaluation of beach umbrella/anchor systems to determine the suitability of the beach umbrella/anchor system in a use environment based on safety in wind conditions.
Evolution of Beach Umbrella Design
The word “umbrella” comes from the Latin word umbra, meaning shadow. Other than Egypt, ancient civilizations including China,, Greece, and Rome all used various types of shade-providing devices to shield themselves from the heat. These early umbrellas often consisted of materials (e.g., palm leaves, feathers, or fabric) readily available in their respective regions.
- In Mesopotamia, umbrellas were from palm leaves to shield from the intense desert sun.
- In China, oiled paper or silk stretched over bamboo frames protected from both sunlight and rain.
- In Greece, canopies were made from canvas or linen were used to shielding beachgoers from the Mediterranean sun.
- In Rome, umbrellas were primarily made of leather or cloth and used primarily for sun protection
While these early umbrellas were not specifically designed for beach outings, they laid the groundwork for the sun protection we enjoy and rely on today. Modern umbrellas include features like collapsible frames, vibrant colors, and patterned canopies. They also focus on UV protection and wind resistance.
ASTM F3681-24: Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Beach Umbrellas and Anchor Devices is available on the ANSI Webstore.
