Walter J. Henderson, has been involved with playground safety, playground equipment, and resilient surfacing since 1986. He is the President and Principal Consultant of Henderson Consulting Services, Inc., which provides professional consulting services for suppliers, specifiers, purchasers and users of play equipment, resilient surfacing and recycled rubber products. Prior to founding his consulting firm in 1999, Henderson headed the Surfacing Products Division of Carlisle Tire & Rubber Company, overseeing technical, marketing and manufacturing activities for Carlisle’s playground and recreation surfacing products.
Henderson has played an important role in standards development for play equipment and surfacing. He chairs the ASTM sub-committee charged with developing and monitoring standards for soft contained play equipment; is the Vice Chairman of the ASTM Playground Surfacing Sub-committee; and is a long-time member of ASTM Sub-committee F15.29 for Public Play Equipment. Henderson is also a member of ASTM sub-committees on sports surfacing, preschool play equipment, home play equipment, and aquatic play equipment.
Henderson served as chair of the Surfacing Certification Committee of the International Playground Equipment Manufacturers Association, is on the advisory board of the National Program for Playground Safety, and is a member of the National Recreation and Parks Association.
Henderson holds technical and business graduate degrees from Purdue University and is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector. He has authored numerous articles, papers and presentations on play equipment safety and resilient surfacing.
