PLAY
RPII outdoor technical
director Keith Dalton advises on how regular inspections can extend the life of play
equipment and avoid costly refurbishment
Top tips for maintaining PLAY EQUIPMENT
play safety inspectors of indoor centres, inflatable equipment and outdoor play areas. It gained recognition by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regu- lation (Ofqual) as an approved awarding body earlier this year. Playground managers have a responsi- bility and duty of care to children using a play site, and as such a regular series of inspections is recommended. This includes a
T
he Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII) is the UK’s sole body for syllabus setting, examination and certification of
daily or weekly visual routine inspection, a more detailed monthly or quarterly operational inspection and the essential annual inspection. These inspections should be performed
by one of the 55 UK-registered RPII outdoor play annual inspectors. In addi- tion however, there are approximately 1,000 council and/or grounds mainte- nance staff currently RPII certificated and eligible to perform operational inspec- tions on their own council-run play provisions. A further 2,000 routine inspectors are also currently quali- fied to undertake the daily visual check of facilities. The combined objective of these competent inspec- tors is to identify the need to repair equipment as early as possible and maintain as necessary. Timely, low-
cost, immediate action can help prevent accidents, equipment failure and exces- sive costs down the line.
Right before installation When choosing equipment, the RPII recommends working with a reputable manufacturer and designer, many of which are most likely to be a member of the Association of Play Industries (API),
RPII play inspectors can offer advice to safeguard play areas
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and choosing good-quality, long-lasting equipment – which is unlikely to be at the cheaper end of the market. It’s important to do your research and
be well informed about the equipment that best suits your community’s needs before installation. And site selection is also a key factor, as a play area may look idyllic located underneath trees, but could lead to persistent problems with moss growth, slippery surfaces and po- tential algae growth. In addition to the comprehensive play
area design advice, which is freely avail- able from the API and Play England, many RPII annual inspectors can also of- fer valuable assistance by checking new play area designs before installation. This advice can help avoid problems at post- installation inspection. Indeed, failure to implement this initial
post-installation inspection could lead to avoidable problems noted during the first annual inspection, by which time a council-run facility may face remedial costs that could and should have been carried by the designer, manufacturer and installer as part of snagging before the settling of the final bill.
Issue 3 2011 © cybertrek 2011
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