TOP TIPS T
he following tips are based on information obtained via the RPII play safety inspectors’ experience of
Common misconceptions Most misconceptions in play are regard- ing danger. This is often addressed in the annual inspection where the likelihood of an accident and the potential injury can be risk assessed. For example, appro- priate, well-maintained safer surfacing provides protection from a fall and high- lights the importance of play surface maintenance, which includes topping up and raking loose-fill materials. Miscon- ceptions include the worry that children may run, trip and fall into moving equip- ment like swings or roundabouts. But with proper surface inspection and main- tenance, trip hazards can be prevented. Another widely-held misconception is
that safety surfacing can actually prevent accidents. This is not the case. Safety surfacing is designed to lower the risk of serious injury from impact, which em- phasises the importance of play surface inspection and maintenance. Another wrongly held view is that
once equipment has been installed, kids will mess it up. However, the main reason for deterioration is lack of maintenance of heavily-used equipment. Many think that the job is ‘done’ once the money has
Issue 3 2011 © cybertrek 2011
been paid and the kit installed. However, this is only the start. Regular inspections and the provision of a modest annual maintenance budget are essential for the longevity of a project.
Prevention is better than cure For preventative care, my advice is to follow the manufacturer’s recommen- dations and regularly lubricate, oil or grease bearings and bushes. Make sure that adequate repairs and maintenance, as recommended by inspections, are car- ried out and that worn components are replaced as required. Playground roundabouts can be the
most expensive items to repair and yet tell-tale warnings (usually noisy when ro- tating) are often ignored. A slow reaction to these signs can result in a much higher repair cost, when perhaps an early inter- vention would have been much cheaper.
Fences and Gates The best advice on fencing and gates is to question, at the design stage, whether they are actually necessary. If they are, then they need to be kept in a good state of repair.
conducting annual safety inspections DON’T: Install a play area and play equip- ment and then forget about it DO: Look after your investment. Inspect and maintain play areas regularly and routinely. Early intervention is the key to low-cost running and long life. Little and often can save big repair costs later DO: Set up a proper inspection regime of routine, operational and annual inspec- tions. Ask an RPII-certificated annual inspector what type of inspection regime is required for each play area – as it may vary depending on the amount of usage DO: Make sure someone, probably in-house, is properly trained and responsible for routine inspections. They should check for damage, litter, graffiti and evidence of vandalism. Make sure records are kept and that inspector recommendations are carried out. Ensure inspectors at all levels are current members of the RPII at the ap- propriate level. Routine inspections are important – they don’t cost much and should’nt be ignored DO: Be sure to have an annual inspection that will highlight everything a council needs to know regarding the state of the equipment’s structural stability, as well as wear and tear. This inspection can act as a prediction of its durability for the next year and offers playground managers essential information on the quality and condition of the play equipment and playground DO: Ensure adequate budgets are available for maintenance and repairs. If left, faulty equipment can lead to equipment failure and accidents. Cutting back on mainte- nance is a short-sighted, false economy, which could prove to be a more expensive issue for the equipment in the future
FOR MORE INFORMATION For expert advice on play equipment main-
tenance, contact a RPII Annual Play inspec- tor listed at:
www.playinspectors.com
For example, are dogs really such a
nuisance that up to 15 per cent of the playground budget is spent on keep- ing them out? And would parents with young children actually prefer to let them play in a more open-plan, natural surroundings? In my opinion many older children who chose to visit a playground are capable of looking after themselves – after all, many walk to get to the play- ground in the first place. ●
Read Sports Management online
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WWW.SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / YULYA SHILOVA
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