API comment
Outdoor gyms
Outdoor gyms offer a host of benefits for local communities, but the equipment must meet relevant standards to keep all members of the public safe.
OUTDOOR gyms are becoming increasingly popular in local parks. They allow people to take part in free physical activity in green spaces, improving their physical health and mental wellbeing. In fact, recent research by Fields in Trust
suggests that proximity to, and more frequent use of, local green space produces corresponding increases in health and wellbeing scores across all four of the Office of National Statistics wellbeing indicators - life satisfaction, sense of worth, happiness and anxiety – in addition to general health. Outdoor gyms could also have an impact on
the UK’s obesity epidemic. Drop-out rates for traditional paid-for gyms is often high and usage variable, so combining gym training with the use of green outdoor spaces could be another valuable tool in the fight against obesity. Outdoor fitness equipment is suitable for
most members of the community and can often act as a gateway to further activity. This
being the case, it’s likely that the trend for outdoor gyms will continue. Ensuring equipment is safe and robust is
therefore paramount and, to some extent, regulating standards has proved a challenge for the outdoor gym industry due to two major factors. First, the standards applied to stationary fitness equipment intended for use in supervised gyms cannot be used for this type of outdoor gym equipment. But the second, and perhaps most
significant factor, has been the debate around the placing of outdoor adult fitness equipment in close proximity to children's play spaces. Outdoor gyms cannot meet the rigorous requirements in place for play equipment and nor should they; there is strong evidence that children (under 14) risk injury and joint damage when using apparatus that is not intended or proportioned for their use. It became clear that outdoor gyms required their very own guidelines, so in 2015 the
definitive European standard EN16630 (PAS888 was withdrawn 31.12.2015 following publication of the EN Standard) outlining the criteria for all permanently installed outdoor fitness equipment was published, superseding any regulations pre-dating it. The industry also agreed that outdoor gyms
should be positioned away from children’s play facilities. Areas identified for fitness should be clearly marked as not suitable for children and all items should be clearly and permanently marked with instructions on how each item should be used. Now that these issues have been addressed,
outdoor gyms are becoming popular attractions in many parks and open green spaces around the UK, and their popularity looks set to rise. This type of equipment offers so many
benefits to communities and, particularly in deprived areas where obesity rates are highest, they provide much-needed access to free opportunities to exercise. For further information and guidance refer to:
www.api-play.org/ upload/ public/ documents/ Publications/ OutdoorAdultFitness- May16FINAL.pdf
www.api-play.org
The Association of Play Industries (API) is a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group for a Fit and Healthy Childhood, Children’s Play Policy Forum and Federation of Sports and Play Associations (FSPA).
t: 024 7641 4999 e:
api@api-play.org
pactfacilities.co.uk 35
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