Playground Safety Inspection Types and Frequency

AS 4685 Playground equipment and surfacing

Risk Assessment and Management
Each hazard identified as part of the inspection regime
Part 0:2017 Development, installation, inspection, needs to be considered in terms of the hazard
Management System Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia maintenance and operation requires routine
maintenance checks to be conducted on a regular
presented and then prioritised for attention.
June 2020
basis. These include the inspection of all timber, When a playspace hazard is identified there is a need to
wear and tear on chains, condition of all play assess its risk of causing injury or damage. Risk
items (cracks, corrosion, graffiti, etc), and insect assessment is simply a further analysis of the hazard by
System Based Approach Maintenance Routine infestation. A guide to inspection type and breaking it down into more specific component parts to
Playground maintenance is an important issue for A timeline outlines when individual components of a frequency is provided below. evaluate the nature of the hazard. Assessing the risk
the operation of all playspaces. When planning a playground must be checked. This is necessary to and risk benefit associated with the hazard by
playground, regardless of its size or location, it is ensure all aspects of the playground are maintained Routine (daily/weekly):
specifically defining its nature will assist in determining:
essential to establish a playground safety on a routine basis i.e. weekly, monthly, quarterly  Identify obvious hazards resulting from
management system. and annually. This will be determined based on  Probability or likelihood of causing injury or
vandalism, wear and tear, or weather damage
This system should include the following details: individual playground requirements i.e. susceptibility conditions. (e.g. Damaged parts, broken
 Allocated budget to vandalism, components and surfacing materials, glass, syringes, loss of playground  Consequence/s or severity of outcome
 Playground inventory climate and the location of the playground and surfacing).  Benefits to children
usage. Operational (1 to 3 monthly): Refer to information sheet A Risk Management
 Maintenance routine
 Check the operation and stability of Approach for help with prioritising identified risks.
 Inspections - Types and frequency When purchasing new equipment the manufacturer equipment, smooth running of components
 Checklists is required to provide a documented recommended such as ball bearings, moving joints and The method of risk control selected and implemented
 Risk and risk benefit assessment and maintenance schedule. Playground owners must attachments. will need to be monitored and reviewed periodically to
management avoid making modifications to playground Comprehensive (Annually): ensure that its effectiveness for control is maintained.
 Documentation and certification (equipment equipment as it may void the manufacturer’s Playground providers will ensure controls are suitable
warranty. Playground owners should contact the  To be conducted by a competent person.
and surfacing) and make plans for improvements as per the control
manufacturer for spare parts and/or necessary  Check for compliance with Australian method, if necessary.
 Records of incidents and injury modifications. An example of a maintenance Standards for playground safety.
 Records of installation and repairs schedule is provided on page 3 of this information  Check the overall stability of the equipment, Documentation
sheet. footings, surfacing, structural integrity, Quality documentation is an important part of the
corrosion/rotting. Check for safety of any Playground Safety Management System. Most
changes made due to repairs/replaced importantly, it allows errors to be isolated and successes
components. to be replicated. Documentation ensures there is a
Comprehensive Post Installation: record of what has happened in the playspace.
 To be conducted by a competent person.
 Verify compliance with Australian Standards Documentation to be archived may include:
Allocated Budget  Policies and procedures
A minimum 10% of the entire playground budget for playground safety of newly installed
per year for playground maintenance. This playground.  Supervision plans
allocation allows for older items deemed no longer  Check the installation, manufacturing faults,  Risk management plan/strategy
suitable or unsafe, to be replaced within an footings, structural integrity and surfacing.  Reports eg. accident/injury (see below)
appropriate timeframe rather than waiting for Inspections  Drop testing unitary playground surfacing.  Inventory/Equipment register (refer to page 4 of this
funds to become available. Resources also need An accurate assessment of the entire playspace information sheet)
to be allocated to enable regular playground should be completed following installation of the  Inspection checklists
inspections to occur. These can be either done playground and then on a regular basis. A checklist
internally or by trained staff or engaging the should be used to guide the inspector through every  Work orders
services of an independent playground inspection component of the playground. This should also act  Maintenance actions
service. Contact Kidsafe for information on as the first step in the procedure to rectifying any  Certification records eg. equipment, surfacing
inspection services. issues that have been identified during the  Manufacturer’s warranty details
inspection. Once an issue has been highlighted it
Playground Inventory must be recorded and a procedure followed to Inspection Checklists  Manufacturer’s installation, inspection and
An inventory enables the playground provider to ensure that the issue is addressed i.e. replacement Playground safety inspections, using formal maintenance instructions
account for all items within the playspace part ordered. An example of a procedure list may checklists, provide workers/inspectors with a  Operating Instructions (if applicable)
(including equipment and components, shade, include: valuable tool in recording playground hazards.
litter bins, water fountains etc.). As items are  Hazards identified Records of Incidents and Injuries
purchased or replaced the inventory should be Checklists can be used as a guide to assess To assist in the prevention of playground injuries, it is
 Risk ratings important to learn from the events of previous
updated allowing accurate expenditure to be condition of equipment and ensure hazards are
attached to the playground. This then facilitates  Control or repair methods more easily identified. A checklist may be incidents/injuries including near misses. This will allow
effective maintenance of the playground in  Those responsible to implement controls/repairs modified to suit particular playspaces. corrective actions to be taken.
accordance with the budget allocation. The  Dates for controls/repairs to be completed
playground inventory provides a means to An analysis of the incidents (including near misses) and
 Sign off when controls/repairs implemented injuries that have occurred in the playground can be
appropriately manage the playground as an asset.
undertaken to identify injury trends and causes of injury.
The information gained can be used to inform risk
assessments and risk control development aimed at
minimising those causes.
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 MAINTENANCE TIMETABLE
An example timetable for inspecting and maintaining playground equipment
and playground surfacing materials PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AND SURFACING

Daily/Weekly Sample INVENTORY CHECKLIST

Remove loose Remove litter, Remove Remove Remove Rake and Close off broken/
objects from glass, sharps, nesting insects poisonous plants/ graffiti redistribute loose vandalised Location
playspace eg. any unhygienic and spiders; weeds eg fungi; fill playground equipment items
small chairs, matter; clean surfacing until replacement
surfacing as parts available and Surrounding Sites and Use(s)
buckets, ropes,
required fitted
hoses etc.
Cleaning/Mowing Schedule

Monthly /Quarterly Annual Maintenance Budget

Ensure Ensure Monitor wear Monitor condition Remove Clean equipment Clear all access Warranties and expected lifespan
playground foundations and and tear on of timber items nesting to remove stains, paths of vegetation; of equipment and surfacing
surfacing is free structures are chains, cabling, eg. splitting, insects and mould, dirt; Check for
of damage and stable; check connectors; splintering; treat spiders make hygienic protrusions; Equipment Inventory
trip hazards smooth replace as as required to Check loose-fill
operation of ensure smooth surfacing is an
required
moving parts; surfaces adequate depth; Item of Equipment Manufacturer/ Installation Date Maintenance Schedule
grease/ oil as Supplier & Installer received from man-
required Eg. Platform #1; Identification of manufacturer Contractor or Day ufacturer/supplier?
Platform #2; Barrier #1; shown? Labourer File appropriately
Annually etc.

1.
Ensure Treat surface Touch up/ Replace failed Mulch all Top up or replace
playground rust in metal refinish painted plantings as garden sand in sandpit if
surfacing is free components of surfaces as required beds required 2.
of surface wear, equipment; required (incl.
correct depth clean surface, highlighting for
(loose-fill); rasp back, treat visual 3.
sub grade with rust awareness at
deterioration, inhibitor, repaint step edges) 4.
damage, trip as required
hazards
5.
Every 3 years: Playground surfacing drop test on unitary surfaces
6.
Surfacing Inventory
Type of Surfacing Manufacturer/ Installation Date Maintenance Schedule
Eg. loose fill mulch, sand, Supplier & Installer received from man-
Drop Testing wet pour rubber, synthetic ufacturer/supplier?
grass
Drop testing is required for playground
surfacing of unitary materials such as 1.
rubber and synthetic grass - post
installation then every three years to 2.
ensure the impact attenuating surface is
performing to the requirements of
AS 4422:2016 3.

KIDSAFE NEW SOUTH WALES Inc.

Playground Advisory Unit

P: 02 9845 0893
For information on inspection services provided by Kidsafe NSW, E: [email protected]

contact the office on 02 9845 0893 kidsafensw.org Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia

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