A Comprehensive Guide to Playground Inspections
Explore this Comprehensive Guide to Playground Inspections and learn how to keep your playground compliant with BS EN 1176.
Playgrounds are the heart of any community, providing children with opportunities for recreation, exploration, and growth. As playground operators responsible for these essential spaces, ensuring playground safety is paramount. Therefore, regular playground inspections are vital to create a safe and enjoyable environment for children and families.
In this guide, we’ll cover playground inspections, compliance with British and European Safety Standards BS EN 1176 and BS EN 1177, and the role of qualified playground inspectors.
Post Installation Inspection
To ensure compliance with BS EN 1176, every new playground requires an independent inspector to conduct a Post Installation Inspection. This inspection will ensure that your playground has been correctly built and installed in accordance with the required standards. It is crucial that the inspection does not involve anyone connected to the playground’s manufacturer, installer, operator, or owner.
Annual Inspections
To ensure the long-term safety of the playground, your site should be inspected annually by an independent inspector who is not affiliated with the playground’s operator or owner. The inspection will ensure your equipment has ongoing compliance with BS EN 1176 and identify maintenance needs or potential improvements.
Carrying out this type of inspection will ensure you meet legal and insurance responsibilities.
Operational Inspections
BS EN 1176 Part 7 recommends frequent operational inspections, usually either monthly or quarterly, based on your own risk assessment. These inspections focus on routine monitoring to maintain ongoing playground safety and compliance. The inspector will look in detail at the condition of the equipment, providing a quality control check on the routine visual inspections and identifying wear and tear on the equipment.
A qualified RPII Operational Inspector needs to carry out this type of inspection.
Routine Visual Inspections
Routine visual inspections are essential to identify obvious hazards and issues with the equipment, the playground surface and surrounding areas. Good practice calls for daily or weekly inspections, depending on your own risk assessment of the site. You may carry out these inspections yourself, but we recommend that you provide basic training for the staff responsible for doing so.
Download a template routine visual inspection and contact our team to book your training today.
Conclusion
Different types of playground inspections, such as Post Installation Inspections, Annual Inspections, Operational Inspections, and Routine Visual Inspections, are critical components of maintaining safe and compliant play spaces. Adhering to safety standards like BS EN 1176 and BS EN 1177, and engaging qualified playground inspectors, guarantee the well-being of children and families.
Invest in professional inspections and regular maintenance to ensure that you are meeting your legal and insurance responsibilities.
Ready to book an inspection? Contact us today.
