Playground – a place of recreation, education and play, where the children spend a lot of free time. Therefore, we can not forget about the most important issue, which is safety in this place. It is therefore necessary to broaden the knowledge of both its administrators and parents, because it is them who have the responsibility to ensure carefree and safe play for children.
The idea and place for a playground is just the beginning. We should first and foremost be equipped with up-to-date knowledge of the construction law. We will find information in it, among others about what the distance of the square must be from residential buildings or street. If the playground will include elements of small architecture, then the construction plan will require notification in the local architectural department. For large projects it is worth employing a landscape architect who will help us in most of the formalities.
Good quality devices are usually more expensive, so a large part of owners and managers of playgrounds is tempted to choose the cheaper ones, which can be found on the Internet, garden centers, DIY stores. Unfortunately, these devices differ from those of professional ones. Above all, they are dedicated to backyard, non-public playgrounds. They also differ in strength and durability and are not suitable for mounting in the ground which is a requirement. What’s more, manufacturers of playgrounds for public use should provide us with guidelines regarding safety zones around devices and certificates of compliance with applicable standards in particular PN-EN 1176 and 1177.
The passage of time, exploitation, weather conditions – and unfortunately – vandalism force the necessity of periodic inspection and servicing of devices on the playground. Usually, three types of checks must be carried out: Regular inspection by visual inspection During the inspection, the general condition of the equipment is checked, especially for damage resulting from acts of vandalism. Such a control is carried out by the land administrator or persons indicated by him. The inspection should be documented in the playground booklet or other written form. It is important that the manufacturer provide a list of guidelines to which attention should be paid by carrying out the inspection. The frequency of inspection depends on the frequency with which children use the playground, the season and the risk of vandalism. No fewer weekly checks are recommended.
During this type of inspection, the condition of the devices in terms of equipment wear is checked in detail. In this case, the inspection is carried out by the land administrator or a designated person. The results of the inspection should also be included in the document related to the maintenance of the playground. The inspection should be carried out at least once every three months. The yearly basic check is an absolute necessity and should be carried out with the participation of specialists who are independent of the owner or administrator of the playground. During such inspection, the condition of equipment wear, condition of foundations, surfaces and equipment safety are checked if repairs were carried out earlier. The contractor of the playgrounds takes responsibility for such inspections.
If it is necessary to repair the devices, it should be done by a company that implemented the construction of the playground. Then we can be sure that everything will be done correctly, in accordance with the safety rules and using the original parts. As you can see, there are several stages waiting for us from the idea to the final result. Having the current knowledge, we will save time and avoid possible problems.
