Playground equipment and surface must be evaluated on a regular basis due to wear and tear, misuse, and the effects of the weather. When determining how often an inspection should be performed, various issues must be taken into consideration. These include both internal and exterior elements such as the age of the equipment, use, and materials as well as external ones like weather and vandalism.
Low frequency inspections are in-depth analyses of the equipment and surface to search for wear and tear that are often conducted on a quarterly or semi-annual basis. In order to do this examination, a worker must have significant knowledge of play equipment and surface requirements as well as mechanical skills. Doing preventative maintenance and repairs and/or removing damaged equipment to fix issues detected during the inspection is essential. During an examination, worn-out chains could be found and need to be replaced as an example of this sort of maintenance.
High frequency inspections, which are usually carried out on a daily or weekly basis, keep tabs on rapidly changing circumstances brought on by usage, the weather, or vandalism. Playground conditions, such as loose-fill surfacing depths, cleanliness difficulties, and the presence of garbage and litter are inspected and corrected during high frequency inspections. Staff should follow school or agency protocols, such as completing paperwork, removing the location from usage, and/or addressing the situation, if any dangers are detected.
It is recommended that the outdoor playarea inspection is conducted by a certified playground safety inspector. Based on the findings of the audit, a plan of action will be devised to address any issues that are not in line with current industry standards.
All inspections and maintenance need the completion of reports outlining the inspections, maintenance, and repairs. These reports should be kept in a convenient position in case they prove useful in the future when it comes to planning new play spaces, selecting new playground equipment, and other such tasks.