Play Area Inspection & Maintenance: A Practical Guide for Town and Parish Councils
Discover essential playground inspection protocols and maintenance strategies from industry veteran Doug Belfield. With three decades of experience, Doug offers practical advice for town and parish councils on implementing effective regimes, identifying common issues, and maximizing the lifespan of play equipment while ensuring safety compliance.
By Doug Belfield, Sales Director at Streetscape (Products & Services) Ltd
As someone with over 30 years in the playground industry, I've seen it all when it comes to play area management. From rusty swings to creative vandalism, there's very little that surprises me anymore. What does concern me, however, is when I see local councils struggling with playground maintenance and inspection regimes.
During my recent webinar (full recording and slides available at the end of this article), I shared practical advice for town and parish councils on playground inspections and maintenance. This isn't about frightening you away from investing in play equipment – quite the opposite! It's about ensuring your investment lasts for years while keeping children safe.
Why Inspect and Maintain?
Think about it like your car. When you purchase a vehicle, you consider reliability, efficiency, service costs, and replacement parts. Your play area is the same.
Regular maintenance:
- Minimises accident risks
- Extends equipment lifespan
- Identifies vandalism or damage promptly
- Gets the best value from your investment
- Helps avoid costly litigation
Most importantly, proper maintenance preserves your warranties. Manufacturers will ask for your inspection and maintenance records if you make a warranty claim – just as car manufacturers check service history before honouring warranty work.
The Three Essential Types of Inspections
1. Routine Inspections (Daily/Weekly)
Who performs them: A competent person (typically grounds maintenance staff with basic training)
What they involve: Visual checks for obvious hazards like:
- Broken glass
- Damaged equipment
- Loose fixings
- Vandalism
- Weather damage
Frequency: Daily or weekly, depending on usage. High-use summer periods may require more frequent checks than quiet winter months.
Documentation: These should be recorded with a simple tick-box system. Even basic records can be crucial evidence if there's ever an incident or claim.
Real-world example: At one parish council, routine inspections spotted nails deliberately driven into slides and swing seats before any children were injured – highlighting why regular checks are so vital.
2. Operational Inspections (Quarterly)
Who performs them: Someone with specialized training and certification (renewed every 3 years)
What they involve: More detailed examination including:
- Lubrication of moving parts
- Tightening of loose components
- Checking for wear in less obvious places
- Adjustment of equipment
- Minor repairs
Frequency: Three times per year (the fourth "quarterly" inspection is replaced by the annual inspection)
Documentation: Detailed written reports with photographs and recommended actions
Real-world example: During an operational inspection, we discovered brass bushes in swing fixings had completely worn through. Left undetected, the swing block could have split, causing a serious accident.
3. Annual Inspections
Who performs them: RPII (Register of Play Inspectors International) qualified inspector
What they involve: Comprehensive assessment of:
- Equipment condition against current standards
- Structural integrity
- Surface conditions
- Risk assessment
Frequency: Once per year
Documentation: Formal report categorizing issues as high, medium, or low risk
Important note: Annual inspections identify issues but don't fix them! The inspector won't tighten bolts or replace parts – that's where your operational maintenance comes in.
Look after it and it will last for years. You're investing a lot of time, effort, and money into selecting that playground - so make it last.
Doug Belfield, Sales Director at Streetscape
Common Inspection Issues and Practical Solutions
Surfacing Challenges
Loose-fill surfaces (bark, wood chips):
- Need frequent raking and replenishment
- Should maintain 250-300mm depth in impact areas
- May need replacement rather than topping up after 3-4 years Will need topping up dependent upon use every year or 2
- Consider that initial cost savings may be offset by ongoing maintenance
Wet-pour rubber surfaces:
- Watch for shrinkage and gaps between colours
- Be prepared for edge damage and trip hazards
- Budget for repairs or overlays
Safer mats/grass mats:
- Monitor for wear patterns in high-traffic areas
- Ensure grass grows through properly
- Relatively easy to replace damaged sections
Fibrefall
- No edges required, reduces trip hazards
- Can be laid onto settle sub-stucture, no baseworks
- Can overlay safamats/grassmats
Practical advice: Consider maintenance costs when selecting surfacing. The cheapest option initially may not be the most cost-effective long-term solution.
Equipment Considerations
Traditional vs. complex equipment:
- Simpler equipment (like traditional swings) is often easier and cheaper to maintain
- Compare the cost of replacement parts – traditional swing parts might cost £150 vs. £300 for complex designs
Timber equipment:
- Requires regular inspection for rot, especially at ground level
- Be prepared for regular maintenance and eventual replacement
- Consider steel and timber hybrids for longer lifespan
Landscape features:
- Natural elements like boulders and logs may fail inspections
- Inspectors often flag landscape features that aren't manufactured playground equipment
- Consider maintenance implications before adding these features
Practical advice: When purchasing equipment, ask: "Can we maintain this?" If your maintenance capacity is limited, simpler is often better.
Working with Standards Without Overreacting
The European standards (EN 1176 for equipment, EN 1177 for surfacing) provide important safety guidelines. However, they're not retrospective – equipment installed before current standards doesn't automatically need replacement.
A cautionary tale: One council in Durham removed their entire playground when an inspection highlighted non-conformity with current standards. In reality, retrospective modifications could have addressed many issues without complete removal.
When your inspector notes standards changes:
- Check if immediate action is required (high risk) or just advisory
- Look for reasonable modifications rather than wholesale replacement
- Remember that inspectors must reference standards, but not everything requires immediate action
Practical Tips for Parish Councils
- Create a clear inspection regime:
- Document who performs inspections and when
- Use standardized checklists (ask your equipment supplier for templates)
- Store records securely for at least 21 years
- Ensure proper training:
- For routine inspections, basic competence training is sufficient
- For operational inspections, staff need formal certification through RPII-recognized organizations
- Consider sharing resources with neighboring parishes for operational inspections
- Budget realistically:
- Include annual inspections (mandatory)
- Plan for quarterly operational inspections
- Reserve funds for repairs and replacement parts
- Consider lifecycle costs, not just purchase price
- Maintain proper signage:
- Include owner/operator details
- Provide contact information for reporting damage
- Use clear pictograms for rules (no dogs, etc.)
- Be careful with age-related wording
- When selecting new equipment:
- Consider maintenance requirements alongside play value
- Ask suppliers for maintenance schedules and parts costs
- Choose materials appropriate to your maintenance capacity
- Balance exciting features with practical upkeep
- Are parts readily available, where are they coming from
Conclusion
Playground inspection and maintenance doesn't need to be overwhelming. With a structured approach and clear documentation, you can manage your play areas effectively and safely.
Remember, the goal isn't just compliance – it's providing long-lasting, safe play spaces that deliver the best value for your community. After all, play equipment represents a significant investment for most parish councils, and proper maintenance ensures you get the most from that investment.
If you'd like more information or templates for inspection regimes, please feel free to contact me at doug@streetscape-products.co.uk or call 07714 170854.
Slides the Full Webinar
For a more in-depth discussion of these topics, including visual examples of common inspection issues and detailed explanations of maintenance techniques, I invite you to watch the complete webinar recording below, and you can download slides here.