The document discusses the importance of indoor play area inspections. Regular inspections help ensure play areas remain compliant with safety standards and reduce risks of injuries. They also provide records that can defend play area operators in cases of litigation. The document recommends indoor play areas undergo routine visual inspections daily or weekly by staff, operational inspections monthly or quarterly by trained staff or specialists, and annual main inspections by certified play inspectors to thoroughly assess the overall safety of the play area.

1. Indoor Play
Setting the Standard
Jon Dalton

2. BS 8409: 2009 - Code of Practice
• Fully enclosed play areas that offer children attractive opportunities are
generally those presenting different levels of challenge and difficulty.
• Children can explore solutions to these challenges and practise their newly
acquired abilities in competently designed and managed settings, where the levels
of risk have been assessed and, through supervision or design, are managed.
• Precautions need to be taken by play providers to reduce the severity
of injuries if children make the wrong judgement but the possibility
of harm cannot be completely removed.
• This British Standard aims to help play providers develop facilities
that children find enjoyable and reduce the risk of serious or disabling
injury.

3. Why do Play Areas need inspections?
• Risk Assessment is clear legal requirement…
Health & Safety at Work Act 1994 & Management of H&S at Work Regs 1999
• Systematic safety inspections are recommended as Best Practice in the
accepted standard
• BS EN 1176 and HASAW Act (playground equipment)
• Note: BS EN 1177 (is the test method for safer surfacing)
• Insurers prefer Safety Inspection & Risk Assessment
• Parents, carers & play providers want safe playgrounds
• Play providers also want to avoid litigation.

4. Why do Play Providers need inspections?
• For peace of mind
• To ensure compliance with HSE requirements for best practice
• To avoid risk of injury to children & young people
• To operate legally regarding H&S & DDA (Disability Discrimination Act)
• To have valid insurance against risk
• To avoid litigation

5. BECAUSE they want:
A. To determine priorities for routine inspections and confirm compliance with
changing standards
B. Help with preventative maintenance
C. Identify worn parts needing replacement or refurbishment to maintain
required levels of safety
D. Provide a written record and/or evidence of continuous safety checks and
maintenance.
E. Provide defence and/or evidence in legal cases/insurance claims

6. There are Benefits...
• Achieve good value from capital costs of equipment
• Keep down costs of preventative maintenance
• Maintenance to extend working life
• Improve safety

7. Why do they need RPII Inspectors?
BECAUSE: -
The H&S Act & Regulations specify ‘Competent’
The BS EN Standards specify ‘Competent’
RPII Annual Inspectors are: -
• Examined/Certificated Competent
• Re-examined every three years
• Independent Third Parties
• Experienced Professional Inspectors

8. BECAUSE: -
• RPII Examinations:
• Are rigorous & to BS EN Standards
•RPII Inspectors:
• Are kept up-to-date & exchange info.
• Are bound by RPII Code of Conduct
• Hold all relevant insurances and write comprehensive reports
• Using RPII inspectors aids consistent interpretation
• Insurers / Risk Managers prefer & may specify ‘Competent Certificated
Inspectors’ and CRB Checked

9. Types of Inspections:
Routine Visual Inspection
• Looking at the equipment’s basic condition, especially faults due to recent
vandalism, breakages and also cleanliness of the playframe.
• These inspections can be carried out by the manager or his/her staff and
should be recorded on a simple sheet or book.
• The equipment supplier should provide a checklist.
• Dependant on usage, these inspections should be carried out either daily or
weekly as a minimum.

10. Operational Inspection
• Looking in more detail at the condition of the equipment, providing a
quality control check on the more regular inspections and identifying wear
and tear on the equipment.
• Such inspections should be carried out by an appropriately trained member
of staff, or alternatively by a suitably qualified specialist and should be
recorded.
• These inspections should be carried out at least on a monthly or quarterly
basis.

11. Annual Main Inspection
• To be carried out by an RPII (Register of Play Inspectors) Indoor Annual
Inspector not connected with the playground operator or manager.
• Essentially looking at vandalism, wear and tear, long-term structural
problems, standards compliance and design, along with risk assessment etc.
• This report essentially covers the overall safety of the playground.
• Inspection should also include an annual oversight of the internal procedures
and documentation to ensure that the correct procedures are in place.