Safety SurfacingInspection guidelines for Playscape Wet Pour, Playscape Tiles, Playscape Bark and Playscape Safety Grass (honeycomb rubber matting). 1 Remove hazards, such as broken glass, litter, debris from trees & plants or fouling, from the safety

surfacing and surrounding areas. Particular attention should be paid to loose particulate materials such as bark or sand, as these hazards may be hidden. Completed on:

Action required / /

2 Inspection will depend on the type(s) of safety surfacing installed in your play area.

a) Ensure that wet pour is in sound condition, with no potential trip hazards and that the surfacing has not become slippery (this can be caused by tree sap, etc) If the surfacing is slippery recommend the areas are cleaned using a pressure washer and a mild detergent such as washing up liquid.

Action required / /

b) Ensure that safety tiles are in sound condition, with no potential trip hazards and that the surfacing has not become slippery (this can be caused by tree sap, etc). If the surfacing is slippery, recommend that the areas are cleaned using a pressure washer and a mild detergent such as washing up liquid.

Action required / /

c) Ensure that bark or sand is evenly spread to a minimum depth of 300mm. Bark or sand should have a layer thickness of 200mm more than that found by laboratory testing to be necessary to achieve the required Critical Fall Height of the equipment (this is to allow for dispersal during use).

Action required / /

d) Ensure the grass growing through the cells of Safety Grass (honeycomb rubber matting) is in good condition and that securing pins/pegs are fully in the ground with no sharp edges protruding.

Action required / /

e) Ensure grass surfaces are in good condition, areas of ground erosion may require additional soil and seed or turf. (The introduction of safety grass matting may be beneficial in re-occurring erosion areas.)

Action required / /

This checklist is for guidance only and is not intended as a definitive list. Each play area must be inspected on its own merits, taking into account potential hazards pertaining to its individual location, natural and manmade features and specific equipment.

Wicksteed Inspection Checklists can be downloaded from www.wicksteed.co.uk to assist you with your playground inspection record keeping.

Customer Services, Wicksteed Leisure Limited, Digby Street, Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN16 8YJTelephone: 01536 517028 Fax: 01536 410633 E-mail: customerservices@wicksteed.co.uk Website: www.wicksteed.co.uk

Safety SurfacingRoutineInspection

Checklist

Photocopies of these guidelines will provide you with a valuable aid to record keeping.

Routine Inspection This should be carried out every week or more frequently if the site is subject to heavy use or vandalism, is located by the coast or is in an area susceptible to atmospheric pollution.

The inspection of the equipment should be carried out by a competent person in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. The level of competence required will vary with the task.

Site Name

Inspection Date

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1

Safety SurfacingInspection guidelines for Playscape Wet Pour, Playscape Tiles, Playscape Bark and Playscape Safety Grass (honeycomb rubber matting).

1 Carry out checks 1 to 6 listed under Routine Inspection. Completed on:

Action required / /

2 Inspection will depend on the type(s) of safety surfacing installed in your play area. a) Inspect wet pour for damage and make good. Repair kits are available from Wicksteed Playscapes.

Action required / /

b) Any damaged safety tiles should be replaced. Contact Wicksteed Playscapes for advice and assistance.

Action required / /

c) Ensure that bark or sand is evenly spread to a minimum depth of 300mm and potentially hazardous foreign objects are removed. Bark or sand should have a layer thickness of 200mm more than that found by laboratory testing to be necessary to achieve the required Critical Fall Height of the equipment. (This is to allow for dispersal during use.) If bark or sand does not reach the minimum depth required, ensure that fresh supplies of appropriate material are ordered and the surfacing is ‘topped up’. Advice on the correct materials is available from Wicksteed Playscapes.

Action required / /

d) Any damaged sections of Safety Grass (honeycomb matting) should be replaced. Contact Wicksteed Playscapes for advice and assistance.

Action required / /

e) Sections beneath Safety Grass that show wear should be reseeded and watering programmes adjusted as necessary.

Action required / /

f) Ensure grass surfaces are in good condition, areas of wear or ground erosion may require additional soil and seed or turf. (Where erosion occurs regularly, the introduction of Safety Grass matting may be beneficial.)

Action required / / 3 Asphalt areas, especially those with ground graphics and games designed to encourage children to play on them, should

also be inspected for hazardous litter or damage. For advice and help with any necessary repairs to asphalt surfaces, contact Wicksteed Playscapes.

Action required / /

Please turn over

Safety SurfacingMaintenanceInspection

Checklist

Photocopies of these guidelines will provide you with a valuable aid to record keeping.

Maintenance Inspection This should be carried out at least every 3 months.

The inspection of the equipment should be carried out by a competent person in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. The level of competence required will vary with the task.

Site Name

Inspection Date

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2

continued

4 Survey the rest of your site including undergrowth, shrubbery, trees and pathways for anything which may present a hazard to users of your playground. Make a note of any maintenance work that is necessary and put an action plan in place.

Action required 1 / /

Action required 2 / /

Action required 3 / /

Action required 4 / /

Action required 5 / /

This checklist is for guidance only and is not intended as a definitive list. Each play area must be inspected on its own merits, taking into account potential hazards pertaining to its individual location, natural and manmade features and specific equipment.

Wicksteed Inspection Checklists can be downloaded from www.wicksteed.co.uk to assist you with your playground inspection record keeping.

Customer Services, Wicksteed Leisure Limited, Digby Street, Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN16 8YJTelephone: 01536 517028 Fax: 01536 410633 E-mail: customerservices@wicksteed.co.uk Website: www.wicksteed.co.uk

Safety SurfacingMaintenanceInspection

Checklist2

Safety SurfacingInspection guidelines for Playscape Wet Pour, Playscape Tiles, Playscape Bark and Playscape Safety Grass (honeycomb rubber matting).

1 Repairs that have been made are checked to ensure that the correct level of safety has been maintained and that the appropriate certification and manufacturer’s guarantees are therefore still valid.

2 All surfacing is checked for conformance to BS EN 1177.

• Damage to wet pour can be caused maliciously or accidentally, for example by high-heeled shoes. If repair is recommended, repair kits are available from Wicksteed Playscapes. If extensive refurbishment is required, the services of a professional installer should be employed. (If small areas of damage that create no immediate hazard are left untreated, their condition is likely to deteriorate and increase the risk of injury in the event of a fall. Extensive repairs carried out at a later date are likely to be expensive.)

• Typical of damage to safety tiles are gouges or edges which may have been prised up to form a trip hazard. If replacement is recommended, we suggest you contact the supplier for advice and assistance.

• Bark or sand is checked for the correct depth to ensure it is 200mm more than the depth required to meet the Critical Fall Height criterion (minimum 300mm). Replacement loose fill materials should conform to grain size recommendations laid down in BS EN 1176 Part 1, Section 4.2.8.4. Refer to Wicksteed Playscapes for assistance if required.

• Safety Grass is inspected to check that the honeycomb matting, the soil and turf are in good condition.

To assist you in keeping full and accurate records, space is provided below for you to note recommendations for remedial work that are made following an Annual Inspection and to confirm that each task has been attended to.

Recommendation Completed on:

1 / /

2 / /

3 / /

4 / /

5 / /

6 / /

7 / /

This checklist is for guidance only and is not intended as a definitive list. Each play area must be inspected on its own merits, taking into account potential hazards pertaining to its individual location, natural and manmade features and specific equipment.

Wicksteed Inspection Checklists can be downloaded from www.wicksteed.co.uk to assist you with your playground inspection record keeping.

Customer Services, Wicksteed Leisure Limited, Digby Street, Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN16 8YJTelephone: 01536 517028 Fax: 01536 410633 E-mail: customerservices@wicksteed.co.uk Website: www.wicksteed.co.uk

Safety SurfacingIndependentAnnualInspectionChecklist

Photocopies of these guidelines will provide you with a valuable aid to record keeping.

Independent Annual Inspection A major inspection should be carried out at least once a year.

According to BS EN 1176 Part 1, this should be conducted by a ‘competent person’. Ideally this should be a qualified inspector. Wicksteed’s Inspection, Risk Assessment and, if required, DDA Audit services are at your disposal. This is a non-dismantling inspection, but a list of recommendations, including a grading of the severity of any potential risks, is produced for your guidance.

Site Name

Inspection Date

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3