ROSPA Cleaning
Inspection & Maintenance of Playgrounds
RoSPA cleaning ensures the safety of children on their playgrounds.
This does not depend solely upon the initial design of the site and the selection of equipment.
Its continued management and the provision of high quality inspection and maintenance programmes are essential if safe opportunities for children to play creatively are to be preserved.
There is no specific legal responsibility to provide RoSPA cleaning, inspection and maintenance programmes but such procedures are recommended by the Department for National Heritage and the Welsh Office, the British Standards Institute, the Health and Safety Executive, Insurers and RoSPA.
Playground managers have a legal and moral responsibility of care to children using the site – and at the same time they need to meet the expectations of parents. Inspections should be to EN1176, Part 7.
Hierarchy
Routine Inspection
This looks at the equipment’s basic condition, especially faults due to recent vandalism. Such inspections may 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 – RoSPA cleaning can produce checklists if required. Frequency will vary with the site and local usage although weekly should be seen as a minimum.
Operational Inspection
Annual Inspection
Quality Control
Maintanence
Post-Installation Inspections for ROSPA.
A RoSPA post-installation inspection helps to ensure that the playground meets modern standards and has been correctly installed. Underground work and some other aspects requiring dismantling or destructive testing are not assessed.
In some circumstances a Certificate of Good Practice is available.
Check orientation
Check Minimum Space requirements
Check traffic flows
Check general design safety
Assess general finish and work standards
Give recommendations on inspection and maintenance
Check all ancillary items for:
Condition
Installation
Suitability (e.g. Standard compliance where relevant)
Safety
Check for:
Compliance with agreed Standard (EN1176)
Correct installation
Any missing, damaged or inappropriate parts
General safety
Check for:
Correct areas
Correct depth for the fall height involved
Correct installation