Children's playgrounds: ensuring their safe operation

Children's playgrounds play a significant role in a child's upbringing and development. They allow children to develop physically, help form personal qualities through interaction with peers, exchange experiences, make new acquaintances, and adapt to social environments.

         Equipment for children's playgrounds includes ladders, slides, swings, carousels, spring riders (rockers), play structures, climbing equipment, etc.

      Playing on a playground is beneficial, but it can also be unsafe. The fact is that, according to statistics on the causes of childhood injuries, playgrounds rank among the top. This situation is facilitated by a combination of subjective and objective factors. On the one hand, it is the curiosity of children's nature, who tend to try everything, while having a low level of life experience that allows them to foresee the occurrence of adverse consequences. On the other hand, it is the degree of preparedness and completeness of such playgrounds, their compliance with safety standards and regulations during operation.

         What are the requirements for playground equipment?

        A set of measures to ensure the safety of children on a children's playground includes:

         - compliance with safety requirements during the design (construction) and manufacturing of playground equipment;

       - compliance with the requirements for the placement (installation) of equipment on the playground;

       - monitoring the technical condition of the equipment;

       - supervision by adults of children's behavior when using play equipment.

          The design (construction) and manufacture of children's playground equipment shall be carried out in accordance with the requirements of the set of state standards of the Republic of Belarus STB EN 1176-2006 (parts 1-7) "Children's playground equipment" (hereinafter - STB EN 1176), approved and put into effect by the resolution of the State Committee for Standardization of the Republic of Belarus dated March 17, 2006 No. 13.

         In this case, the requirements for the placement (installation) of equipment on the playground and the basic safety requirements that must be monitored during the operation of the equipment must be observed.

          Any newly installed children's playground equipment must be put into operation. Before commissioning, an inspection and check of the equipment for compliance

in accordance with the requirements of the operating documentation, STB EN 1176, is carried out by the equipment owner jointly with the supplier and a representative of the organization that installed (assembled) the equipment.

          During operation, the owner of the equipment is responsible for monitoring the technical condition of children's playground equipment, as well as for its maintenance and repair, in accordance with the requirements for the frequency and scope of monitoring set forth in the operating documentation of the equipment manufacturer.

          If the operating documentation does not contain such requirements, the monitoring of the technical condition of children's playground equipment must include: periodic visual inspection, functional check, and annual inspection.

          Periodic visual inspection involves checking the equipment to detect dangerous defects that have arisen during operation due to vandalism and/or climatic conditions. The frequency of visual inspection is determined by the owner based on the operating conditions.

          Children's playground equipment subjected to intensive use requires daily visual inspection.

        Operational control involves a detailed inspection to verify the strength and stability of the equipment, identify wear on its structural elements and fastening points. This type of control is carried out at least once every 3 months.

        Annual control is carried out once a year to confirm the safe operational condition of the equipment, including its foundations and surfaces. 

       If the control reveals malfunctions or defects affecting the safety of the equipment, they must be immediately rectified. If this is not possible, the equipment must be taken out of service. Measures must be taken to prevent the use of faulty equipment until it is dismantled or repaired.

       The results of the technical condition control of children's playground equipment shall be documented in an act and recorded in a logbook, which is kept by the equipment owner.

        Are there any rules for parents and children at the playground?

       According to STB EN 1176, children's playground equipment is defined as equipment with or on which children can play individually or in groups at their own discretion and according to their own rules. The definition itself does not imply the presence of specially trained personnel at a children's playground responsible for the safety of children during play.

      Considering that even with fully functional equipment meeting all safety requirements, an overexcited child can cause serious injury to themselves or other children. Therefore, special responsibility lies with parents, relatives, and other accompanying adults who must supervise children's behavior when visiting children's playgrounds.

 

 

Vitebsk Regional Department of Gospromnadzor, tel. (0212) 33-53-49