The National Playground Safety Institute: the most commonly asked questions answered!

The National Playground Safety Institute is beginning to make an impact on the safety of playgrounds, having certified over 3,500 playground safety inspectors in the past three years. Throughout the institute, the participants are asked to write questions or concerns down on note cards. These questions are then answered as the course work progresses. Following is a sampling of the typical questions and answers. If you are directly involved in the purchase, installation, inspection and maintenance of playground equipment, test yourself and see how many questions you can answer correctly. If you don't do very well, consider attending the safety institute. We look forward to expanding your knowledge of safe playgrounds.

What exactly is NPSI and who runs it?

The National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI) is a program of the NRPA. As the most comprehensive training program on playground hazard identification and risk management methods ever offered, it is the only course of its kind where the participants that successfully complete the course and exam receive "Playground Safety Inspector Certification." To receive this certification, participants are asked to study their course materials in advance and come prepared to participate in lectures, and hands-on experiences. The institute consists of l0 hours of training in preparation for the exam, given at the completion of the course. Persons not wishing to receive certification are welcome to attend the training and do not have to sit for the exam. An executive board representing a broad range of professionals from the parks and recreation, education and child development, landscape architecture, playground equipment manufacture and designer fields oversee the direction of the institute.

Where do I have to go to attend the institute?

The positive response to this program has been somewhat overwhelming. The largest institute is held at the National Congress for Recreation and Parks which will be held in Salt Lake City this coming October; this has always been a well-attended institute with over 150 participants. For the past two years NRPA has brought the institute to the local participants by hosting sites all over the United States through NRPA regional offices and state associations. For a complete up to date listing of all the institutes contact the NRPA NPSI office.

Who are those CPSIs?

To date the National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI) has trained and certified more than 3,500 Certified Playground Safety Inspectors. These inspectors, also known as CPSIs, are taking their work very seriously as they are charged with the task of making America's playgrounds safer for our most precious resource, our children. The playground safety institute has attracted people with diverse occupations such as concerned parents, park district directors, grounds maintenance supervisors, entry-level maintenance staff, playground monitors, risk managers, architects, playground designers, playground manufacturers, and school administrators and consultants. For many of the participants, receiving their certification has elevated their job status and responsibilities; some have seen their certification as a new business opportunity.

How long does my certification last?

The certification is good for three years. To be re-certified, it is not necessary to take the complete course again. Updated course materials may be purchased from NPSI and studied independently. You may then sit for the exam at one of the institute's sites by registering in advance.

Why is the certification good for only three years?

The playground industry is dynamic and continues to change every year as new products are introduced and as standards and guidelines which seem to be in a constant state of revision change. In order to ensure that our inspectors are up to date with current changes, it is necessary to limit the certification to three years.

How do I find a certified inspector to audit my playgrounds?

NRPA keeps a master list of all of the certified inspectors in your state. You may call the NRPA Safety Institute's office and request an updated list of inspectors in your area.

Is there a law that says that my playgrounds must comply with certain standards and guidelines?

To date there is no federal law that mandates compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Guidelines and the American Standards for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F1487-95 Standard for Public Playground Equipment. The CPSC Guideline is consumer oriented and contains recommendations only. The ASTM Standard, which is more technical in nature, is a voluntary performance standard for public playground equipment. California has mandated compliance with these standards, Texas recommends "substantial" compliance and North Carolina's state regulations for daycare centers are based on the recommendations of these guidelines. Many states are in the process of drafting legislation that would mandate compliance. Experience in the courts has shown that the guidelines and standards have been accepted by the public as the standard of care for the industry.

How does one deal with the discrepancies between the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Guidelines and the American Standards for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F1487-95 Standard?

Soon there should be no more discrepancies as the CPSC and ASTM are working to resolve these differences. The CPSC will be issuing a revision to their handbook sometime this year. Meanwhile, a good rule of thumb is to go with the recommendation that offers the greatest degree of safety to the child. In other words, err on the side of safety.

Are old playgrounds exempted from compliance with the standards because they were installed before the CPSC guidelines and the ASTM standards existed?

Unless your playgrounds are in a state that has mandated compliance there is nothing requiring any of the playgrounds, regardless of their age, to comply. Many people ask if there is a Grandfather Clause that excludes older playgrounds from compliance. There can be no Grandfather Clause when there is no legislation. The owner of the playground should establish a Standard of Care for their facilities that would include the playground environment. This Standard of Care may be used to develop a means of upgrading older playgrounds as time and budget allow.

During the course of teaching the institute many of the participants are confused about sections of the CPSC Guidelines and the ASTM Standard and ask very technical questions. The following questions are typical of the issues that are explored during a playground safety institute.

Why does ASTM give a maximum height for horizontal ladders for the two to five age group when they go on to say that upper body equipment is not recommended for this age group?

This is an acknowledged weak area of the ASTM standard and also the CPSC guidelines. Very young children do not have the necessary upper body strength or coordination necessary to handle a horizontal ladder 84 inches high and 10 feet long. However, at the age of five they don't develop these skills overnight; they must be developed gradually. The CPSC's upper body recommendations apply to children ages four to 12. Both the ASTM and the CPSC at the present time do not recommend the use of upper body equipment for children under the age of four, however they are both looking at revising the recommendations for upper body development so that equipment might be placed in a pre-school area designed to develop upper body skills for the younger age group. For example, a horizontal ladder 60 inches high and only six feet long with rungs spaced every 12 inches or a chinning bar located closer to the ground so that a young child can hold the bar and lift their feet momentarily. This allows for gradual development while minimizing the risk to the child.

I have an arch swing set with six swings and my supervisor wants all swing sets brought into compliance, do I have to remove four of the swings?

The current recommendation is that there be no more than two swings per swing bay. The arch type of swing consists of only one swinging bay even though it is a large one. The concern reflected by both ASTM and CPSC is the risk to a child that is attempting to get on or off of the middle swing. A child is forced to go in-between two swings to access the one swing. The presence of a support leg plus the added distance between swings helps to safely direct the children to the swing without placing them in the path of travel of an adjacent swing. Yes, you would have to remove four of the six swings.

Can there be a horizontal bar between the legs of an "A" frame swing set?

The answer is no. The support structure of a swing set should be designed to discourage climbing.

When is a trapeze ring a free swinging exercise ring and when is it a ring trek?

The CPSC does not recommend the use of free swinging exercise rings in public playgrounds. Exercise rings, typically have two to three feet of chain and are suspended in pairs. A ring trek usually has eight to 12 inches of chain and there are six or more rings along a beam. A ring trek is allowed in public playgrounds. The hazard that is present with the free swinging exercise rings is one of a child being struck when one of the rings is swung freely.

How high do balance beams have to be off the ground. The CPSC says 12 inches and ASTM says 16 inches?

The CPSC recommends 12 inches regardless of age. The ASTM acknowledges the differences in height for two age groups and based their recommendations on anthropometric measurements. Twelve inches is the height recommended for children ages two to five and 16 inches is recommended for children five to 12.

We removed our animal swings and are left with double top rails that we put regular swings on. Is this OK? If so should they be staggered one in the front and the other in the back?

Before adding any swings to the existing double swing frame the manufacturer of the swing frame should be consulted. The stability of the swing set may be jeopardized by improperly spacing the swings. Always consult with the manufacturer when possible before making modifications to equipment.

When trying to determine the critical height of playground equipment so that I can select the proper surfacing material, why is there a difference between guardrails and protective barriers?

Guardrails are supposed to be designed to discourage climbing but not prevent access and egress through the openings. Therefore the critical height is measured from the top of the guardrail. A platform that is surrounded by protective barriers is intended to prevent access and egress through the barrier and should not have a designated play surface. Therefore the platform height is used as the critical fall height.

Please clarify the differences between the use of the finger probes for entrapment?

The 3/16-inch diameter rod is used to determine accessibility on roller slides only. If a 3/16-inch diameter rod can be inserted into the space between the rollers or between the rollers and the side rail there is a possibility of finger entrapment. The 5/16-inch diameter rod is used to test merry-go-rounds only. The standard states that there should not be any opening in the platform of a merry-go-round that would admit a 5/16-inch rod. This is to prevent the possibility of a finger tip being inserted into the platform and accessing the bearing mechanisms in the center of the equipment. Several children have lost their finger tips when they touched this mechanism. The articulated finger probe may also be used to determine the accessibility of a pinch, crush or shear hazard. The 5/6-inch rod is used to determine when a pinching hazard is present. An example of its use would be to place the rod in between the planks on a suspended bridgeway. If when the bridgeway is in use the planks come together closing in on the rod, a potential pinching hazard is present.

The CPSC handbook, 11.1.7 says that single axis swings should not be part of a composite structure. Would this also apply to the small composite pieces that have two toddler swings attached?

Yes it would. A toddler is at a greater risk of running into or through the swing area while playing on the attached structure.

Are there any tot swings that do not have head entrapment in the leg openings?

Yes, most all manufacturers have changed the design of their fully enclosed bucket swings to eliminate the potential for head entrapment. Ask the question of the supplier prior to placing your order.

What is the maximum number of swing bays allowed on one swing set?

There is no limit. You could conceivably keep adding swing bays until you ran out of room.

If I have a sewer lid that is flat to the ground and in the fall zone of the equipment, can I just put my 12 inches of wood fiber over the lid?

The best solution would be to cover the lid itself with a rubber pad so that if the wood fiber would happen to be displaced exposing the sewer lid there would be no hard surface to fall on. Care must be taken not to create a trip hazard when adding the rubber tile to the top of the sewer lid.

If an existing playground is retrofitted by placing surfacing under it, is it best to build the area up or excavate the site?

The answer may vary from site to site depending on the conditions. If the concrete footings are close to the surface of the ground, it may be necessary to build the area up. Care must be taken to make sure that slides are still functional. In many cases it is possible to do a combination of the two: excavating the site six inches and building up six inches. In some situations it may be necessary to remove the equipment and relocate it at the proper depth allowing for the addition of surfacing materials. In most cases, digging the ground out 12 inches under the equipment will expose the footers and make the structure unstable. Never cover exposed concrete footers with a loose fill material such as sand, pea stone or wood fiber. The surfacing may become displaced exposing the footer. The footer should be buried below the ground or be protected with rubber resilient surfacing in such a way that a trip hazard is not created.

If a slide ladder is found to have head entrapment in between the steps, can we add our own backing plate to eliminate the head entrapment?

You could do this however in most cases you would be creating another hazard. By adding the backing plate, you have created an enclosed step tread which should be longer in tread depth. For example, in the five to 12 age group an open stepladder riser may have a tread that is only three inches deep, but a closed riser should have a tread that is at least six inches deep. An open riser allows the ball of the foot to extend beyond the tread with the person balancing on the arch or center of their foot. By enclosing a three-inch tread you are forcing the person to balance on the ball or toes of the foot. This is an awkward position for access.