Playgrounds

A quality and effective outdoor space has the ability to encourage children to play, create and learn in another dimension.

Within the provision of providing an exciting, high quality and stimulating environment for children rests the importance and often vital play arena of the outdoor space.

All bought playground equipment must have a certification that complies with the Australian Standard.

We have in seen recent years the trend for outdoor spaces change and the bar for the good planning and design improve vastly.

Parents expect service owners to not only provide a safe facility for their children to enjoy but a inspiring and well maintained one as well.

Playgrounds within the community have also had the bar raised and often they have been tending to lean towards a natural play environment.

All playground equipment needs to be compliant with current Australian Standards for Equipment, Installation and Maintenance.

A copy of this standard can be purchased for information from Standards Australia.

The AS/NZS 4685.0:2017 Playground Equipment and Surfacing is the main one to be aware of.

The standards for playgrounds recognize children need the opportunity to experience risk and challenge.

Therefore the standards focus on the elimination of hazards and risks likely to cause any life threatening injuries.

At no point do the standards advocate risk-free playgrounds.

You need to ensure that all equipment is fitted correctly and the correct safety surfaces are used. For example, if a piece of equipment is more than 600 mm high than the height requires safety surfacing underneath.

The Australian Standard recommends a maximum free height fall of 1.8 metres for supervised early childhood.

• The playground should have access and entry into the playground via safe entry points and pathways.
• Is there adequate drainage?
• Is there sufficient shade? (In line with the Sun Smart Policy according to regulations that is applicable to that service for example)
• Is the playground easily supervised and a good line of sight maintained?
• Is there seating provided?
• Are there varying levels of challenge?
• Consider how children will move through the space when setting up additional equipment.
• After safety are they sustainable?
• Are there quiet as well as busy spaces?
• Is it safe, clean and in good repair? (this is a requirement under the Education and Care Services National Regulation 2011)

• • AS/NZS 4486.1:1997 Playgrounds and playground equipment
  • AS/NZS 4422: 2016 Playground surfacing – Specifications, requirements and test methods
  • AS 4685: 2014 Playground equipment and surfacing. There are 6 components to this standard.
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000: Risk management: Principles and guidelines;
  • AS 1428.3:1992 Design for access and mobility: Requirements for children and adolescents with physical disabilities.
  • AS 2155:1982 Playgrounds: Guide to siting and to instillation and maintenance of equipment; & Supervised playgrounds: Guide to establishment and administration