NKFH: increased official supervision for the safety of playgrounds

According to the NKFH, the justification for the inspection is also supported by the experiences of previous years. Last year, for example, experts from the consumer protection authority inspected 495 playgrounds and a total of 3,659 playground equipment. Violations were found in 33 percent of playgrounds and 30 percent of equipment.

– the announcement recalled.

In addition to public and institutional (nursery, kindergarten, school) playgrounds, the inspections were also conducted at locations belonging to the so-called “gray zone”, such as playhouses of hotels, restaurants, and courtyards of apartment buildings. The most important inspection aspect is the existence of the required register and the documents confirming the measures recorded therein, such as previous repairs, the fulfillment of the periodic inspection obligation, and the presence of clearly visible content markings on a separate board, the NKFH explained.

The inspections cover all playground equipment listed in the relevant standard – in particular swings, slides, rope courses, carousels, tipping devices, fully enclosed play equipment and nets.

In addition to the increased official presence, it is also recommended that parents take into account several signs that may indicate the safety of the playground, or the lack thereof. The authority recommends that we check whether there is a mandatory data plate at the entrance, and whether it contains the name and contact information of the operator. It is worth observing that the toys are not broken, damaged, or have any sharp, prickly parts.

They added that we should also observe whether the rubber covers are in order. At the same time, we should not ignore the regulations regarding load capacity or age limit.

– the authority warned in its statement.

The authority will continue its inspections in the future to ensure that playgrounds remain truly safe community spaces that support both the physical and social development of children, they wrote.