Readiness check

Is your playground safe or an injury waiting to happen?

On a playground the thing that prevents serious injury is not the equipment, it is the surface under it and the space around it, because falls to the ground are the leading injury. Answer for how the playground is actually built and maintained. This is general guidance; confirm against the CPSC handbook, ASTM, and a certified inspector. The score stays on your device; enter an email only if you want the playground readiness checklist sent over.

1. Does the protective surfacing match the equipment's critical fall height?Yes, surfacing rated to the fall heightWe have surfacing but never checked the ratingGrass or hard ground under the equipment

2. Is loose-fill surfacing kept at the right depth (topped off in the kick-out zones)?Yes, depth maintained, especially under swings and slidesIt gets thin in spotsDisplaced and shallow

3. Is the use zone (clear fall zone) around each piece maintained and unobstructed?Yes, use zones clear and to the right sizeMostly, with some encroachmentEquipment and obstacles are too close

4. Are head-entrapment openings controlled (nothing in the 3.5 to 9 inch range)?Yes, openings checked against the ruleNot formally checkedThere are openings in that range

5. Are entanglement and protrusion hazards eliminated (no open hooks, snags, protruding bolts)?Yes, hardware checked and cappedSome worn hardwareOpen S-hooks and protrusions present

6. Is there an accessible route and accessible (firm) surfacing per the ADA?Yes, accessible route and surfacing in placePartially accessibleNo accessibility

7. Is the equipment age-appropriate and separated (2 to 5 vs 5 to 12)?Yes, age-appropriate areas with signageMixed, no clear separationNo age consideration

8. Is there a certified (CPSI) inspection and a routine maintenance program?Yes, CPSI audit plus routine inspectionsOccasional informal checksNo inspection program