Every 3 months a small team of trained CA volunteers meet at the Community Centre Playground to conduct a formal risk assessment of all aspects of the Playground operation. This supplements the statutory Playground Inspection which is done by an industry professional.
Any defects which are found are assessed against a Standard Risk Assessment format and where possible, any defects found are rectified immediately. Some defects are bigger and more difficult to deal with. For example, in the recent past we have replaced a gate dampener, which slows the rate of gate closure, was broken. The was expensive, almost £1000.
A bigger, progressive problem, has been more difficult to tackle. The shrinkage of the safety surfaces. This is a naturally occurring situation caused by the constant heating and cooling of the material. It has been quickened by the recent abnormal weather events. The outcome is that a steadily widening gap develops between ‘solid edging and the safety surfaces’ and eventually these are assessed as potential trip hazards.
In June, after the early summer quarterly inspection, the CA faced these problems head on. Collectively the gaps and potential trip hazards could have led to the closure of the Playground. Instead, the Team recommended radical albeit practical solutions. First, we removed the trip hazards.
Steve Parkin, our grounds contractor, was instructed to remove all the concrete and wooden safety surface edging and to back fill the gaps with soil. It was dry weather and the continuing drought has stopped him from completing the work by filling in the gaps with new turf. We will have to wait for (hopefully) Autumn rains to complete the job – but for now as you can seen from the picture around every piece of equipment is bare soil – this is a temporary measure. Please keep an eye on your children and stop them from using it as play sand and removing it.
The second measure was for the volunteers, John Leslie, Neal Wilson and Graham Parker to get down on the hands and knees and skilfully, after making a fast-setting mixture of safety surface granules, refill the gaps. It is a meticulous and time-consuming process which takes a lot of patience. Every Playground User should offer their thanks to this unsung team – it has kept our village playground open during this long and lovely summer.
Of course, these works do not come without a cost. This summer’s work, along with the replacement of the Cradle swing which suffered an unforeseen catastrophic failure, will cost almost £2000 to keep it safe.
What our risks assessments are telling us is that our playground is showing its age with some equipment is being undermined by adjacent trees. Consequently, it will progressively cost more money to ensure it is safe to use and in due course equipment and the safety surface will have to be replaced – and that is not cheap.
Thank you, John, Neal and Graham, for your help.
