Page 24 - Landscape-Issue159

GREEN INDUSTRY FEATURE

PLAYGROUND SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE

FOR LANDSCAPERS AND DESIGNERS

he SA Landscapers Institute The core truth
(SALI), together with Playsafe Children will fall in play-
TSA, recently held an online grounds, and the severity of
discussion on the importance of injuries depends on design
playground safety and compliance. decisions, fall heights, layout
Playsafe SA, specialist safety and surfacing. Playgrounds are
and compliance authorities, designed to encourage explo-
presented the topic and geared it ration and movement and as
towards landscape designers and children climb, balance and
contractors involved in playground jump, falls will inevitably oc-
projects. cur. The key question therefore
Playgrounds are environments becomes: What happens when
where children engage in active a child falls?
play, including climbing, jumping, The severity of injury is
balancing and running. These determined long before the
activities naturally involve risk and playground is built. Decisions
falls are unavoidable. Because of made during design and
this, playground safety is not about specification influence:
eliminating risk but about managing • how far children can fall
and mitigating the severity of injury • where they will land
when incidents occur. • whether the surfacing will
Landscapers, designers and absorb the impact.
installation contractors often play When playgrounds are
a significant role in playground designed properly, the energy
projects. Their decisions influence: of a fall is dissipated by
• playground layout compliant surfacing systems
• circulation patterns that significantly reduce the
• equipment positioning risk of serious injury.
• fall zones
• surfacing performance The reality of perception
• drainage and ground levels. After an accident, people will
These decisions directly affect how safe ask:
a playground will be once it is operational. • Who designed the playground?
Many playground safety issues arise not • Who approved the design?
from defective equipment but from design Playground safety • Who installed the equipment?
decisions made early in the project life This is built around the core elements • Was the installation safe?
cycle. For this reason, playground safety of equipment layout, circulation When an accident occurs in a
must be considered during concept and spacing, and impact surfacing playground, investigations typically focus
design, equipment specification, surfacing performance. These three elements work on responsibility, parents and school
selection and installation planning. together to determine the overall safety management. Insurers and regulators may
The discussion aimed to help landscapers of a playground. In the first instance, the examine:
and designers understand playground arrangement and layout of playground • the playground design
safety risks and know when to involve equipment determine how children • the equipment specification
specialists such as PlaySafe, whose services interact with the space. Proper layout • the surfacing system
include the following: must consider: • compliance with recognised safety
• compliance inspections • fall zones standards.
• design reviews • equipment spacing In many cases, perception of responsi-
• training • conflict points between play activities bility can have serious reputational conse-
• impact surfacing testing • safe circulation routes. quences even if legal liability is not imme-
• turnkey project support Children move unpredictably through diately established. Demonstrating that
• playground safety guidance. playgrounds and safe design must recognised standards such as SANS 51176
The goal of the presentation was not account for clear pathways, separation were followed, is critical in showing due dili-
to turn landscapers or designers into of high and low energy play zones, and gence.
playground safety inspectors, but rather to avoidance of collision points.
give professionals the ability to recognise In the case of impact surfacing, this is a Responsibility
common safety risks, understand the role of critical safety element designed to reduce Many projects operate in a grey area of
playground safety standards, and identify the severity of injuries when children fall. responsibility, and typical assumptions
when specialist guidance is needed. The surfacing system must: include the following:
Early identification of potential safety • match the fall height of equipment Client: “The supplier is responsible for
issues allows the project team to address • absorb impact energy safety.”
risks before they become expensive or • comply with recognised safety Supplier: “The design team handled
dangerous problems. PlaySafe’s role is to standards. compliance.”
support professionals in achieving safe and Failure in any one of these three pillars Landscaper: “We simply installed what was
compliant playgrounds while maintaining can significantly increase the likelihood of specified.”
their design intent. injury. In reality, responsibility for playground

22 Landscape SA • Issue 159 2025 Check us out www.salandscape.co.za