Page 25 - Landscape-Issue159

GREEN INDUSTRY FEATURE

safety is shared across multiple parties • incorrect equipment spacing The standard provides clear guidance on
involved in the project. Both the client • excessive fall heights how playgrounds should be designed and
and supplier have a duty to ensure that • surfacing not matched to fall height. installed to reduce injury risk. Both the
the playground equipment and surfacing Once equipment is installed and client and supplier must ensure that the
installed comply with SANS 51176. The foundations are in place, correcting final installation complies with SANS 51176,
playground owner or developer must these problems becomes expensive and and this includes ensuring that:
ensure that: disruptive. • equipment fall heights are appropriate
• compliant equipment and surfacing Surfacing is often treated as a visual • fall zones are maintained
systems are specified or budget item rather than a safety • surfacing systems meet impact
• competent suppliers are engaged component. Impact surfacing is one of the performance requirements.
• safety standards are considered during most critical components of playground
procurement. safety. Proper surfacing must: Guidance and shared responsibility
• Suppliers must ensure that: • absorb impact energy Professionals simply need to recognise when
• equipment meets relevant safety standards • maintain performance over time specialist advice is required. Identifying
• surfacing systems match the required fall • match the fall height of equipment. potential risks early allows specialists to
height If surfacing fails to perform as required, provide guidance before safety issues
• installation follows manufacturer children may experience significantly are built into the design. Designers and
specifications higher impact forces during falls. When landscapers are often the first professionals
• the final installation meets SANS 51176 surfacing fails, incidents occur in highly involved in playground projects, giving
requirements. visible environments. Playground accidents them the opportunity to ask safety-related
Failure to address safety issues during typically occur in public spaces such as questions, highlight potential hazards and
the design or installation stages may schools, parks, residential estates and suggest safer alternatives.
expose both parties to legal, financial and shopping centres. Raising safety concerns early can prevent
reputational risk. In today’s digital environment, incidents significant problems later. When specialists
may quickly become public through social are called too late, this can often result
Professional exposure media, parent networks and community in expensive remediation, limited design
Designers, landscapers and specifiers groups. This increases reputational risk for changes and project delays.
carry professional exposure if safety risks both clients and suppliers. Safety conversations should focus
are ignored, and professionals involved in on practical outcomes rather than legal
playground projects may face exposure What compliance really means language. PlaySafe supports designers,
through: Compliance does not eliminate risk. Instead, landscapers and suppliers by providing
• professional negligence claims it demonstrates that: guidance that helps ensure playgrounds are
• contractual disputes • foreseeable risks were identified safe and compliant. Early guidance is always
• reputational damage. • reasonable steps were taken easier than managing consequences later.
Even when professionals are not legally • recognised safety benchmarks were The key element is that playground
responsible for safety failures, they may still followed. safety is a shared responsibility. Both the
face scrutiny if they failed to raise concerns Compliance with SANS 51176 shows that client (playground owner) and the supplier
about obvious risks. Providing early safety the project team has followed recognised (equipment and surfacing provider) must
guidance can help protect the project team, industry standards and this provides ensure that the playground as installed
the client and the professionals involved. evidence of due diligence, which is critical complies with SANS 51176. Designers and
when incidents are investigated. landscapers play a critical role in identifying
Where most failures happen risks early and ensuring that safe, compliant
Most playground safety failures occur The role of SANS 51176 systems are specified and installed.
during design and specification, not SANS 51176 is South Africa’s recognised
because of faulty products. Common benchmark for playground safety, defining Information supplied courtesy of Dale Hartog,
design mistakes include: acceptable fall heights, minimum fall zones Business Development Director, Veers Group.
• inadequate fall zones and surfacing performance requirements. Photos: Freepik and Pexels

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