Certified Playground Safety Inspections
CERTIFIED PLAYGROUND SAFETY INSPECTOR (CPSI)
Every public playground is REQUIRED to be audited/inspected at minimum once per year by an NRPA Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI).
- CPSI inspections examine every detail of a playground, from the height of the first step to the top bolt on the swing.
- Everything on a playground is strictly regulated for safety, from the number of threads on a bolt to the slope of a slide, every playground must meet all relevant guidelines
- ONLY A CPSI CERTIFIED INSPECTOR IS QUALIFIED TO INSPECT A PLAYGROUND: A CPSI has demonstrated expertise through testing and education in the numerous and complex factors and regulations affecting playground safety
Impact Safety
Certified Testing
The ONLY way to know how effective your playground surfacing currently is at dissipating the force of impact is through periodic testing from a CPSI certified inspector/tester
Just because it was safe when it was installed does not mean that is it safe now!
ALL PLAYGROUND SURFACING DEGRADES OVER TIME
Playground surfacing is required to be able to safely absorb the impact of a fall from heights relevant to the equipment and playground it is protecting.
Critical Fall Height: This is determined by the maximum play height of equipment and all playground surfacing must be able to mitigate the force of a fall from at least this height
- Nearly all loose fill surfacing is compacted 25% in the first year alone
- Loose fill is mounded within and spread outside of playground use zones
- Moisture and thermal cycling breaks down all types of padding/surfacing
- Pour in place rubber (PIP) and other unitary surfaces become harder each year at an unpredictable rate
- Dispersal, wear and tear, and other unpredictable factors all contribute to reduced safety
Types of Testing
GMax
Head Injury Criterion (HIC or H.I.C.)
Head Injury Criterion (HIC or H.I.C.)
Measures the ability of the surface to dissipate the force of impact
Head Injury Criterion (HIC or H.I.C.)
Head Injury Criterion (HIC or H.I.C.)
Head Injury Criterion (HIC or H.I.C.)
Measures the force of impact on a simulated human head on the surfacing in the field
Critical Fall Height
Head Injury Criterion (HIC or H.I.C.)
Critical Fall Height
Quantitative assessment of the suitability of your safety surfacing to the fall heights of your playground
Nationwide Safety & Performance
Athletics and Recreation
Testing, CPSI Certified Inspections, Consulting, Planning, ADA and Safety (ASTM) Guideline Compliance Auditing, Facility Planning, Litigation Protection, Staff Training, Records Reviews, Maintenance Consulting, and other services.