Dept. of Education > Administrative Services > Finance, Facilities and Business Strategy Branch

Playground Equipment

• Playground Risk Assessment
• Playground Checklist
• Treated Pine in Playground Structures
• Contact

Playground Risk Assessment

The condition and suitability of playground equipment is generally assessed in conjunction with the current edition of Australian Standard AS 4685 - 2004.  Recognising that many schools will have older equipment still in active use, the assessment can be complimented by reviewing the equipment against the following points:

1. The general compliance with the current standard
2. The ease of supervision and management of the equipment, including its visibility both formal and informal, the access around the equipment, and its location on natural pathways and grounds supervision routes
3. The attitude and behaviour of the students to the equipment and its surrounding area.  For example does it tend to entice reckless behaviour, or is it enjoyed and used appropriately
4. Any history of accidents or other information that may inform the risk deliberation.
5. The general age and condition of the equipment and ease of maintenance.

One approach may be to rank the above criteria from 1 (good) to 5 (poor) and consult with students, teachers and parents to assist is forming opinions on the future of various items of equipment.

Playground Check List

Safety checks should be carried out weekly by a school representative. A more detailed inspection is suggested at the start of each school term.

The checklist should be used in conjunction with Australian Standard AS 4685 – 2004.

Playground Safety Checklist Print Form

Treated Pine in Play Structures

Timber which has been treated using the preservative chromated copper arsenate (CCA) has been widely available for use by the building industry for many years.  It has a variety of uses including shade structure framing, garden borders, play structures and retaining walls.

CCA preservatives for use in timber are approved and regulated by the National Registration Authority.  Arsenic, which is an ingredient of CCA, exists naturally in our environment – air, soil and food.

There has been concern expressed that treated pine timber in playgrounds poses a health risk.  This has been discussed in a recent report by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).

The report recommends that CCA not be used in new playground structures, although it has not yet determined that older structures should be removed.  It should also be noted that to date, regulatory authorities in the USA have also not recommended dismantling existing structures.

The Department is therefore recommending that treated pine not be used for new structures where there is a possibility that the timber may come in contact with children’s hands and food.  The Department is not recommending existing structures be removed unless they considered due for replacement for other reasons, such as age or compliance with other standards.  As a further precaution, in situations where there is a risk of hand and food contact, it may be appropriate to change how the structure is used, or to paint or replace relevant portions of the structure.

It may also be possible in some circumstances to paint surfaces and structures where the material is in good condition for painting and can be easily accessed.  Professional advice should be sought on the appropriate treatment, and it is important that the paint surface be regularly inspected and kept in sound condition.

The Department continues to recommend that children in our schools and homes are encouraged to observe common hygiene practices of washing their hands after playing; and ensuring that they don’t eat while playing. The separation between treated pine and food is particularly important.

There is a growing trend towards the use of alternative building materials to treated pine in our playgrounds, such as plastic coated steel due to safety, cost and longevity.  Schools should consider these options when building play equipment.

Contact for Information

For further information on playground equipment and playground safety contact Facility Services:

Phone 6233 6927

Email: facilityservices@education.tas.gov.au