In Sweden, every playground since 1 January 1999 must be safety inspected once a year. Everything according to the European standard SS-EN 1176:2017 and SS-EN 1177:2008 which then came into force. The inspection staff inspects the playground against the current standard, the Planning and Building Act (PBL), the Product Safety Act (PSL), the Ordinance Act (OL) and the Housing Authority’s Building Regulations (BBR). The inspection equipment is specially designed to meet the demands placed on playground equipment today.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that all children have the right to a stimulating, safe and suitable environment, but every year, unfortunately, around 50,000 children (up to 17 years old) are injured on playgrounds around the country. The large proportion of children who are injured is something we at LUCO want to help prevent. That’s why we currently offer playground inspections at a favorable price.
The most common injuries are due to too large gaps in slides where children can get cuts, too large openings in climbing frames and that the shock-absorbing surface is insufficient. The most serious damage is made visible through this inspection and after the inspection is completed, a protocol is drawn up where you as the property owner see which possible risk areas exist and what should be remedied. The property owner is responsible for correcting a serious error.
It is important to know that the responsibility for the playground equipment is the same regardless of how old the equipment is. The property owner should bring in a professional inspector at least once a year to get the current status of the playground. In addition to this annual inspection, the property owner should continuously, between 4-12 times per year, carry out checks of the playground where function and operation are ensured. For playground equipment that is exposed to great stress or damage, the checks should take place more frequently.
