Playground service programme launched

Playground safety is a constant worry to every parent. Since the introduction of local councils, a lot of work has been done to upgrade Malta's playgrounds. However, more work is needed, especially in terms of on-going maintenance and conformity to the European Playground Safety Standard.

John G. Cassar Ltd, a company with several years of experience in the supply and installation of playgrounds, has been involved with the building of playgrounds for the past ten yearss, both locally and abroad. They are now introducing a Playground Service Programme (PSP).

PSP is based on Part 7 of the European Playground Safety Standard EN1176, and is intended to help local councils and other entities which have play areas within their responsibility to maintain them well within accepted safety standards. It is also intended to help local councils conform to their legal obligations with regard to the ongoing maintenance of playgrounds in their locality.

PSP delves into various aspects of playground safety, ranging from assessing the structural stability and efficiency of play equipment to their cleanliness. The PSP also ensures that all fixtures are in place, lubricates moving parts, checks welding joints, chains, ropes and cables, and sees that no hazardous or pointed objects are present. Each maintenance visit is logged for future reference.

The maintenance programme is flexible in that it seeks to accommodate the specific needs of the entity responsible and the specific requirements of their playground.

The programme is divided into various phases which ensure that the playground is regularly and professionally inspected and maintained. It also provides peace of mind and ensures that detailed information regarding the play equipment is being recorded.

PSP is also a cost-saving exercise - installed equipment will be maintained at accepted standards for a longer period, thus avoiding the need to replace at considerable capital outlay.