Playground Alert Level Guidance

Play Space

COVID 19, Back to Operation Guidance Information Page 1 of 4

Purpose The purpose of this process is to inform play space owners of best practice before the play spaces are reopened. This will ensure they are safe and secure for all users and we meet NZS 5828: 2015 Playground Safety Standards.

Playground equipment and play spaces may have been used during COVID-19 restrictions. As a result of COVID-19, equipment should be cleaned prior to opening, more so the equipment not exposed to natural weather (tunnel slides).

Play spaces have been exposed to environmental elements and possibly vandalism, without the normal inspections that highlight repairs and maintenance. There is the possibility of equipment failure, asset fatigue or seizure and vandalism within the play space, it is important that play spaces are made safe before these areas are open for public use.

Scope Cleaning recommendations and inspection of all play equipment and spaces that are in council parks and reserves, daycares, kindergartens, schools, holiday parks, hotels, retirement villages and private properties e.g. shopping plazas etc.

Definitions Playground equipment: Equipment and structures, including components and constructional elements with, or on which, children can play outdoors or indoors, either individually or in groups, according to their own rules or own reasons for playing which can change at any time.

External Play structures: Play equipment that is exposed to the elements that has no man-made structure covering the play space.

Internal play: Play structures not exposed to the weather, items covered by roofs that do not get washed by weather, play structures protected by shade structures.

Indoor play: Play structures inside buildings.

Play Space

COVID 19, Back to Operation Guidance Information Page 2 of 4

Personal Protective Clothing (PPC) and Equipment (PPE) Health, Safety & Environmental Instructions & Guidance Before commencing this work, you must be familiar with the relevant general and job specific safe work method statements.

These are to be covered during job induction and contained within your staff HSEQ folder. You must take all practicable steps to prevent harm to yourself, others and the environment. If you have an accident of any kind you must immediately report it to your team leader or manager.

Always wear the correct PPE (covered arms and legs, and protective gloves are your primary barrier against health and safety hazards). Always use gloves when cleaning. Do not pick up rubbish with your hands. Do not tip or allow any cleaning chemicals to enter a storm water drain.

Stormwater drains go straight out into rivers or the sea where your chemicals can harm the environment. Do not leave product residue on play surfaces, always soft wash with water to remove any product build up.

General Playground cleaning The following guidance will depend on the play space being inspected and cleaned. Is it a deep clean, regular clean, or a high-risk surfaces cleanse? Play items that are touched by children during play and are not directly exposed to the weather should be cleaned using the appropriate cleaning products.

Recommendations for play space cleaning: Items that will require cleaning: • Fully enclosed play equipment and/or internal play items with play not exposed to weather.

• Plastic play panels, climbers, slides, slide entry panels, sliding surfaces, covered by a roof or protected from weather.

• Play activities such as climbers, D loops, handles that provide support to climbing, tactile play elements, handrails, barriers, • Indoor play items and surfaces.

• Towers that are covered and do not have exposure to weather.

• Items that are showing mildew, dirt and detritus.

Consider: swings, flying fox handles, carousel rocker hand holds and seats,.

Play Space

COVID 19, Back to Operation Guidance Information Page 3 of 4

Cleaning should be undertaken on play equipment before a full operational inspection is completed, this will minimise any chance of transfer of contaminated surfaces.

Drying off and finishing To complete your clean the next step is drying off all wet surfaces and wiping down all areas that cleaning products could pond. Using a clean damp cloth, dry off each surface or remove ponding on slides or hard surfaces. Handrails and under seats where people hold are important to clean and dry off any residues.

It is especially important to check these areas regularly to ensure a quality clean.

Note: you must not use the same cleaning cloths between equipment and differing sites without sterilizing each time Product recommendations: Always check with your manufacturer what products they suggest for cleaning, always carry the appropriate MSD sheets of the products that are being used for safety.

Soft fall cleaning (If the surface is not washed by the weather then cleaning applies): Rake out all areas and remove any rubbish and sharps that is within the soft fall, fill all low points to correct levels.

Synthetic Surface e.g.; rubber Wash surfaces not exposed to the weather.

Sharps: Do not use your hands to pick up glass or dirty needles, even if wearing gloves. Use pincers and place directly into the Sharps container. If you suffer a needle stick injury it is important you immediately seek medical attention and if possible, retain the sharp and take it to the hospital or medical centre with you. Place the sharp in the small sharps container provided for this purpose. In all cases notify your team leader and/or seek medical attention

Play Space

COVID 19, Back to Operation Guidance Information Page 4 of 4

Playground inspection Routine and operational inspections o be undertaken.

Often playgrounds get vandalised and, for them to function properly again, some jobs need to be passed onto the maintenance team.

First assess the damage. You may find you can do something to fix it, for example, tightening the shackle on a seat. For other minor incidents, like a broken plank, or broken swing, you will need to keep a record and hand it into the office.

In cases of extreme vandalism, you will need to immediately call it into the office, so that it can be prioritised. Manage the problem as best as you can. Clean up any mess to minimise the risk to the public. Make safe the play equipment and put an ‘Out of Order’ sign up.

Under The Health and Safety at Work Act and subsequent Management of Health and Safety Regulations playground providers and playing space managers (people like you) have a legal duty and responsibility to ensure as far as is REASONABLY PRACTICABLE that the health and safety of those that use the facility is not compromised. In other words they do not harm themselves in the playground or on the play spaces.