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Playground Safety

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Pembina Trails school division will endeavour to provide safe school grounds with a focus on recognizing the importance of creating and sustaining healthy, natural school grounds that support child development and learning.

The information on this site is intended to provide school administrators, parent advisory council's (PAC), teachers, custodians, parents, contractors and design professionals with  details related to the creation of safe, sustainable, natural and creative outdoor spaces for children.  These policies and guidelines have been provided to assist school teams in navigating the planning, design and construction process in order to provide long-term sustainability of our school playgrounds. 

It is important to recognize that any and all proposed modifications to school sites require the approval of Facilities & Operations Department and become the property of Pembina Trails school division upon completion.

Maintenance of the play structure including inspections and repairs shall be the responsibility of the school division.  The replacement of any missing, damaged, defective or end of life components shall be the responsibility of the sponsoring group (PAC).


 


PLAYGROUND INSPECTIONS:  

Play in a safe outdoor environment promotes good health and reduces the risk of injury to staff and children. This provision requires that outdoor play spaces, fixed structures and surfacing be inspected regularly to ensure they meet the requirements of the CSA standard for playgrounds, CSA Z614 Children's Playspaces and Equipment.


Custodial Inspections:

Each morning a designated staff member, school custodian, will be responsible to check the playground using the Daily Playground Inspection Checklist before children are allowed to enter the playground and play. This includes checking for hazardous debris or litter, damage caused by vandalism, operation of gates, excessive wear, deterioration, potential hazards and removing any strings or ropes of any kind.  Any defects that are observed, must be immediately reported to Facilities & Operations Carpentry Supervisor for repairs.


Annual Inspections:

Annual inspection will be conducted by a certified playground safety inspector. Any issues identified from the inspection will be reported to the Principal and Facilities & Operations for repairs.


Playground Audit:

A playground audit is an initial or follow-up comprehensive examination of a playground. The purpose of an audit is to review a playground for compliance with the CSA standard for Children's Playspaces and Equipment.  Audits s be conducted by a Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI).

When should an audit occur:

  • When a playground is newly installed
  • After catastrophe or serious damage occurs to the playground
  • When the playground or pieces of a structure are relocated


Please contact Facilities & Operations or the divisional Safety Officer if an audit is required.




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