NZS 5828 Playground Safety Guide – Play Safe Book
By Adam Stride
 
Practical guidance for safer, compliant playgrounds
The NZS 5828 Playground Safety Guide is a practical, field-tested resource for anyone responsible for playground safety, compliance, and risk management.
Whether you manage council parks, school playgrounds, early childhood centres, or commercial play spaces, this guide translates complex standards into clear, actionable advice you can apply immediately.
 
What this guide helps you do
Understand NZS 5828 playground safety requirements
Identify hazards and reduce the risk of injury
Improve surfacing, fall protection, and equipment safety
Apply best practice across a wide range of play environments
Move beyond compliance to create safe, engaging play spaces
 
Who this is for
This guide is trusted by:
Councils and parks & reserves teams
Schools and early childhood education (ECE) providers
Playground designers, architects, and contractors
Asset managers and facility operators
Suppliers and installers of playground equipment
 
More than just compliance
While aligned with NZS 5828:2015, this book goes further — helping you balance safety, usability, and real-world play outcomes.
 
It bridges the gap between:
Technical standards
Practical application
Day-to-day decision making
 
Comprehensive and standards-aligned
This guide incorporates and references key international and New Zealand standards, including:
NZS 5828:2015
EN 1176 (Parts 1–7, 10–11)
EN 1177 (Impact attenuating surfacing)
BS 7188
SNZ HB 5828.2
NZS 5828 Appendix A (ECE services)
 
It also reflects current licensing criteria for centre-based ECE services and widely accepted industry practices.
 
Written by an industry specialist
Authored by Adam Stride, founder of Playsafe Ltd and one of New Zealand’s leading playground safety specialists, this guide is used by professionals across New Zealand and internationally.
 
The bottom line
If you’re responsible for playgrounds, this isn’t just a book — it’s a practical tool for safer, more defensible decision-making.