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Play Safely.
School Playground Safety & Maintenance Training
Practical one-day playground safety training for school caretakers, property managers and facilities teams
School playgrounds are used every day, in all weather, by children of different ages, abilities and behaviours. Keeping them safe requires more than simply waiting for an annual inspection report.
Playsafe’s School Playground Safety & Maintenance Training has been developed specifically for school caretakers, property managers, facilities staff and school teams who are responsible for the day-to-day safety, inspection and maintenance of playground equipment and surfacing.
This practical one-day course gives school staff the confidence to identify common hazards, understand inspection requirements, prioritise maintenance, document issues correctly and manage playground safety more effectively.
Get recognised certification in school playground inspection.
Course Overview
The Playsafe School Playground Inspection & Maintenance Course is a practical, hands-on training programme designed for the people who look after school playgrounds on a daily or weekly basis.
Participants will learn how to recognise common playground hazards, understand routine inspection requirements, identify maintenance priorities and improve record keeping in line with good playground safety management practice.
The course combines classroom-based learning with a guided practical playground inspection at a real school playground, helping participants apply what they learn directly to the environments they manage.
This is ideal for schools wanting to improve internal playground checks, support health and safety systems, and reduce the risk of small defects becoming serious safety issues.
✔ NZS 5828 & EN1176 aligned and focused for School Playgrounds
✔ Theory + practical playground assessment
✔ Nationally recognised certification
✔ Ideal for new or experienced Property Managers and Caretakers
Who Should Attend?
This course is designed for:
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School caretakers
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Property managers
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Facilities managers
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Grounds staff
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Health and safety representatives
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Principals and senior leadership teams
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Board members responsible for property or safety
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Anyone responsible for school playground safety, maintenance or inspections
No prior playground inspection experience is required.
What You Will Learn
Playground Safety Fundamentals - Understand the purpose of playground inspections, the importance of maintenance, and how playground risk should be managed in a school environment.
Topics include:
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Playground risk and injury prevention
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The role of routine inspections
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Introduction to NZS 5828 playground safety requirements
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How inspections support school health and safety systems
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Understanding the difference between routine checks and independent compliance inspections
Routine Playground Inspections
Learn what to look for during regular playground checks and how to identify defects before they become serious hazards.
Topics include:
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Daily and weekly inspection requirements
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Visual checks versus more detailed operational checks
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Inspection frequency and documentation
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What should be recorded
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How to identify high-risk defects
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When to escalate an issue for professional review
Common Playground Hazards
Participants will learn how to recognise common playground safety issues found in schools.
Topics include:
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Entrapment hazards
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Fall heights and impact areas
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Surfacing defects and wear
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Sharp edges and protrusions
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Loose, missing or damaged components
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Structural movement and stability concerns
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Wear, corrosion and timber deterioration
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Trip hazards and maintenance-related risks
Playground Surfacing & Fall Protection
Understand the importance of playground surfacing and how poor surface maintenance can affect safety.
Topics include:
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Impact attenuating surfacing
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Loose-fill surface maintenance
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Synthetic surface wear and defects
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Grass and natural surface considerations
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High-wear areas under swings, slides and climbing equipment
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When surfacing may require professional testing or replacement
Playground Maintenance Priorities
Learn how to assess playground issues and prioritise repairs based on risk.
Topics include:
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Practical maintenance techniques
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Managing temporary controls
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When to close equipment
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Contractor management
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Replacement parts and supplier documentation
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Record keeping and maintenance evidence
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Communicating defects to school leadership or boards
Practical Site Assessment
A key part of the course is the guided practical playground inspection. Participants undertake a real-world site assessment at a local school playground, where they will learn how to identify, assess and document common playground defects.
This practical session helps turn classroom learning into real inspection skills that can be used immediately back at school.
Course Outcomes
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
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Understand school playground inspection and maintenance requirements
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Identify common playground hazards and defects
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Recognise when an issue requires urgent action
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Understand maintenance priorities and temporary controls
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Improve playground record keeping and risk management
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Communicate playground safety concerns more clearly
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Basic Inspection checklist template
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Receive a Playsafe Certificate of School Playground Inspection & Maintenance
Course Format
Duration: 1 day
🕗 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Classroom training: Approx. 5 hours
Practical onsite assessment: Approx. 1.5 hours
Location: Playsafe Ltd, 29A Hannigan Drive, St Johns, Auckland, with practical assessment at a local school playground
Delivery: Classroom learning, practical examples, group discussion and guided site inspection
Course Fee: $695 + GST per person
Includes:
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Full one-day training
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Course materials
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Practical onsite playground inspection session
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Certificate of NZS5828 School Playground Inspection & Maintenance CPD
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Refreshments during classroom sessions
Why This Training Matters
School playgrounds change over time. Bolts loosen, surfacing wears, timber deteriorates, ropes stretch, moving parts wear out and small defects can quickly become serious risks.
Annual inspections are important, but they are only one part of a good playground safety system. Schools also need confident internal staff who can carry out regular checks (Routine and Operational) to identify obvious hazards and act early.
This course helps school teams build practical capability, improve safety outcomes and support better maintenance planning.
Important Note
This training is designed to support routine inspection, maintenance awareness and day-to-day playground safety management. It does not replace the need for independent playground compliance inspections, post-installation certification, surface impact testing or specialist assessment where required within NZS5828.
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Training Information
Trainer
Adam Stride — Founder & Director, Playsafe Ltd
Adam Stride is one of New Zealand’s leading playground safety and compliance specialists, with more than 20 years’ experience in playground design, compliance auditing, construction, maintenance, inspection and risk assessment.
Adam is an RPII Level 3 Outdoor Playground Inspector, RPII Level 4 Indoor Enclosed Play Inspector and certified Surface Impact Testing Specialist. He works with schools, councils, early childhood services, contractors, suppliers and designers throughout New Zealand and internationally.
Adam is known for his practical, real-world approach to playground safety and his ability to explain complex standards in a way that caretakers, property managers and school teams can apply on site.
About Playsafe Training
The Gold Standard in playground safety and compliance.
Playsafe is New Zealand’s leading independent playground safety consultancy, providing playground inspections, impact testing, training, compliance auditing and advisory services throughout New Zealand and internationally.
Our training is delivered by experienced playground safety specialists who work across schools, councils, ECE centres, contractors, suppliers and commercial play environments.
We provide practical, independent and standards-based guidance to help organisations create and maintain play spaces that are safe, compliant and fit for purpose.
Prevent | Protect | Play
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Hear what our clients say!
"I recommend this course. I literally incorporated what I learned the very next day auditing our Playgrounds and open spaces. Well worth money.''
Auckland City Council