5 Jul 2017
In This Issue
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Welcome Kim
The team welcomes Kim Cooke to the Playground Advisory Unit. Kim has been involved in the design and development of outdoor playspaces with a specific interest in creating ‘mindfulness’ opportunities for children through the use of exploration in natural playspaces.
Kim has extensive experience in local government across all education and care service types and is enthusiastic about providing exciting, safe and challenging environments for children of all ages. Kim aims to continue nurturing valuable partnerships with the community, playspace designers and builders to create amazing and safe playspaces for children and young people. We are excited to have Kim join the Kidsafe team!
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NATIONAL NEWS
Standards Update
Standards Australia expects to publish AS4685 Part 0 Playground equipment and surfacing- development, installation, inspection, maintenance and operation later in 2017. Kidsafe NSW conduct webinars to highlight and explain the main changes to the Standard. WATCH THIS SPACE!
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INSPECTION AND TRAINING
2017 Schedule
The Kidsafe NSW Playground Advisory Unit (PAU) schedules visits to regional NSW throughout the year. The visit may include accredited training or workshops and the opportunity for playground owners to engage the PAU for a Comprehensive Playground Inspection. Other services are available upon request (refer to Kidsafe.nsw.org).
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ACCREDITED TRAINING
Playground Inspection Courses
Visual Playground Inspection Course - AHCPGD206 Conduct visual inspection of park facilities. This one day course provides participants with the knowledge and skills to conduct routine inspection to identify visual hazards in parks, recreational facilities and playgrounds.
Operational Playground Inspection Course - AHCPGD305 Conduct operational inspection of park facilities. This 2 day course provides participants with the knowledge and skills to conduct operational inspection of parks, recreational facilities and playgrounds to identify hazards, existing and potential risks, non-compliance with Australian Standards, and workplace health and safety requirements.
Click here for more information, training dates and registration details.
Contact Kidsafe NSW for in house training for your organisation.
P: 02 9845 0890 or E: schn-kidsafe@health.nsw.gov.au
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PLAYGROUND SAFETY
Clothing and Toggle Entrapment
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued voluntary guidelines for suppliers in June 2011 for the removal of cords, drawstrings and toggles from the manufacturing of children‘s clothing. According to the ACCC, concerns regarding children‘s clothing are where jewellery, scarves, cords and toggles in children‘s clothing may become entrapped in small gaps whilst using play equipment, exiting transport such as buses and within nursery furniture such as cots.
The Australian Standard for Playground Equipment AS4685:2014 provides specifications for the design and manufacture of playground equipment in order to eliminate cord/toggle entrapment hazards.
There are reports of incidents where, during play, a children’s hats or clothing became entrapped on playground equipment leaving the child suspended from the straps of the hat. The incidents were not fatal however injuries included severe lacerations to a child’s neck with risk of damage to vocal cords. Similar issues arise with scarves, hooded clothing and jewellery.
The ACCC guidelines do not represent a standard or mandatory requirement for clothing manufacturers and suppliers. Education and care services and schools are encouraged to develop a policy to monitor the wearing of jewellery, scarves, hats and use of cords, drawstrings and toggles on clothing worn by children to the service or school.
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PLAYGROUND INFORMATION
Moveable Play Equipment
A minimum impact area of 1500mm is required surrounding moveable equipment items measuring 600mm or more above the playing surface.
Moveable Play Equipment - A guide for playground owners and educators is a guide to assist teachers, educators and playground operators provide great ideas for creative, fun use, set up and sound work health and safety practices.
Click here to preview and purchase a copy.
For councils and organisations using a purchase order to request an invoice, please contact the office:
P: 02 9845 0890 or E: schn-kidsafe@health.nsw.gov.au
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Fencing Playspaces
A fence around a public playspace may assist with the containment of children, preventing them from running into hazards such as a busy road, and keeping animals and undesired traffic out.
While not a requirement that a public playspace has a fence, playspaces that do have fences should meet design requirements for playground safety and consider local government codes.
The Building Code of Australia (BCA) requires that fencing surrounding education and care services meets the fencing requirements for pools. Minimum height for boundary fencing is 1800mm and all other fencing a minimum height of 1200mm.
Click here for more information.
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PLAYGROUND PICK
The Happy Garden
The Happy Garden, Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, NSW was awarded the Leycester Meares Memorial Award - Special Recognition for Innovative Design in the 2016 Kidsafe National Playspace Design Awards.
This dreamlike and mystical play space in Sydney Children’s Hospital began as a ‘Fairy Sparkle’ vision and was planned by its community, designed by Outhouse Designs and developed in conjunction with many generous stakeholders who donated time, money and resources into this amazing and engaging space.
Once a hot, awkward under-utilised concrete balcony, the space has been transformed into a magical garden providing respite and distraction from the challenging situations families are faced with in the Children’s Hospital. This wonderful space inspires imagination and provokes thoughts for those who use this space taking them to enchanted mindscapes.
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