Getting started
Getting started with playground inspection
The four things a playground routine has to answer, and the first steps — for owners' associations, kindergartens, schools and municipalities.
Updated
Short answer
A working playground routine has four parts: a list of the equipment, written routines for inspection and maintenance, a written judgement of risk and intervals, and a log showing that the routines are followed and that defects get closed. You start by registering the equipment and carrying out one routine visual inspection.
How to do it in Lekko
Lekko helps you keep track of the inspections on your playground — whether you are an owners' association, a property manager, a kindergarten, a school or a municipality. You register the equipment, carry out inspections against ready-made checklists, follow up defects, and can produce a complete set of documentation at any time.
The aim is calm and an overview: you should always know what is in order, what is coming up for inspection, and be able to show it the moment somebody asks.
The first steps
- 1Sign in with your e-mail address. You get a sign-in link by e-mail, with no password. The first time, a short set-up asks you to name your organisation.
- 2Create your areas under Settings — for example “The courtyard” or “Behind the fence”. This is optional, but it makes the list easier to read.
- 3Add the equipment under Equipment, one at a time, ideally with a photograph and a position on the map.
- 4Carry out a first routine visual inspection, so that you have a starting point for when the next one falls due.
The tool is made to be used on a phone out on the site, including where the signal is poor. What you record is saved as soon as the connection is back.
On a phone the everyday functions sit in the menu at the bottom. Under “More” you will find Documents, Settings, My account, Help and Sign out.
Background
What the standard builds on
EN 1176-7 assumes that whoever owns playground equipment keeps it under regular inspection, and it describes three levels: a frequent routine visual inspection, a more thorough operational inspection, and an annual main inspection. It does not give a fixed interval for the first two — it expects the owner to judge how hard the site is used and to set the intervals from that.
Lekko builds on EN 1176 and EN 1177. It says that the equipment has been checked against those standards — not that any national requirement has been met. What makes the standard binding is national law, and that differs across the countries this market covers, so we do not claim to know what applies where you are.
Questions and answers
How long does it take to get started?
An afternoon for a normal-sized site. The heaviest part is the list of equipment; once that exists, the first routine visual inspection is a quarter of an hour, and it is that quarter of an hour that comes back.
Do we need everything in place before we start inspecting?
No, and waiting is the worst option available. Start with the list and a first round. You write down the routines and the intervals once you have seen what the site actually looks like.
Sources
- EN 1176 and EN 1177 – CEN/TC 136 Sports, playground and other recreational facilities and equipment (CEN-CENELEC)
- CEN-CENELEC: European Standards, and how members adopt them nationally
This article gives a practical account of the requirements. It does not reproduce the standards EN 1176 and EN 1177, and it does not replace the annual main inspection by a competent person. If you are unsure what applies to your playground, ask a competent person or the relevant authority in your own country.
Less fuss. Lekko remembers.
Ready-made checklists built from EN 1176 and EN 1177, a reminder before every inspection, and a report you can hand over in one click.