Inspection and Maintenance of Playground Equipment Procedure

The Durham District School Board mandates that all playgrounds located on school property must comply 
with the current CSA Standard for Children’s Playspaces and Equipment.

Installation of new playground equipment is subject to Board Regulation: Recreational Equipment on Board 
Property and requires the approval of the Superintendent of Education/Facilities Services. The sponsoring 
organization is also required to involve the Purchasing Department early in the planning stages for a list of 
Board approved vendors for playground equipment (Board Procedure: Fundraising). Consultation with the 
Health and Safety Department is required to assist the sponsoring organization in selecting equipment that is appropriate for a school environment.

It is the responsibility of the SCC/sponsoring organization to maintain playground equipment at the current 
CSA Standard. This includes all financial obligations.

Each school is responsible for conducting daily and monthly inspections in accordance to the current CSA 
Standard. Checklists are appended to this procedure to assist with this process. The Health and Safety 
Department can provide training if requested.

The Board will fund and coordinate an annual comprehensive inspection on behalf of the SCC/sponsoring 
organization/school.

3.1 Daily/Weekly:

A visual inspection to identify defects or emerging problems will be conducted on a daily/weekly basis. The designated person, as assigned by the Principal, will check for any vandalism, harmful debris and note the condition of the protective surfacing. The daily/weekly inspection along with any action required is to be documented and kept at the school on file. Refer to Appendix 1: Daily/Weekly Playground Inspection Checklist.

3.2 Monthly:

The monthly inspection will include an examination of the physical structure of the playground (i.e. wear on chains and loose bolts). It is the responsibility of the Principal, to designate an individual for this responsibility. The monthly inspection along with any required repairs will be documented and kept on file at the school. Individuals responsible for conducting the Monthly Inspection shall refer to Appendix 2: Monthly Inspection Checklist. Guidance in conducting the monthly inspection is available by contacting the Health and Safety Department.

3.3 Annual:

The Health and Safety Department will initiate a third party inspection by a certified Canadian Parks 
and Recreation Playground Inspector of all playground equipment on Board property. The purpose of this comprehensive inspection is to ensure all equipment meets the current CSA Standard. The inspection report will be sent to the Principal, SCC/sponsoring organization and the Manager of Maintenance for action and retention. Technical assistance with inspection interpretation is available by contacting the Health & Safety Department.

The Principal will submit a written action plan outlining the measures to be taken to correct the deficiencies as identified in the Annual Inspection. The action plan will be submitted to the Manager of Health and Safety within four weeks of receipt of the Annual Inspection. Failure to take corrective action could result in closure or removal of the playground. Notification will be given to the SCC/sponsoring organization of the equipment closure or removal.

The Durham Region Health Department in conjunction with the Health & Safety Department will perform a 
joint annual audit by randomly selecting playground equipment from each city/township. A report will be 
sent to the Principal through the Health & Safety Department outlining any corrective action required.

5.1 Minor Maintenance and Repair

Minor maintenance and repairs will be coordinated through the Principal and communicated to the SCC/sponsoring organization. This is limited to items such as the maintenance of protective surfacing and tightening of loose bolts.

5.2 Major Maintenance and Repair

Major maintenance and repair is to be carried out only by qualified individuals with a thorough knowledge of the current CSA Standard for Children’s Playspaces and Equipment.

The Principal will contact the manufacturer of the equipment or a Board approved contractor to conduct any major maintenance or repair. The Health and Safety Department will maintain a list of contact numbers and will be available for consultation on repairs.

Written confirmation of repairs must be forwarded to the Manager of Health and Safety, and communicated to the SCC/sponsoring organization. 

Winter weather conditions such as snow build-up, ice/freezing rain, or temperatures below 0 degrees C can 
make equipment unsafe for use. The Ontario School Boards’ Insurance Exchange recommends that playground equipment cannot be operated safely under these winter weather conditions. Therefore, under 
these circumstances, playground equipment should be placed off limits. It is the responsibility of the Principal 
to designate the equipment off limits by issuing announcements and/or flagging off the equipment.

The Principal is responsible for assigning adequate supervision. Individuals responsible for supervision can 
refer to Appendix 3: Supervision Checklist - Guidelines for Effective Supervision.