Playground Safety Inspection Logger
CPSC/ASTM-style playground inspection log — surfacing depth, entrapment, protrusions, equipment wear — GPS-tagged, offline, exportable.
New playground inspection
High-frequency visual checks (weekly in season) plus a documented comprehensive inspection quarterly to annually by a certified inspector (CPSI).
Field guide: Playground Safety Inspection Logger
Around 200,000 children visit US emergency rooms from playground injuries each year, and the same two causes dominate everywhere: falls to inadequate surfacing, and head/clothing entrapments in openings that were fine until a guardrail broke or a swing seat was swapped. This logger encodes the CPSC Handbook and ASTM F1487 checks an inspector actually performs — surfacing depth in the fall zone, the 89–229 mm head-entrapment band, protruding hardware, open S-hooks, and the wear points (swing bearings, chains, plastic seats) that fail mid-season.
The condition scale matches park-operations reality: low-priority repairs queue for the next maintenance round, high-priority items get scheduled now, and remove-from-service findings mean the component is taped off or dismantled today. Loose-fill surfacing displaced under swings and slide exits is the most common finding in any program — it's also the cheapest fatality prevention you can buy with a rake.
Field tips
- Probe loose-fill depth at swing and slide landing zones, not the quiet corners — displacement concentrates exactly where falls do.
- Run a gloved hand under deck edges and rails: protruding bolts and sharp edges hide where eyes don't go.
- Carry the CPSC gauge set (or templates) — entrapment calls are measurements, not opinions.
Records are stored only in this browser (localStorage) — export regularly. This tool aids field documentation; it does not replace your agency's official inspection procedures or engineering judgment.
Playground Safety Inspection Logger — CPSC/ASTM-style playground inspection log — surfacing depth, entrapment, protrusions, equipment wear — GPS-tagged, offline, exportable. Free, offline-first and GPS-aware: open it on any phone, log in seconds, and hand your GIS team clean GeoJSON.
About Playground Safety Inspection Logger
Around 200,000 children visit US emergency rooms from playground injuries each year, and the same two causes dominate everywhere: falls to inadequate surfacing, and head/clothing entrapments in openings that were fine until a guardrail broke or a swing seat was swapped. This logger encodes the CPSC Handbook and ASTM F1487 checks an inspector actually performs — surfacing depth in the fall zone, the 89–229 mm head-entrapment band, protruding hardware, open S-hooks, and the wear points (swing bearings, chains, plastic seats) that fail mid-season.
How to use Playground Safety Inspection Logger
- 1Enter the playground / equipment id and tap 📍 GPS to pin the playground's exact location (or type coordinates).
- 2Work through the playground checklist — every field matches what a real inspection program records.
- 3Pick a condition on the Pass / Low-priority repair / High-priority repair / Remove from service ⚠ scale; actionable findings are tallied automatically.
- 4Add notes and log the inspection — it saves instantly to your device, even with zero signal.
- 5Export the round as CSV for your asset system, GeoJSON for the GIS, or print a clean report.
Why use Playground Safety Inspection Logger?
- ✓100% free, no sign-up — built for crews, not per-seat licences
- ✓Offline-first: records save to your device instantly and survive dead zones
- ✓One-tap GPS tagging with accuracy capture on every record
- ✓Exports CSV for asset systems, GeoJSON for GIS, and print-ready reports
- ✓Checklist and guidance aligned with CPSC Publication #325
Frequently asked questions
How deep should playground surfacing be?+
CPSC guidance calls for at least 9 inches (230 mm) of loose fill (wood chips, mulch, sand, pea gravel) for equipment up to 8 ft, maintained — not just installed. Engineered wood fiber and rubber systems are certified to a fall height (ASTM F1292); your job in the field is depth, displacement, compaction and contamination.
What is the head-entrapment band?+
Any rigid opening between 3.5 and 9 inches (89–229 mm) can pass a child's body but trap the head — the classic strangulation geometry. It appears when guardrails break, ladder rungs bend, or fencing is added casually. ASTM F1487 test probes exist precisely for this; flagged findings justify same-day closure of that component.
How often must playgrounds be inspected?+
Best practice layers frequencies: routine visual checks weekly or even daily in high-use season (surfacing, broken glass, vandalism), documented operational inspections monthly/quarterly (hardware, wear), and an annual comprehensive audit by a Certified Playground Safety Inspector. This log covers the first two layers and feeds the third.
Are open S-hooks really that serious?+
Yes — an S-hook open more than about the thickness of a dime can catch clothing or cords at the top of a swing's arc, and strangulation incidents trace to exactly this. Closing them takes pliers and seconds; finding them is what the inspection is for.
Embed Playground Safety Inspection Logger on your website
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