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Playground Inspections
Annual RPII Playground Inspections
An RPII playground inspection is an independent, expert check of your equipment and surfacing against BS EN 1176, giving you a clear, risk-rated report and evidence of your duty of care.
What it is
Annual RPII Playground Inspections
A playground inspection is a structured safety check of your play equipment and impact-absorbing surfacing, carried out against BS EN 1176. It runs on three levels: routine visual checks by your own staff, more detailed termly operational inspections, and one independent annual main inspection by an RPII-qualified inspector.
For a school, the annual main inspection is the one that really counts. It is carried out by someone with no stake in the equipment, and it gives you an honest, written picture of what is safe, what is wearing and what needs attention before it becomes a hazard.
- Independent RPII-qualified inspector
- Assessed to BS EN 1176
- Written risk-rated report
- Prioritised, budgetable actions
- Photographs of every issue
- Evidence of duty of care
Found a fault at your inspection? Request a repair, or see all repairs and maintenance.
Good to know
What the annual report gives you
Every finding is risk-rated, so you can see at a glance what needs fixing now, what to plan for this year and what simply needs watching. Each point is backed by a photograph, which makes it easy to brief your site team, your governors or a contractor.
Because the actions are prioritised, the report doubles as a maintenance plan you can budget from. You are not handed a vague list; you get a clear order of work that helps you spend your money where it protects pupils most.
Why Commercial Play
The benefits at a glance
Three-tier checks
Routine visual, termly operational and an independent annual main inspection.
Independent assurance
An RPII-qualified inspector with no stake in the equipment tells you the truth.
Clear risk ratings
Findings are graded so urgent hazards are never lost among minor wear.
Plan and budget ahead
Prioritised actions become a maintenance plan you can cost and schedule.
FAQs
Playground Inspections: common questions
How often should a school playground be inspected?
Best practice is a three-tier routine: brief visual checks by staff (often daily or weekly), a more detailed operational inspection each term, and one independent annual main inspection. The annual inspection should be carried out by an RPII-qualified inspector.
Who is qualified to inspect play equipment?
The recognised qualification is RPII, the Register of Play Inspectors International. An RPII-registered inspector is trained to assess equipment and surfacing against BS EN 1176, which is why the independent annual inspection should be carried out by one.
What does the inspection report actually cover?
It covers the condition of your equipment and impact-absorbing surfacing, any faults or wear, and the level of risk each one presents. Every issue is risk-rated and photographed, with a prioritised list of actions so you know what to tackle first.
Does an annual inspection prove we have met our duty of care?
An independent annual inspection, kept on file with your routine checks and any repairs, is strong evidence that you take play safety seriously. It shows you have identified risks and acted on them, which is exactly what a duty of care asks of you.
The rest of the range
More repairs & maintenance options
Part of our full repairs & maintenance range — explore the other surfaces below.
Playground Refurbishment
A playground refurbishment refreshes a tired area, resurfacing, re-marking, re-coating and replacing selected equipment, to transform how it looks and plays for a fraction of a full rebuild.
View playground refurbishmentEN 1176 & EN 1177
BS EN 1176 and BS EN 1177 are the British and European standards for playground safety: one covers the equipment, the other the impact-absorbing surfacing and the fall heights it must protect against.
View en 1176 & en 1177Thinking about playground inspections?
Book a free site visit and we'll measure up, recommend the right surface and send a clear, fixed quote.