FAQS

Your Questions, Answered

Frequently asked questions FAQ’s

“What is your company’s purpose?”

The Nordic Playground Institute (NPGI) was established to provide the playground industry with a means of certifying products and people. Our mission includes placing children’s motor skills development on the agenda for playground developers and owners worldwide.

We focus on:

Impartial inspections: Ensuring the safety and compliance of playground equipment.
Consultancy services: Offering expert advice to playground developers, designers, owners, customers and authorities.
Certification: Certifying both products and staff to maintain high safety standards.

Our work helps ensure that playgrounds are safe and beneficial for children’s physical development both physical and mental.

“Is the Nordic Playground Institute (NPGI) ISO 9001 certified?”

Yes, the Nordic Playground Institute (NPGI) is ISO 9001 certified. ISO 9001 is a quality management system certification.

“What services do you offer?”

Independent inspections and certifications of play equipment, playgrounds, multi-use games areas (MUGA’s), skate parks, bounce houses, trampoline parks and parkour facilities to name but a few.

“Where are you located?”

We are based in Derby but cover the whole of the UK

“Should the playground be inspected every year?”

YES, It should comply with the playground safety requirement in the standard BS EN1176. The playground standard requires that an annual playground inspection and safety assessment of the playground and play equipment must be carried out. The playground inspection must be carried out by an independent playground inspector i.e. a competent person who was not directly involved in the installation and is not responsible for possible correction works or expenses. This will ensure an independent inspection of the play equipment.

“Do playground inspectors have to be Certified to inspect playgrounds?”

Yes, playgrounds should be inspected annually by a qualified, independent inspector. This is a legal requirement and is recommended by the Health and Safety Executive and the British and European safety standard BS EN1176.

“Why should playgrounds inspections be carried out?”

To ensure the long-term safety of the playground
To meet legal and insurance responsibilities
To comply with the European Playground Standard (BS EN1176)

“Are there requirements for testing of fall protection surfaces?”

Yes, there is. BS EN 1176 & BS EN 1177 the Standard for Impact attenuating playground surfacing. Methods of testing for determination of impact attenuation of the surface. There are exceptions if the surface is sand, gravel, chippings or grass. All newly laid surfaces must be tested with a HIC tester. This is testing equipment for playground inspection that a Certified inspector carries.

“Do playgrounds need a certification?”

Yes, a Playground certification is needed before it can be sold and after it is installed.

Product Certification: Products are certified at the manufacturers premises so they can be sold as compliant with the standard BS EN1176
Post-installation inspections: Post-installation playground inspections by are crucial because they verify that a newly installed playground has been built and assembled correctly, meeting safety standards, and ensuring there are no potential hazards for children by checking for issues like improper installation, missing parts, incorrect surfacing depth, or any other defects that could compromise the play area’s safety, even if the equipment itself is certified; essentially acting as a vital part of a risk assessment to guarantee the playground is fit for use. This is why an independent inspection, post install is crucial as they ensure the installers/supplier adhere to the standards giving the customer what they have paid for.

“Is Playground safety important?”

Playgrounds and outdoor play equipment offer kids fresh air, friends, fun, and exercise. But it’s important to make sure that faulty equipment, improper surfaces, and unsafe behaviour don’t ruin the fun. Each year, more than 200,000 kids are treated in hospital ERs for playground-related injuries

“What is BS EN 1177?”

BS EN 1177 is a European standard that specifies a method for testing and determining the impact attenuation properties of playground surfacing materials, essentially defining the “critical fall height” which indicates the maximum safe fall height for a particular surface, aiming to reduce the risk of head injuries from falls on playground equipment; it is considered the key standard for ensuring safe playground surfacing materials across Europe, including in the UK where it is referred to as BS EN 1177.

“What is standard BS EN 1176?”

BS EN 1176 is a set of standards for the design, installation, maintenance, and safety of playground equipment and surfacing in public spaces. It’s used in many European countries.

BS EN 1176 was developed by experts from the UK and across Europe and is used in all major European countries. BS EN 1176 only covers play equipment and surfacing in public play areas, such as local authority parks, schools, pubs, holiday parks and shopping outlets.

“What does standard BS EN 1176 cover?”

Equipment: Playground equipment, fencing, and gates
Surfacing: Impact-attenuating surfaces
Installation: How to install equipment safely and in accordance with national building regulations
Maintenance: How to maintain equipment and establish a maintenance and inspection regime
Safety: How to establish a safety system and ensure that unsafe equipment and areas are not accessible

“Why is BS EN 1176 important?”

It helps to create safe spaces for children to play
It helps to reduce the risk of accidents
It promotes activities that can help children develop skills that will help them cope outside of the playground

“Do only playgrounds need to be safety assessed?”

No. When the legislation refers to requirements for inspection of, for example, amusement parks, it deals with a number of activity areas and the requirements are primarily for bouncy castles, bouncy castles and trampolines. A “playground” can also be a skate park, a multi-purpose court, exercise equipment, parkour equipment both indoors and outdoors.

“When is the playground private?”

As a rule, a public playground is accessible to many citizens. It is the councils that administers permits for where playgrounds and activity areas may be built through building permits. Is the playground private if it is built/set up on private land in connection with a restaurant, a shop or an association? No, it is not, it is considered public. Private is most often understood to mean the requirements that are set for tools that are sold to consumers for installation in the garden at home.

“Do you have to use RoSPA to inspect playgrounds in the UK?”

No, you don’t have to use RoSPA to inspect playgrounds in the UK, but they are one organisation that can perform inspections. Other organisations that can perform inspections include:

Insurance companies
Playground equipment manufacturers
Commercial companies, such as the Nordic Playground Institute (NPGI)

“What Standards can Nordic Playground Institute Inspectors, inspect and certify?”

EN 1176-1 Playground equipment and surfacing – General safety measures and tests

EN 1176-2 Swings – Additional safety measures and testing methods

EN 1176-3 Slides – Additional safety measures and testing methods

EN 1176-4 Cableways – Additional safety measures and testing methods

EN 1176-5 Carousels – Additional safety measures and testing methods

EN 1176-6 Rocking equipment – Additional safety measures and testing

EN 1176-7 Guidance on maintenance, inspection, and operation

EN 1176-10 Fully enclosed playground equipment – Additional measures

EN 1176-11 3-dimensional climbing structures – Additional safety measures

EN 1177 Impact attenuating playground surfacing

EN 13219 Gymnastic equipment – Trampolines

EN 14960-1 Inflatable play equipment – Bouncing castles

EN 14960-2 Inflatable play equipment – Bouncing pillows

EN 14960-3 Inflatable play equipment – Snappies

EN 14974 Skateparks – Safety measures

EN 15312 Free access multi-sports equipment

EN 16630 Permanently installed outdoor fitness equipment

EN 16899 Sports and recreational equipment – Parkour

“Does NPGI UK subscribe to the UN Goals?”

Yes, the institute is actively working on several of the goals with underlying sub-goals, including:

Goal No. 3: We will ensure a healthy life for everyone and promote well-being for all age groups. We are working purposefully to increase focus on better motor challenges and motor development in children and young people, and thereby help more people in the target group experience the joy of movement and thus play for health and well-being.

Goal No. 4: We will ensure equal access to quality education and promote everyone’s opportunities for lifelong learning. At the institute, it is important that our employees are always competent to perform their tasks in the best possible way, which is why we constantly upgrade their education and skills so that we are always at the forefront and thus help increase focus on better and greater motor challenges and motor development.

Goal 5: We will achieve gender equality and empower women and girls. We will ensure that women in the workplace have the opportunity to participate on an equal footing with men in decision-making. Women must be guaranteed full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels.