CPSI Hazard Identification and Assessment 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A CPSI inspector documents a broken bottle embedded in loose sand surfacing near a toddler swing. Under hazard severity classification, this is best categorized as:
- Low priority — schedule for next routine maintenance
- Moderate — repair within 30 days
- Imminent hazard — close equipment area immediately (Correct answer)
- Nuisance — note in report without formal action
Correct answer: Imminent hazard — close equipment area immediately
A sharp foreign object embedded in surfacing used by toddlers presents an imminent risk of serious laceration and requires immediate closure and remediation.
Question 2: Which of the following correctly describes the 'critical fall height' of a piece of playground equipment?
- The maximum height a child could fall from before surfacing is no longer effective
- The height of the highest designated play surface on the equipment (Correct answer)
- The drop height at which the surfacing must achieve a Gmax of exactly 200
- The height from which a fall is statistically most likely to occur
Correct answer: The height of the highest designated play surface on the equipment
Critical fall height is defined as the height of the highest designated play surface, which determines the minimum surfacing performance required.
Question 3: An inspector finds that adjacent swings on a single-axis swing frame are spaced 18 inches apart (seat edge to seat edge). What hazard does this present?
- No hazard; 18 inches exceeds the minimum 12-inch requirement
- Collision hazard; swings must be at least 24 inches apart (Correct answer)
- Entanglement hazard; chains can intertwine at 18-inch spacing
- Fall hazard; children cannot mount swings safely at that spacing
Correct answer: Collision hazard; swings must be at least 24 inches apart
CPSC guidelines require a minimum of 24 inches between adjacent swings to prevent children on adjacent swings from colliding.
Question 4: A school purchases a residential-grade swing set and installs it on school grounds for public use. What is the primary inspection concern?
- Residential equipment is inherently more colorful and distracting for children
- Residential equipment is not designed or tested to meet ASTM F1487 public-use standards (Correct answer)
- Residential equipment is always made of inferior materials with shorter lifespan
- Residential equipment cannot be inspected by a CPSI under their certification scope
Correct answer: Residential equipment is not designed or tested to meet ASTM F1487 public-use standards
Residential equipment is manufactured to ASTM F2373 for home use and does not meet the more rigorous ASTM F1487 standards required for public playgrounds.
Question 5: During an environmental hazard assessment, a CPSI finds a playground surrounded by dense shrubbery that limits sightlines from the street and building. This primarily represents:
- A fall hazard due to roots pushing up the surfacing
- A supervision hazard that enables predatory behavior and reduces response to injury (Correct answer)
- A maintenance hazard due to debris accumulation
- A trip hazard from fallen branches entering the use zone
Correct answer: A supervision hazard that enables predatory behavior and reduces response to injury
Poor visibility into a play area is a recognized environmental hazard because it impedes supervision and can enable predatory access to children.
Question 6: A CPSI completes an inspection and finds several hazards of varying severity. According to best practice, which hazard must be remediated before the inspector leaves the site?
- A faded painted surface on a climber post
- Loose-fill surfacing displacement in non-critical areas
- An open S-hook on a swing chain that allows the seat to detach (Correct answer)
- Minor surface rust on the underside of a climber bar
Correct answer: An open S-hook on a swing chain that allows the seat to detach
An open S-hook that can allow swing seat detachment is an imminent hazard; the inspector must ensure the equipment is closed or the hazard corrected before leaving.
Question 7: A CPSI inspector assesses a public playground near a busy road and finds the fence gate latch operates from outside the playground without a child-resistant mechanism. What hazard category does this represent?
- Entrapment hazard from the latch mechanism itself
- Environmental/egress hazard allowing unsupervised exit into traffic (Correct answer)
- Maintenance deficiency requiring routine repair scheduling
- Structural hazard due to compromised fence integrity
Correct answer: Environmental/egress hazard allowing unsupervised exit into traffic
A gate that children can open from inside — especially near traffic — is an environmental hazard because it enables unsupervised egress into a dangerous area.
CPSI Hazard Identification and Assessment 5
A CPSI inspector documents a broken bottle embedded in loose sand surfacing near a toddler swing.
Under hazard severity classification, this is best categorized as: