CPSI Playground Audits and Inspection 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When assessing a spring rider for a 2–5 age group area, a CPSI finds the maximum angle of incline during normal use is 35 degrees. According to ASTM F1487, this is:
- Acceptable since it is under 45 degrees
- A violation because spring riders must remain stationary
- A violation because the maximum allowable angle is typically 28 degrees (Correct answer)
- Acceptable for all age groups
Correct answer: A violation because the maximum allowable angle is typically 28 degrees
ASTM F1487 limits the maximum angle of incline for spring riders to 28 degrees to prevent children from being thrown off.
Question 2: A playground operator asks a CPSI whether a 7-year-old can safely use equipment designed for ages 5–12. The CPSI should respond that:
- The child is too young for that equipment zone
- The child falls within the intended user age range and the equipment is designed for that developmental stage (Correct answer)
- Age ranges on equipment are suggestions, not safety guidelines
- The equipment must be re-inspected before any child of that age uses it
Correct answer: The child falls within the intended user age range and the equipment is designed for that developmental stage
Age-appropriate design ranges are based on developmental abilities, and a 7-year-old falls within the 5–12 age group for which equipment is designed and safety-tested.
Question 3: A CPSI is auditing a tot lot and notices a guardrail with an opening of 6 inches. For equipment designed for 6–23 month users, this is:
- Acceptable since it is under 9 inches
- A hazard because openings between 3.5 and 9 inches are entrapment risks (Correct answer)
- Safe because guardrails do not apply to equipment for users under 2
- Only a concern if the platform height is below 20 inches
Correct answer: A hazard because openings between 3.5 and 9 inches are entrapment risks
Any opening between 3.5 and 9 inches in a guardrail or barrier is a head entrapment hazard regardless of the user age group.
Question 4: Which condition would cause a CPSI to recommend immediate removal from service rather than scheduled maintenance?
- Paint that is faded but not chipped
- A missing bolt cap exposing a sharp, protruding bolt end at child face height (Correct answer)
- A swing seat with minor surface cracking but no structural failure
- Loose-fill surfacing that has been displaced but is still present
Correct answer: A missing bolt cap exposing a sharp, protruding bolt end at child face height
A sharp, protruding bolt end at child face height is an imminent impalement hazard requiring immediate removal from service, not deferred maintenance.
Question 5: When performing an operational inspection, how often should high-use playground equipment typically be inspected?
- Once per year
- Only after rain or storms
- Weekly or more frequently based on use and conditions (Correct answer)
- Monthly, in accordance with ASTM F1292
Correct answer: Weekly or more frequently based on use and conditions
Operational inspections for high-use equipment should occur weekly or more frequently to catch hazards like broken parts, vandalism, and surfacing displacement.
Question 6: A CPSI notices a climbing structure where the handhold spacing requires a child to reach more than 12 inches between grips. This is primarily a concern related to:
- Entanglement risk
- Age-appropriate design and risk of fall from failure to grip (Correct answer)
- Thermal burn hazard
- Entrapment between rungs
Correct answer: Age-appropriate design and risk of fall from failure to grip
Excessive handhold spacing exceeds the reach capabilities of the intended age group, increasing the risk of grip failure and falls — an age-appropriate design issue.
Question 7: After completing a formal audit, a CPSI should submit the written report to:
- The local media for public awareness
- The facility owner or operator and keep a copy for documentation (Correct answer)
- Only the certifying body (NRPA)
- Parents of children who use the playground
Correct answer: The facility owner or operator and keep a copy for documentation
The audit report must be delivered to the facility owner or operator who is responsible for taking corrective action, and a copy should be retained for the inspector's records.
CPSI Playground Audits and Inspection 5
When assessing a spring rider for a 2–5 age group area, a CPSI finds the maximum angle of incline during normal use is 35 degrees.
According to ASTM F1487, this is: