CPSI Risk Management and Documentation 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A school district is deciding whether to retain playground inspection records. What is the recommended minimum retention period for these documents?
- 1 year
- 3 years
- Until the child who last used the equipment turns 21, or as required by local law (Correct answer)
- Permanently
Correct answer: Until the child who last used the equipment turns 21, or as required by local law
Because minors can file suit after reaching adulthood, records should be retained until the statute of limitations expires — often tied to the child turning 21 — or per applicable state law.
Question 2: Which element is NOT typically included in a standard playground inspection report?
- Inspector's name and credentials
- Weather conditions at time of inspection
- Contact information for the equipment manufacturer's CEO (Correct answer)
- Specific equipment items inspected with condition ratings
Correct answer: Contact information for the equipment manufacturer's CEO
Standard inspection reports capture inspector credentials, conditions, and equipment ratings, but do not require individual manufacturer executive contact details.
Question 3: A CPSI is developing a risk management plan for a new playground. Which step should come FIRST?
- Purchasing liability insurance
- Conducting a baseline hazard identification assessment before the playground opens (Correct answer)
- Training maintenance staff on equipment repair
- Installing signage with park rules
Correct answer: Conducting a baseline hazard identification assessment before the playground opens
A baseline hazard identification assessment must precede all other risk management steps so that existing conditions are documented before any use occurs.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of a 'corrective action log' in playground risk management?
- To track the budget spent on repairs
- To record identified hazards, assigned responsibility, target dates, and confirmation of completion (Correct answer)
- To document complaints received from park users
- To log the hours spent by inspection staff
Correct answer: To record identified hazards, assigned responsibility, target dates, and confirmation of completion
A corrective action log creates an accountable record linking each identified hazard to a responsible party, deadline, and verification that the fix was completed.
Question 5: Under a comprehensive risk management program, who should receive copies of a completed playground incident report?
- Only the injured child's family upon request
- The supervising organization, legal counsel if applicable, and the insurance carrier (Correct answer)
- The local media to promote transparency
- Only the inspector who filed the report
Correct answer: The supervising organization, legal counsel if applicable, and the insurance carrier
Incident reports must be routed to organizational management, insurance carriers, and legal counsel so each can fulfill their respective responsibilities.
Question 6: A playground operator chooses not to repair a low-level hazard because 'no one has been hurt yet.' This attitude reflects which flawed risk management concept?
- Risk transfer
- Reactive rather than proactive risk management (Correct answer)
- Risk acceptance with proper documentation
- Cost-benefit neutrality
Correct answer: Reactive rather than proactive risk management
Waiting for an injury to occur before acting is a reactive approach that contradicts the proactive hazard identification and correction that defines sound risk management.
Question 7: When a CPSI conducts a post-incident investigation, what is the key goal beyond documenting what happened?
- Assigning blame to a staff member
- Identifying root causes to prevent recurrence (Correct answer)
- Calculating the cost of the injury to the organization
- Determining whether the injured party can pursue legal action
Correct answer: Identifying root causes to prevent recurrence
Post-incident investigations focus on root cause analysis so systemic failures can be corrected and similar incidents prevented in the future.
CPSI Risk Management and Documentation 5
A school district is deciding whether to retain playground inspection records.
What is the recommended minimum retention period for these documents?