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PLAY TIME !

But only after Greenbelt staff pass exams...

Ever wondered how your play areas are so well managed? Why so few things go wrong?

Well, it's down to expert training, enthusiasm, and experience. 28 members of Greenbelt's site inspector staff and its contractors recently received first hand training from a leading play area specialist, Active Risk Management Ltd.

Greenbelt staff and contractors undergoing classroom training at          McCafferty House in Glasgow

Training involved a series of classroom-style presentations and an on-site practical demonstration. From spotting damaged surfaces, to bent bolts, loose links, and worn bushes (of the mechanical type), our inspectors were put through their paces.

Doug Wallace carrying practical training on-site

Play equipment comes in many different types. Some of these are -

• Infant swings
• Children's swings
• Slides
• Roundabouts
• Multiplay combinations of climbing frames, poles, and slides.

Greenbelt staff and contractors carrying out practical inspection of children's slide

The latest ideas are for adventure style play areas aimed at providing items to help agility such as balancing beams, nets, etc. Inspectors need to know about them all. They need to be able to spot hazards - through wear and tear, or from vandalism.   

A written exam followed. Two sessions were provided, one at our Head Office in Glasgow for everyone in Scotland, and the other in East Midlands for our English staff and contractors. All but two passed - a great result - and each now has a certificate to prove it.

A revolver being put through the inspection and testing process - it seems it's not just the children who have fun!

You can be confident that your children will be safe on swings, secure on slides, and are being protected in play areas. As long as they use the equipment properly!

January 2012