Safety on Playgrounds

Test Probes

Ruth Severinsen
Engineer in the Safety Technology Department
Contents of presentation
• The five most important probes
– and how to use them

• How to inspect a playground

The five probes

Head probe
Toggler tester

Body and feet

probe
”The fish”
Finger rods
 Head and neck entrapment

If the body
and feet
probe can
pass trough
the opening …

> 600 mm !
 Head and neck entrapment
… then the
head probe
shall also pass
trough the
opening.

Here: Risk of
head
entrapment > 600 mm !
 Head and neck entrapment - 2
The ”fish” probe
(Also test if the
sides or the tip
hits the walls of
the opening
first.)

Here: Risk of
head > 600 mm !
entrapment
Head and neck entrapment
• If the opening is more than
600 mm above ground level
then turn the probe and
push it into the opening with
the tip first.
• If the tip of the probe not
touches the walls of the
opening and touche the
buttom then the opening is
not deep enough to possess
a risk. (OK)
• If the sides of the probe
touches the walls and the tip
not touch the buttom, then
there is a risk of head and
neck entrapment. (RISK)
 Entrapment of clothing

The toggler-
tester

Here: Risk of
entrapment of
clothing
 Entrapment of fingers

If the 8 mm
probe can enter
the opening,
the 25 mm
probe shall also
pass through.
How to inspect a playground
Question:
• ”Where should I look for head entrapments,
finger entrapments and entrapments of
clothing ?”
How to inspect a playground
Check according to standard:
1. Head and neck entrapments
2. Entrapment of clothing
3. Entrapment of fingers
A practical example
 First checkpoint – head and
neck entrapment

First apply the body/feet probe

and the head probe
Potential traps to be checked
 Body/feet and head probes

150 cm OK – no
entrapment
> 600 mm !
Then apply the ”fish” probe
Potential traps to be checked
Here – no potential traps
No traps where a child
can get trapped by the
neck
No head and neck entrapment

Second checkpoint –
entrapment of clothing
Potential traps to be checked
Apply the toggler-tester

Oops – risk of
entrapment
Risk of entrapment of clothing

(Include the photo in your report !)

Third checkpoint – entrapment
of fingers
Potential traps to be checked
Apply the finger probes

8 mm probe enters,
25 mm probe doesn’t
=> risk of entrapment
 Risk of entrapment of fingers

- Draft a report from your inspection

- Include photos of non-compliances
Questions ?