Media Release

Experts accuse play manufacturers' body of issuing misleading statements.

A group of leading health and safety, design and play experts have today (9 July) accused the Association of Play Industries (API) of issuing misleading, erroneous and confusing messages on playground safety. The API’s statement - ‘Inspection and Maintenance of play areas’ – is shown, in the words of the experts, to be:

…incorrect and inconsistent with the guidance published by Play England, the DCSF and DCMS and endorsed by the Health and Safety Executive.’

The experts are the authors of the two government-funded, HSE endorsed publications: ‘Design for Play: a guide to creating successful play spaces’ and ‘Managing Risk in Play: implementation guide’, jointly published by Play England, Department for Children, Schools and Families, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The experts’ clarification note addresses the theme of natural play - the use of landscaping and natural materials to enrich play environments. It labels as mistaken and misleading the Association of Play Industries’ assertion that such elements can or should be assessed by referring to industry standards used for fixed play equipment. As the note makes clear:

‘Were EN equipment standards applied to, say, trees or boulders, the consequences would be absurd.’

Instead, the clarification note emphasises, in line with the two publications referred to above, the need to take a more thoughtful, flexible approach, namely risk-benefit assessment.

The clarification note is designed to counter any confusion or unease in the minds of play providers generally, and local authorities in particular, that has been generated by the API statement.

The authors of the clarification note welcome the generally more thoughtful and creative approach to creating playable opportunities being taken by many play providers, especially in the wake of the recent National Play Strategy and the injection of new government funding. It is vital that this positive movement is not impeded or diverted from its purpose by misunderstandings about key issues.

Notes:

1. The authors of ‘Managing Risk in Play Provision; an implementation guide’ are Professor David Ball, Tim Gill, Bernard Spiegal.
2. The authors of ‘Design for Play: a guide to creating successful play spaces’ are Aileen Shackell, Nicola Butler, Phil Doyle, Professor David Ball.
3. The Free Play Network (www.freeplaynetwork.org.uk) is an independent charity that campaigns for better outdoor play opportunities. In 2008, the Free Play Network was commissioned to draft Design for Play: a guide to creating successful play spaces, published by Play England and DCSF.
4. PLAYLINK provides support and services to those committed to extending and improving the range of play, leisure and informal sports opportunities. Its key areas of activity are: Design, Consultancy. Learning and publishing. Web site: www.playlink.org
5. The API is, to quote its website (www.api-play.org), “the lead trade body within the play sector representing the interests of manufacturers, designers and distributors of both indoor and outdoor play equipment and play area surfacing.” Its statement ‘Inspection and Maintenance of play areas’ can be found at http://www.api-play.org/default.aspx?page=829.
6. In 2008, the Government's National Play Strategy set out plans to build 3,500 new play areas, with an emphasis on providing more challenging play opportunities and better use of natural materials and settings in play provision.
7. Contacts about the statement: Professor David Ball, david@osb.uk.net phone: 01603 665 422. Bernard Spiegal, PLAYLINK, info@playlink.org phone 07871 589426. Phil Doyle phil@playlink.org phone 07734 837323.
   

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