Certification of playground equipment
Playground equipment is assessed at the factory before being put to use. This assessment process is critical, as it allows the manufacturer to be certain that it complies with the applicable technical standards and that what he or she is offering to the consumer for their use is safe. This first step is achieved by applying all the safety requirements and those that define the technical standards. These requirements include: materials, design, marking and the additional documentation that each playground equipment must have. This first step is fundamental is we are to carry out the certification process, as the procedure includes an audit of the production control of the different playground equipment.
We are a testing laboratory with a team of auditors and technicians who assess the safety and quality of the production chain of playground equipment and surfaces as follows:
Phase I
- Physical and chemical tests and design checking, in accordance with national and European regulations, etc.
- Assessment of the information or instructions for “safe” use during its entire lifetime (installation, inspection, maintenance).
- Revision of the marking in order to guarantee traceability if a dangerous risk were to arise.
As a result of the first phase, we obtain a test report according to the applicable technical standards.
Phase II
- Quality audit and production control.
As a result of the second phase, we obtain the product certificate.
All of this benefits the manufacturer as they are then in compliance with the European Directive on General Product Safety 1801/2003, which applies to all member states of the European Union and is transposed nationally, and they are offering a safe product to consumers who can be sure that the manufacturer’s equipment is produced under strict quality controls and that its products are designed correctly.
Services related to the certification of playground equipment
European technical standards for the testing of playground equipment and surfacing.
- EN 1176-1 “Playground Equipment and Surfacing. Part 1: General safety requirements and test methods.”
- EN 1176-2 “Playground Equipment and Surfacing. Part 2: Additional specific safety requirements and test methods for swings.”
- EN 1176-3 “Playground Equipment and Surfacing. Part 3: Additional specific safety requirements and test methods for slides.”
- EN 1176-4 “Playground Equipment and Surfacing. Part 4: Additional specific safety requirements and test methods for cableways.”
- EN 1176-5 “Playground Equipment and Surfacing. Part 5: Additional specific safety requirements and test methods for carousels.”
- EN 1176-6 “Playground Equipment and Surfacing. Part 6: Additional specific safety requirements and test methods for rocking equipment.”
- EN 1176-7 “Playground Equipment and Surfacing. Part 7: Guidance on installation, inspection, maintenance and operation.”
- EN 1176-10 “Playground Equipment and Surfacing. Part 10: Additional specific safety requirements and test methods for fully enclosed play equipment.”
- EN 1176-11 “Playground Equipment and Surfacing. Part 11: Additional specific safety requirements and test methods for spatial network.”
- EN 1177 ““. Impact attenuating playground surfacing. Methods of test for determination of impact attenuation”.
Benefits of certifying playground equipment
We are a national and international reference laboratory for child safety, both in children’s products and their environments, as we perform physical safety, chemical and cushioning capacity tests on playground equipment and surfacing according to European and international legislation and regulations. In addition, our senior auditors are qualified by AENOR, and have experience in:
- Standard UNE-EN ISO 14001
- Standard UNE-EN ISO 9001
All this benefits the customer because we can offer them a holistic of their products and services.
How we certify children's playground equipment
Certification is part of the initial tests we carry out on the different playground equipment. If favourable and its production is being carried out in a controlled way and with suitable quality management, then a product conformity certificate is issued, under our AIJU “Seguridad Controlada” (“Controlled Safety”) mark and seal.
Our experience in the certification of children's playground equipment
With more than 30 years’ professional experience, we certify your “Playground Equipment and Surfaces” products under our “SEGURIDAD CONTROLADA” (“CONTROLLED SAFETY”) mark, an international mark that is the result of the agreement we have with different European bodies.
Our mark guarantees that products that bear it:
- Comply with the applicable safety regulations.
- Meet additional requirements that contribute to increased quality.
- Come from a production that is subject to regular controls by AIJU.
Inspection and certification tasks are carried out by qualified AIJU inspectors and auditors supervised by the technician in charge of the laboratory, under a work system endorsed by ENAC and by other recognised bodies such as AENOR.
