To: Local Government Authorities

Re: Playground Risk Assessment Standards – Important Notice

Play Australia is writing to all local government authorities to provide important guidance regarding the engagement of playground risk assessors and to clarify best practice we expect to be upheld when assessing play spaces within your communities.

Risk Assessment Standards

A playground risk assessment is a formal, professional evaluation of a play space that must be grounded in direct, physical observation of the site. All risk assessments of playground and play spaces should be conducted by a suitably qualified risk assessor who personally attends and inspects the site.

A qualified playground risk assessor will hold recognised credentials and demonstrate competence in identifying hazards, evaluating risk, and providing actionable recommendations which is based on their firsthand assessment of the environment.

An Emerging Concern: Photo-Based Assessments

Play Australia has received reports of a concerning practice in which some risk assessment companies are engaging third-party contractors to photograph play spaces, and then preparing formal assessment reports based solely on those photographs, without a qualified assessor ever attending the site.

We consider this unacceptable and do not consider it satisfactory for  a valid playground risk assessment. Photographs alone cannot capture the full range of hazards present in a play space — including surface conditions underfoot, structural integrity, equipment movement, sight lines, entrapment risks, and the contextual factors that only a trained professional can evaluate in person.

Action Required by Local Government

Play Australia strongly urges all local government authorities to take the following steps when engaging playground risk assessors:

• Confirm that the assessor or their representative will physically attend and inspect the play space in its entirety before preparing any report.
• Verify credentials to ensure the person conducting the on-site assessment holds appropriate qualifications in playground safety and risk assessment.
• Reject reports that have not been prepared on the basis of a full site visit by a qualified assessor. Such reports do not provide adequate risk coverage and may expose your council to liability.
• Review existing contracts with risk assessment providers to ensure on-site physical inspection is an explicit contractual requirement.
• Ensure Assessor hold relevant Insurance with playgrounds mentioned specifically in coverage for professional indemnity and public liability.

The safety of children in our communities depends on the rigour and integrity of the processes we use to identify and manage risks in play spaces. Play Australia remains committed to supporting local government in maintaining the highest standards for playgrounds across Australia.

Play Australia convenes a forum of Australian Risk Assessors who meet regularly to reflect on practice and review practice notes to ensure best practice is applied in their work. We  have a range of practice notes on assessment of playground equipment and seek to improve and safeguard quality in the Australian play sector.

Should you have any questions regarding risk assessment standards or the requirements outlined in this notice, please do not hesitate to contact Play Australia directly by email info@playaustralia.org.au.

Robyn Monro Miller AM

CEO, Play Australia