Your childrens safety is important right?  

Whilst you cannot cover your child in bubble-wrap, you can definitely take care when selecting the safety features on toys and items your child plays with and on.

We have used the same design on our structures since their design in 1989, and we constantly update our manufacturing and installation methods whenever a safety flaw is found.

SANAS 2010 H&S Guidelines for Play Equipment, Codes 51176-1, -2, -3 and -7 - are relevant to this industry.

Below are the main features to look out for:

Poles

The industry standard is to use a (75-100) mm diameter pole, this measurement is taken from the top diameter of the pole, not the butt end.

The size of platform and support poles relate - the thinner the pole, the quicker the crack - so these main poles must be able to carry sufficient weight.

We then take down all the knots and rough edges on the treated timber, smooth off the ends of the poles, drill and then paint with Dulux Woodguard Timber Preservative (weather protection for sun bleach & water penetration and premature splitting) prior to installation.

This is all done in our factory manufacturing to ensure that all our structures are uniform and quality controlled.

This generic drilling also allows you to add items at a later stage, ie when your 18 month old grow up and turns 4 years and is looking for more challenge.

Maintenance

All timber structures require maintenance, from your tool shed, kennel, lapa to carport, even your indoor furniture needs polishing.

Regular maintenance can enhance the lifespan of your structure. The average lifespan on treated gum poles is 15 – 20 years, if maintained. If not, 3 - 5 years. Quite a difference. Our longest standing, well-maintained Jungle Gym to date was installed in 2007!  

Water and sun damage are the worst friends of timber - the sun dries the timber, the water expands the fibres of the timber - expansion and contraction of the timber results in premature cracking and splintering, and too much water may rot the base of the poles, and floorboards.

We use a Dulux Woodguard Timber Preservative during manufacturing, and touch up again on site, after installation to reduce these weathering effects.

Treatment of the timber

Timber is a perishable product and needs to be treated against pests and insects. It is a legal requirement that timber planted in the ground is H4, and above ground is H3 CCA treatment, approved and monitored by SANAS. 

We only purchase from SANAS registered suppliers, who treat the timber via heat and pressure treatment.

According to the South African Wood Preservers Association (SAWPA), a government regulatory body, the CCA treatment used to prevent pest and insect infestation is perfectly safe for domestic use. Each country has different conditions, and as such has different chemical concentrations in their treatments. The tests carried out in South Africa reveal the chemical becomes fixed in the timber and is perfectly safe.

Should you require any further information, please see www.sawpa.co.za, or alternatively ask our office for the notice issued by Rentokil (distributors of CCA), for their survey results.

Handrails

These are 600mm above the platform, which is chest height for the average kiddie. Two handrails are dangerous as it gives the child a step ladder to climb, and as it allows his centre of gravity to move to his waist, the child becomes heavy and could fall out of the structure.

Should you be concerned about an "open" side where the kiddies could fall through the handrails, especially on the swing side of the structure, we would recommend a closed in side with vertical bars or solid side to prevent this, rather than a second handrail.

The top handrail does not hinder the children using the items eg ladder, it forces the child to sit before attempting to slide or climb down, or to crouch as they are coming up, and reduces the risk of falling. It also prevents that little tiger who wants to throw himself tummy first down the slide.

Platform size

A larger platform allows your littlies to take their friends, toys, lunch and mommy up the structure. If the platform is too small, they may not have enough room to play around, especially if there are more than two. And truth is there will always be friends around to play, or little boys to fight if crowded.

Platform height

This is kept to 1.4 / 1.5 off the ground, depending on the site. Any lower and it will be too boring, and any higher you cannot reach the children without climbing up the structure yourself. The main reasoning here is imagine a pregnant mom trying to climb the structure to get a distressed child down.

Ladder

The ladder rung spaces are 200mm apart, this is the average for an 18 month old to start playing on. The ladder is usually the first item the kiddies learn to climb on, and offers and easy access up and down the structure.
If this ladder is too narrow, or the rungs too far apart, spacially the children will not feel safe, and could slip between the rungs.

Structure poles

These are concreted into the ground, +- 600mm, for stability. A little wobble is good, as it doesn't place rigid strain on the timber. However, a lot of wobble is bad as the structure then becomes unstable.  Call us if your jungle gym starts wobbling in the ground.

Attachments

All items are attached by means of fully galvanised threadbar, nuts and washers or pozi screws. No metal parts protrude to hurt the child, and all bolts are counter-sunk on the outside of the structure.  The nuts used on the outside are lock nuts to prevent any sharp steel edges.

Ropes

The rope used is 12mm polysteel, which doesn't lead to rope burn on the childrens hands. It also holds up to 600kg!

Roof

The roof is virtually inaccessible (although there will always be one little mischief who makes it up there). The total finished height from the ground to the roof ridge is 3m.

The roof is slatted timber, with small gaps, which gives shade and protection from the harsh African sun, as well as protecting the platform from the weather. We do not use shadecloth or plastic roofs as we have found these perish relatively quickly and are a hazard if climbed.

Slides

The slides are heavy duty fibreglass, and are sealed with a silicon layer to prevent fading. They are 2.4m long with an internal floor 370mm wide, the sides are 130mm high, and the bottom lip has been strengthened.

The H-frame legs at the bottom of the slide lift the lip of the slide from the ground to enable the child to put their feet on the ground at the end. This together with the curve of the bottom of the slide, prevents bottom bumping.

Swings & Seats

The swing rail length is a thicker, selected pole and is kept to 2.7m across. A longer pole could warp or bend. The swings are 300mm apart, so as to avoid the kiddies hitting each other whilst swinging.

Swing seats available are rubber seats, tyre seats or wooden seats. Unfortunately, all 2nd hand tyres nowadays are steelbelt - which means when cutting through the tyre, the steel wires may stick out. 

We recommend tyre seats for ages under 2, for comfort and first experience; Flat rubber seats for age 2+ to learn to sit straight and use their core and legs to get the swing moving.  Wooden seats are a head injury risk, so only recommended for age 8+

Basic parental control includes teaching your children not to walk in front of moving swings, much like how to check when crossing the road.

The swing bolts used are hardened steel and have an 800kg breaking strain.

Finally – this advice was taken from a child safety website:

"Teach your kids some commonsense rules for playground fun", advises Mick Mack, project coordinator for the National Program for Playground Safety.

• Show kids which equipment is okay for them to play on according to their age and size. "No 4- or 5-year-old should play on anything that's 8-feet high," says Mack. You can judge by looking at the playground equipment what's right for your kids. Look at the height, and the distance between steps and rungs. Today, new equipment is often labelled by age.
• Did you know a child's fall onto concrete from an 8-foot structure has the same impact as a car colliding ith a brick wall at 30mph.
• Remind kids not to play on wet equipment or force parts of their body through small spaces.
• Teach your children to watch out for hot metal surfaces, that may cause burns.
• Review simple safety precautions with your kids: Don't cross in front of moving swings. Get off a seesaw only when your partner's feet are on the ground. Don't push or pull others while playing on climbing equipment.
• Don't encourage young kids to swing faster or climb higher than they're comfortable with. Very young children will naturally stop themselves before they pass their own safety level, as long as they're not egged on by others.

Should you require any further safety information please do not hesitate to contact us.