Safety First: It's inspection week at AFS!
As a new academic year begins and the memories of the summer holidays start to fade, the focus shifts back to school. Here at Academic Facilities Services, our commitment to the well-being of students is paramount, and that's why we're kicking off the new term with our annual inspection week.
The playground is a vital extension of the classroom - a place where children develop crucial social, motor and problem-solving skills through play. But all that running, climbing and swinging can take a toll on equipment.
During inspection week, our certified safety experts are meticulously checking every piece of playground equipment across the facilities we serve.
This involves:
Structural integrity checks: Looking for any signs of wear, rust or stress on metal and wooden components.
Surface safety: Inspecting ground materials - like mulch, rubber matting or sand - to ensure they meet critical fall height standards, and are free of tripping hazards.
Moving parts assessment: Testing swings, slides and seesaws to ensure all moving parts are properly secured and functioning smoothly.
Identifying vandalism or damage: Quickly spotting and scheduling repairs for any damage that may have occurred over the summer break.
Safety extends beyond the playgrounds. Our team is also on the field and in the gyms, inspecting all sports facilities to ensure a secure environment for physical education and extracurricular activities.
This includes:
Goal post and net security: Making sure football goals and basketball hoops are firmly anchored and nets are intact.
Field markings and surfaces: Checking sports fields for even surfaces, proper drainage and clear, non-hazardous boundary markings.
Gymnasium equipment: Inspecting wall padding, seating and fixed equipment for stability and compliance.
The goal of inspection week is simple: to make sure every child can learn through play without unnecessary risk. By proactively addressing potential hazards now, we help schools provide an uninterrupted, engaging, and above all, safe environment for students to thrive.
If you have any questions about our safety inspection processes or would like to schedule an assessment for your facility, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
