Grandparents query playground safety

A new playground at Civic Park, Warragul has raised alarms amongst some grandparents about potential fall hazards.

As an electrician, Mark Kaiser of Warragul knows the importance of safety regulations and height restrictions for working without a barrier.

So, when his four-year-old granddaughter stood in the opening above a two to 2.5 metre drop in the Civic Park playground, he was shocked there was no barrier.

Mr Kaiser was not on his own. Another grandparent at the park on a different day, Mark Walters, raised the same concerns with The Gazette.

But Baw Baw Shire has defended the design, saying the new play space meets Australian standards and was built to cater for all ages and abilities.

Mr Kaiser said he talked at other parents at the park who were shocked there was no barrier on the tower.

He said young children could climb the tower via the steps but at the top, there was an opening to a monkey bar type feature. He said the drop from this tower was two to 2.5 metres.

New OHS regulations introduced last year state employers must “eliminate risks associated with falls two metres or less” and work sites over two metres were considered high risk.

Building regulations also indicate railings are needed for deck or balcony areas higher than one metre.

Mr Kaiser said he could not understand how playground equipment higher than two metres did not breach safety standards.

Mr Kaiser also raised concern about a spinning carousel that was at ground level, therefore being dangerous for young children who may step onto the moving carousel and potentially be knocked over.

When the new play space opened in October last year, mayor Joe Gauci said council was proud to deliver an “inclusive play space.”

The new play space features a garden theme which draws on the leafy surrounds of Civic Park, and includes all new play equipment that caters for children of all ages and abilities.

The new play space features a junior and senior play unit, insect spring rockers, wheelchair friendly carousal, hammock, three bay swing set, spinner bowl and two trampolines.

Community assets director Cohen Van der Velde said the playground was designed to cater for children of all ages and abilities.

“It has a junior play unit design for children of ages two to six years old and a senior unit designed for children four to 12 years old.

Mr Van der Velde said the playground and equipment was designed and installed to meet the Australian Standards for playgrounds.

“It has been externally audited to ensure that is does meet these standards.

“The spinning carousel is designed to be wheelchair accessible and needs to be level to the ground to achieve this.

Mr Van der Velde said council had received overwhelmingly positive feedback about the new park with only one concern raised about the height of the senior play unit.

“In any environment including play spaces, children need to be supervised to ensure they are undertaking age and ability suitable activates and this play space allows for children ages and abilities,” he said.