Comprehensive maintenance for a long service life

Please see the following guidelines for advice and information on the statutory bases regarding inspection, maintenance, and repair of playground equipment:

Recommendations/legal principles on maintenance:

1. Legal principles for safety

on children's playgrounds

In Germany, the safety principles for playground equipment are defined in the following acts, regulations and standards:

Acts:

Bundesbaugesetz (Federal Building Act),
Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch (German Civil Code) (§ 823),
Geräte- und Produktsicherheitsgesetz (German Code on Equipment and Product Safety) (GPSG).

Technical basis:

Accident prevention regulations of the Public Sector Accident Insurers,
DIN standards,
DIN EN standards.

Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch (German Civil Code) § 823 [Tort Liability]

"Someone who by an unlawful act or omission intentionally or negligently causes damage to another person’s life, health, freedom, property, or another right, shall be liable to compensate for the resulting damage.“ This section regulates the question of liability.

German Act on Technical Equipment (Geräte- und Produktsicherheitsgesetz – GPSG / Code on Equipment and Product Safety)

§§ 4 and 5 of the GPSG regulate the basic requirements in safety and health compatibility of technical equipment (§4) and consumer products (§5).

§ 5 para. 1 through 2 stipulates requirements in the material properties of consumer products beyond the requirements of § 4 para. 1. To meet the stipulations of the GPSG, eibe closely cooperates with TÜV Süd, LGA, and other external test organizations.

2. Organization of inspections, maintenance, and repair

When the technical regulations are observed during design and construction of the play equipment, it is largely guaranteed that the children will be safe when using it. But it is important that this degree of safety is kept up by due inspection, maintenance and repair of the equipment. Standard DIN EN1176, part 7 "Instructions for installation, inspection, maintenance and operation" provides regulations for this aspect.