Warnings and Maintenance

SOME PRODUCTS MAY CONTAIN SMALL PARTS AND MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 36 MONTHS. SMALL PARTS ARE A CHOKING HAZARD.

WHEN REQUIRED EQUIPMENT MUST BE ASSEMBLED BY AN ADULT BEFORE USE.

CHILDREN MUST NOT USE SUCH PRODUCTS UNTIL PROPERLY INSTALLED.

ADULT SUPERVISION REQUIRED.

This information is important for future reference. Failure to follow these guidelines will void any warranty.

  1. If the item requires home assembly Item must be assembled by an adult before use
  2. Children must not use this product until properly installed.
  3. Ensure your product is sited on level ground. Failure to do this may put additional stress joints and in time could cause them to fail.
  4. Equipment should be checked by an adult at the beginning of each season and at regular intervals during the usage season to ensure it is safe. Pay special attention to all connections and fastenings.
  5. Wood is a natural material and cracking is natural. Normally these will have no appreciable effect on the strength of the material. They should not exceed 10mm wide (in which case they can be a “finger trap” as defined by EN 1176)
  6. Due to the natural characteristics of timber, it is vital to check your equipment regularly for splintering, lifting of surface layers of wood or exposure of rough wood. We recommend you treat them further with non-toxic water or oil based treatments as and when necessary in the same manner you would with any other outdoor wooden garden products. We would advise against filling any gaps, cracks or splits with wood filler as this will detract from the products natural aesthetic offering.
  7. Feel free to sand any edges that become rough or splintered and wire brush any mould or moss to keep the product useable and clean.
  8. Ensure children’s clothing is appropriate for the play activity.
  9. Never place wooden items near a fire.
  10. In high winds, ensure outdoor items are moved to a sheltered position and/or secure
  11. Adult supervision is required at all times to ensure children play safely.
  12. When you dispose of this equipment please do so responsibly.
  13. We advise that all equipment be treated at least every six months with a preservative such as a clear decking oil or similar.
  14. IMPORTANT: REGULARLY INSPECT THE EQUIPMENT
  15. It is important to regularly inspect your wooden play equipment to make sure no damage has occurred that will impact the safety of using it. Inspecting your equipment simply means thoroughly looking over the equipment to look for any damage It is important to note the small damages, as these can quickly result into a larger one, which will make the equipment unsafe for children to use. Ideally you should try to check your equipment about once a month, even if it is not being used regularly as weather conditions can cause damage

As with any new piece of equipment or new children using existing equipment, a risk assessment needs to be undertaken in your environment and rules for use clearly communicated to ensure maximum fun in the safest way.

Point out obvious specific risks relating to individual products and rules of use.

Some form of metal fixing is common on play equipment. This is normally in the form of bolts and screws (nails are not recommended). Preservative may accelerate any metal corrosion resulting from exposed wet metal and thus the use of either hot dipped galvanised, stainless steel or specialty outdoor hex screws / bolts are used on all equipment

Relevant British Standards are:

  • BS EN 636, part 3 and BS4079 (Plywood), BS5268 (Timber), BS5589 (Preservative), BS EN 1176 ( Equipment Standards)

The wood is ‘green wood’, simply cut and as such will expand and contract with the weather, splits are likely to occur and bark may fall off as the product naturally weathers and reacts to the sunshine and rain, along with other weather elements. We recommend that all products are checked and maintained regularly to ensure they are kept in pristine condition.