Checklist · HOA / community manager
Playground inspection checklist
The loose bolt and the thin mulch, caught between audits. Most playground problems are not dramatic: surfacing kicked out from under a swing, an S-hook that has opened, a bolt working loose, a splinter on a rail. This is the built-in playground template — surfacing, equipment and the area around it — for the routine look a manager or maintenance tech takes between the certified audits, so the small things are photographed and fixed before someone gets hurt.
15 items in 3 areas · the built-in “Playground inspection” template, as it ships
How to run it
Three passes, in walking order
Surfacing first
Under every swing, slide exit and platform: is it there, is it deep enough by your auditor's standard, are there bare spots or holes.
Equipment, piece by piece
Hardware, S-hooks, swings, slides, guardrails, openings where a head or limb could catch, sharp edges, rust and rot.
The area around it
Fence and gate, debris and glass, benches, shade, signs and the light nearby. Rate Poor and the vendor gets the photo.
The checklist
Playground inspection
The manager's look at the play area between certified audits: surfacing, hardware, swings, slides, edges and the fence around it.
Built-in template, as it ships · reviewed against the app on 2026-09-18
| Surfacing | Good | Fair | Poor | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surfacing under and around equipment: depth and coverage | ||||
| Surfacing: bare spots, holes, drainage |
| Equipment | Good | Fair | Poor | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bolts, clamps & hardware tight | ||||
| S-hooks closed | ||||
| Sharp edges, splinters or protrusions | ||||
| Openings where a head or limb could catch | ||||
| Swings: seats, chains and hangers | ||||
| Slides: surface, exit and side rails | ||||
| Platforms: guardrails & barriers | ||||
| Rust, rot or cracks in posts and decks |
| Area | Good | Fair | Poor | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fencing & gate | ||||
| Debris, glass or trash | ||||
| Benches & shade | ||||
| Rules & age signage | ||||
| Lighting nearby |
In the app an item can also answer as pass/fail, done/not done or a number, and any Fair or Poor item becomes a work order in one tap. The PDF prints the checklist as shown, with a notes line per item and a signature block.
When not to use it
- — The full certified audit — a certified playground safety inspector.
- — The rest of the amenities — use the amenity template.
What goes wrong
- — Photographing the equipment and not the surfacing under it.
- — Rating swings Good without checking the hangers at the top.
What this is not
A routine visual check by whoever manages the property. It is not a certified playground safety audit and does not replace one where the insurer, the law or the manufacturer requires it.
The finished report
Complete the walk and the PDF exists
Every item with its rating, notes and photos; an action-items table by priority; signatures captured on the phone or through a link. No export step. See a finished one before you sign up.
Built for community managers
HOA / community manager
Common-area walks, amenity checks, violation drives, and reports the board actually reads.
Pick “HOA / community manager” at signup — or start from this page and it's already picked — and the app leads with this template and speaks the trade's words.
Questions
Playground inspection: what people ask
Is this a certified playground safety inspection?
No. A certified playground safety inspector audits against the applicable standards. This is the routine check between audits.
How often should we check the playground?
As often as your auditor, insurer or governing documents recommend; many communities do a quick look monthly and more often in busy seasons.
What do we do if something is unsafe?
Close the piece of equipment, photograph it, and send the work order. The record shows when it was closed and when it reopened.
More checklists
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