From April to June, 2011, controls were focused on abidance with the Act on General Safety of Product (Act No. 102/2001 Coll.), Act on Technical Requirements for Products (Act No. 22/1997 Coll.) and Government decree No. 173/1997 Coll. laying down selected products for conformity assessment. The objective was to check whether products are used that could more significantly endanger health or safety of users – in this case especially children and youths - with regard to unsuitable mechanical and physical features, bad construction, incorrect warnings and absence of other information required to meet basic safety requirements. Various play elements of adventure playgrounds were object to the controls, such as swings, roundabouts, monkey bars, spring swings, slide towers, footbridges, climbing and play sets, houses and so forth.
All inspectorates of the CTIA participated in the action which will continue till the end of September. During the second trimester, 95 controls were carried out and inspectors found breaches of obligations in 25 cases, i.e. 38%.
All inspectorates of the CTIA participated in the action which will continue till the end of September. During the second trimester, 95 controls were carried out and inspectors found breaches of obligations in 25 cases, i.e. 38%.
Overview of controls according to individual inspectorates:
|
Inspectorate
|
Number of checked playground’s operators
|
Number of findings
|
Findings in %
|
|
Středočeský and Prague
|
33
|
12
|
36.4%
|
|
Plzeňský and Karlovarský
|
7
|
1
|
14.3%
|
|
Ústecký and Liberecký
|
17
|
0
|
0%
|
|
Jihočeský and Vysočina
|
8
|
4
|
50%
|
|
Královéhradecký and Pardubický
|
9
|
3
|
33.3%
|
|
Jihomoravský and Zlínský
|
13
|
1
|
7.7%
|
|
Moravskoslezský and Olomoucký
|
8
|
4
|
50%
|
|
Total
|
95
|
25
|
26.3%
|
Found defects:
- failure to assess conformity of products with technical legislation
- not giving out any conformity assessment
- non-complying barrier’s height
- sharp edges and tips
- non-complying distance between seats and so forth
Actions taken:
- Ban on using products until remedy of deficiencies was issued in 8 cases
- In 12 cases, measures were issued to remedy detected deficiencies; in 7 cases, deficiencies were remedied at the spot
- Administrative proceedings were launched in 2 cases
- Two operators were imposed fines at the spot in the total amount of CZK 2,500 due to infringement of the Act No. 634/1992 Coll. on Consumer Protection
- 1 case was transferred to be resolved at the Středočeský and Prague Inspectorate
- 1 case is still being resolved
Conclusion:
"Despite these products are designed for users who can easily get injured, it is obvious that not all playgrounds’ operators properly follow obligations defined by appropriate safety legislation to eliminate risks to minimum,” Jan Štěpánek evaluated continuous results of the control activity. Therefore CTIA actions will continue also in the third trimester.
Above all, parents and persons to whose care children were entrusted are recommended by the CTIA to follow recommendations of playgrounds’ operators regarding risks to children at individual play elements and not to overestimate their kids’ skills and abilities which can be a frequent cause of injuries at such equipment and constructions.
Conclusion:
"Despite these products are designed for users who can easily get injured, it is obvious that not all playgrounds’ operators properly follow obligations defined by appropriate safety legislation to eliminate risks to minimum,” Jan Štěpánek evaluated continuous results of the control activity. Therefore CTIA actions will continue also in the third trimester.
Above all, parents and persons to whose care children were entrusted are recommended by the CTIA to follow recommendations of playgrounds’ operators regarding risks to children at individual play elements and not to overestimate their kids’ skills and abilities which can be a frequent cause of injuries at such equipment and constructions.