Controls’ focus and results:
In the spring months, the CTIA checked whether play elements of adventure playgrounds, such as swings, roundabouts, monkey bars, spring swings, slide towers, footbridges, climbing and play sets, houses and so forth, meet safety criteria in compliance with requirements of the Act on General Safety of Products (Act No. 102/2001 Coll.) and the Act on Technical Requirements for Products (Act No. 22/1997 Coll.). All CTIA inspectorates participated in the controls.
The objective was to check whether products are manufactured that could more significantly endanger health or safety of persons – in this case especially children, with regard to unsuitable mechanical and physical features, bad construction, insufficient or incorrect warnings and absence of other information required to fulfil basic safety requirements.
During the second trimester, 95 controls were carried out at playgrounds’ operators and breaches of obligations were found in 25 cases, i.e. 38%. The most frequent defects were: failure to assess conformity of products with technical legislation, not giving out any conformity assessment, non-complying barriers’ height, sharp edges and tips, non-complying distance between seats and so forth.
The objective was to check whether products are manufactured that could more significantly endanger health or safety of persons – in this case especially children, with regard to unsuitable mechanical and physical features, bad construction, insufficient or incorrect warnings and absence of other information required to fulfil basic safety requirements.
During the second trimester, 95 controls were carried out at playgrounds’ operators and breaches of obligations were found in 25 cases, i.e. 38%. The most frequent defects were: failure to assess conformity of products with technical legislation, not giving out any conformity assessment, non-complying barriers’ height, sharp edges and tips, non-complying distance between seats and so forth.
|
Inspectorate
|
Number of checked operators
|
Number of findings
|
|
Středočeský and Prague TC
|
33
|
12
|
|
Plzeňský and Karlovarský
|
7
|
1
|
|
Ústecký and Liberecký
|
17
|
0
|
|
Jihočeský and Vysočina
|
8
|
4
|
|
Královéhradecký and Pardubický
|
9
|
3
|
|
Jihomoravský and Zlínský
|
13
|
1
|
|
Moravskoslezský and Olomoucký
|
8
|
4
|
|
Total
|
95
|
25
|
Actions taken:
- Ban on using products until remedy of deficiencies - in 8 cases
- In 12 cases, measures were issued to remedy detected deficiencies; in 7 cases, deficiencies were remedied at the spot
- Order at the spot in the total amount of CZK 2,500 due to infringement of the Act No. 634/1992 Coll. on Consumer Protection – issued in 2 cases
- Suggestion to launch administrative proceedings due to infringement of the Act No. 22/197 Coll. – issued in 2 cases
- 1 case transferred to be resolved at the Technical Department of the Středočeský and Prague Inspectorate
- 1 case still being resolved
Conclusion and recommendation from the CTIA:
Conclusion and recommendation from the CTIA:
Because these products are designed for users who can easily get injured, the Czech Trade Inspection Authority will pay due attention to safety of equipment and constructions, including parts and construction (play) elements that can be used by kids individually or in groups both indoors and outdoors.
On the grounds of the detected defects, the CTIA can order playgrounds’ operators to take actions to remedy, but still above all parents and persons to whose care children were entrusted bare the biggest responsibility for the safety of children. Therefore, the CTIA recommends checking equipment and play elements of unknown playgrounds before children use them. Above all parents should not overestimate skills and abilities of their kids and follow recommendations of playgrounds’ operators. Also safe equipment where a younger or a less skilled child is allowed to play, despite the equipment was designed for elder or more skilful children, can pose serious risk and danger to its health.
On the grounds of the detected defects, the CTIA can order playgrounds’ operators to take actions to remedy, but still above all parents and persons to whose care children were entrusted bare the biggest responsibility for the safety of children. Therefore, the CTIA recommends checking equipment and play elements of unknown playgrounds before children use them. Above all parents should not overestimate skills and abilities of their kids and follow recommendations of playgrounds’ operators. Also safe equipment where a younger or a less skilled child is allowed to play, despite the equipment was designed for elder or more skilful children, can pose serious risk and danger to its health.