Large-scale amusement facilities need to be inspected once a year. The small-scale amusement facilities that we often see in shopping malls, children’s parks, etc. mainly refer to those that operate in a similar way to large-scale amusement facilities, but with a designed maximum operating linear speed of less than 2m/s and an operating height of less than 2m. They are not special equipment and are “exempt from inspection” amusement facilities.
In order to ensure the safe operation of large-scale amusement facilities, users need to conduct strict self-inspections. The following are specific inspection requirements:
1. Annual inspection:
At least one comprehensive inspection is carried out every year, including load tests and safety technical performance tests, to ensure the stability and safety of the facilities.
2. Monthly inspection: The following items need to be inspected monthly:
- Various safety devices
- Power units, transmission, and braking systems
- Ropes, chains, and rides
- Control circuits and electrical components
- Backup power supply
3. Daily inspection: The following items need to be inspected daily:
- Effectiveness and reliability of control devices, speed limiters, brakes, and other safety devices
- Whether the operation is normal, whether there is abnormal vibration or noise
- Condition of easily worn parts
- Integrity of door interlock switches and seat belts
- Inspection of lubrication points and addition of lubricating oil
- Normality of important parts (tracks, wheels, etc.)
Through these regular inspections, potential safety hazards can be discovered and resolved in a timely manner to ensure the safety of tourists.
The importance of amusement facility inspection
During the operation of amusement facilities, due to the influence of various factors, wear and aging may occur. If these problems are not discovered and handled in time, they may lead to safety accidents. Therefore, regular inspections of amusement facilities can discover and handle these problems in a timely manner to ensure the safe operation of amusement facilities.
In addition, the inspection of amusement facilities is also a kind of supervision and constraint on equipment manufacturers and maintenance personnel. Through regular inspections, equipment manufacturers and maintenance personnel can pay more attention to the safety performance of amusement facilities and improve the quality and safety of equipment.
Key inspection points for amusement facility inspection
During the inspection process of amusement facilities, the following key inspection points need to be paid attention to:
1. Safety of equipment structure:
Check whether the structure of the equipment is firm and whether there are safety hazards such as cracks and deformation.
2. Safety of electrical system:
Check whether the electrical system is working properly and whether there are problems such as leakage and short circuits.
3. Reliability of safety protection devices:
Check whether the safety protection devices of the equipment are intact and effective and whether they can be started and play a role in time in an emergency.
How to ensure the safety of tourists
In addition to regular inspections, the following measures can also be taken to ensure the safety of tourists:
1. Strengthen safety education for tourists: Set up safety reminder signs at the entrance of amusement facilities to remind tourists to pay attention to safety matters.
2. Strictly implement operating procedures: Ensure that staff are familiar with the operating procedures
Playground Inspection & Safety: Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why can’t I just wait for something to break before fixing it?
A: In a high-traffic FEC, “fixing it when it breaks” is a liability nightmare. Beyond the obvious safety risks to children, reactive maintenance is significantly more expensive than proactive care. Frequent inspections catch minor issues—like a loosening bolt or a small tear in the PVC—before they turn into structural failures that require a full park shutdown or lead to costly insurance claims.
Q: How often does an indoor playground actually need to be inspected?
A: We recommend a three-tier inspection strategy to ensure total coverage:
Daily Routine: A quick visual sweep by staff before opening to check for debris, cleanliness, and obvious vandalism.
Operational Inspection (Monthly): A deeper dive into moving parts, looking for wear on bearings, tension in magic nets, and the integrity of soft-impact padding.
Annual Comprehensive Audit: A top-to-bottom structural certification performed by a qualified professional to ensure the park still meets ASTM or EN1176 safety standards.
Q: Do playgrounds in shopping malls need more frequent checks than others?
A: Yes. High-traffic environments (like our Longhu projects) experience “accelerated wear.” If your venue sees 500+ kids a day, your “monthly” checks should likely happen bi-weekly. The sheer volume of kinetic energy and friction applied to slides, swings, and rotary equipment means components reach their maintenance threshold much faster than in lower-traffic venues.
Q: What are the most common "hidden" fail points in an indoor park?
A: It’s rarely the big steel frame that fails; it’s the connectors. We often find issues in hidden bearing assemblies, webbing tensioners in climbing nets, and the internal foam density of high-impact landing zones. Because our equipment (like the Spinning Rabbit) uses industrial-grade sealed bearings, they stay silent longer, but they still require periodic acoustic checks to ensure they aren’t “running dry.”
Q: Can my regular staff perform these inspections, or do I need a pro?
A: Daily and monthly operational checks can—and should—be done by your trained on-site team using a standardized checklist. However, the Annual Comprehensive Inspection should be handled by a third-party certified inspector. This provides you with a documented safety “paper trail” that is essential for insurance renewals and mall property management audits.
