Playground equipment

Playground

A building consent is not required for most building work related to playground equipment, due to changes to the Building Act in December 2010. However, the work must still comply with the Building Code and the owner is responsible for ensuring it meets the requirements.

This information was confirmed as current in February 2016. It originally appeared in Codewords newsletters prior to January 2014.

  • Published on 1 February 2016
  • Of interest to Manufacturers, Building owners, Building consent authorities, Designers
  • 1st edition

Exemption (ji) to Schedule 1 applies to the construction, installation, replacement or alteration of playground equipment where either:

  • the work is for a government department, Crown entity, licensed early childhood centre, or territorial or regional authority, and the playground equipment has been designed by a chartered professional engineer
  • or the playground equipment is for use by a single household and no part of the equipment exceeds three metres in height above the supporting ground level.

Following are a number of publications that could guide designers and manufacturers in complying with the Building Code:

  • New Zealand Standard (NZS) 5828:2004 Playground equipment and surfacing. This standard describes good industry practice well established in New Zealand. All playground equipment in licensed early childhood education centres must comply with the Standard . However, it is not a referenced standard in the Department’s compliance documents.
  • SNZ HB 5828.1:2006 General Playground Equipment and Surfacing Handbook. This handbook has been prepared to assist owners and operators of playgrounds to understand and comply with NZS 5828:2004.
  • SNZ HB 5828.2:2006 Supervised early Childhood Facilities – Playground Equipment and Surfacing Handbook. This handbook helps explain to playground owners and operators of supervised early childhood facilities how NZS 5828:2004 works. The handbook may also be of interest to designers and manufacturers of playground equipment.

You can purchase copies of NZS 5828:2004, SNZ HB 5828.1:2006 and SNZ HB 5828:2:2006 from the Standards New Zealand website.

This information was confirmed as current in February 2016. It originally appeared in Codewords newsletters prior to January 2014.

All guidance related to B1 Structure

This information is published by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Chief Executive. It is a general guide only and, if used, does not relieve any person of the obligation to consider any matter to which the information relates according to the circumstances of the particular case. Expert advice may be required in specific circumstances. Where this information relates to assisting people: