Another varied week and a reminder that when I refer to providers of indoor play facilities I am not just talking about those who run Play and Party Centres as a private business but also those that want an indoor play facility as part of a wider range of child and family services offered in their establishment. These can be in recreation, child-care, visitor centres, airports, theme parks, passenger ships or whatever. Over the 18 years or so that I have been doing this work I have never ceased to be amazed at the many and varied places the inspections have taken me. For my part it all helps to keep my business life interesting and it also shows just how this still fledgling industry has spread its wings since it began to see light of day in children’s hospitals and special schools back in the 1970s.
Last week of the four jobs carried out two were in local authority run sports and leisure centres up in the North East, one was a large established play centre run in association with a children’s nursery on a trading estate in the East Midlands and the other a small down-town day nursery in the West Midlands. Three were independent post-installation inspections and one an annual. Play frames and equipment inspected came from three different suppliers, all British.
Monday: I Head north-east up the A1. A long-haul journey with refreshment break at Scotch Corner but traffic is generally light and progress none too difficult. My targets are two established Sports Centres close to or on the east coast each having serious money spent on them as part of a major upgrading of facilities. My Sat-Nav gets totally confused as I approach the Tyne-Tunnel. Do a U Turn! Are you serious? I arrive at the first job. So glad I keep my hard hat and fluorescent jacket in the back of the car since the site is teeming with construction workers. Fairly small two-level play frame, very well designed and built and with no big safety issues to address. Move on. Next site a convenient five miles away so soon there. Main problem is that another 24 hours are necessary before the site is completely finished although the basics are all in. Still this gives me a welcome opportunity to talk through some remaining issues with both the installation team leader and the Sports Centre Manager and both seem to feel it was good to have me there at that time. All safety issues appear to have been well thought about and planned for and I eventually leave site confident the job will be well finished off.
Tuesday: I arrive at a large, attractive and now well established Play Centre. It is well said you never get a second chance to make a first impression. This Centre never fails to impress me. As soon as I set foot through the door it is immediately warm, inviting and informative. Reception staff show all the evidence of good training and go through all the correct admission procedures. So important! I am met warmly by the owner who soon hands over a full analysis of all the accidents and injuries recorded at his Centre over the previous twelve months. Altogether it is a very impressively detailed piece of work by a very well organised and caring proprietor. Unsurprisingly the remainder of the annual inspection is a pleasure to carry out.
Wednesday: From one of the largest Play Centres to one of the smallest I have ever inspected. But that makes it no less valuable to those who run it and the Day Nursery children who came in to trial it whilst I was there certainly gave it the thumbs-up. A few safety issues to address – there often are in very small facilities where everything is very close but essentially the product is well designed and built.
That’s all the travelling for this week but again reports have to be written so it’s back to the computer.
Nick Balmforth is an inspector of Soft Play areas and is renowned for his expertise and knowledge of creating and operating safe Indoor Play areas. This blog is an excerpt of his diary which he shares with the Shareandcompareplay.com community in the hope that regular communication and insight will benefit the industry and raise standards.
Showing posts with label nickbalmforth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nickbalmforth. Show all posts
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
The play inspector calls.....part 3
Inspection calls are rather like buses; you can wait for ages for one to come along and then suddenly many arrive in quick succession! It was so quiet from November through to February. Just fifteen jobs over a four-month period. I really thought the credit crunch was beginning to hit the UK indoor play industry big time. And then March! Eleven jobs done as I write this piece with three more to do before the end of the month. The types of inspections are very evenly split with seven post-installations and seven annuals. Good to have some variety it keeps the mind sharp. Last week it was four on the South Coast; this week has started with two in the North East. Today it’s the East Midlands, tomorrow the West Midlands. It’s a wonder my car doesn’t get dizzy!
Back to last week. I thought it was going to start with an inspection on the Wednesday but suddenly the call came through that this was postponed. Not to worry. A very welcome extra 24 hours to get over the Bangkok jetlag!
Thursday: Driving almost due south from my home in Stafford to a play centre that has become something of a regular for me over the years. I first inspected it way back in July 1994. Little did I realize then that I would still be climbing its frames and trudging my way through its ball pools in March 2009! In fact the number of past reports in my bulging file shows this one to be the 28th. It must hold the national record for the highest number of my inspection visits. Still, the fact that it continues to give good service in a busy seaside resort and against competition from a growing number of more modern play centres in the area must say something. It does. It is always well staffed with a well-led highly motivated team backed by very good management. Vital ingredients if a play centre is going to survive and prosper. Others take note.
On to the next job and this time not far to motor. An interesting and impressively large Play Centre designed, manufactured and installed by a Chinese company. Having carried out its post-installation inspection last year I was keen to see how it was getting on. A very positive first year of trading was reported and the play frame and equipment was standing up well to the rigours of many tiny feet. Again it soon became clear that its success was due in no small measure to the drive, energy and sheer commitment of its General Manager. Staff selection working well.
Forty miles down the coast and I was able to get job number three in on the same day. I’ll sleep well tonight! Another Play Centre of the same chain as the last one and again of Chinese origin. This time built in 2007. Very similar story. The fabric of the facility looking good and the Centre being very ably led. Another successful year of business reported.
Finally I need a bed. But have you ever tried to park your car in Brighton? I lost count of the number of circuits I made of the sea front before opting to stay overnight in a hotel with its own underground car park. A very hot Indian curry was eagerly sought. I felt I had earned it.
Friday: A shortish journey to the last job of the week. A play centre built by a British company in 2006. Some wear and tear found and there was a need to tighten up on a few operational procedures but no big safety issues. Three hours later I am heading home via the M25 and through Friday afternoon traffic! No need for speed cameras – portrait painters can do the job! A weekend of Report writing looms. Must keep on top.
Nick Balmforth is an inspector of Soft Play areas and is renowned for his expertise and knowledge of creating and operating safe Indoor Play areas. This blog is an excerpt of his diary which he shares with the Shareandcompareplay.com community in the hope that regular communication and insight will benefit the industry and raise standards.
Back to last week. I thought it was going to start with an inspection on the Wednesday but suddenly the call came through that this was postponed. Not to worry. A very welcome extra 24 hours to get over the Bangkok jetlag!
Thursday: Driving almost due south from my home in Stafford to a play centre that has become something of a regular for me over the years. I first inspected it way back in July 1994. Little did I realize then that I would still be climbing its frames and trudging my way through its ball pools in March 2009! In fact the number of past reports in my bulging file shows this one to be the 28th. It must hold the national record for the highest number of my inspection visits. Still, the fact that it continues to give good service in a busy seaside resort and against competition from a growing number of more modern play centres in the area must say something. It does. It is always well staffed with a well-led highly motivated team backed by very good management. Vital ingredients if a play centre is going to survive and prosper. Others take note.
On to the next job and this time not far to motor. An interesting and impressively large Play Centre designed, manufactured and installed by a Chinese company. Having carried out its post-installation inspection last year I was keen to see how it was getting on. A very positive first year of trading was reported and the play frame and equipment was standing up well to the rigours of many tiny feet. Again it soon became clear that its success was due in no small measure to the drive, energy and sheer commitment of its General Manager. Staff selection working well.
Forty miles down the coast and I was able to get job number three in on the same day. I’ll sleep well tonight! Another Play Centre of the same chain as the last one and again of Chinese origin. This time built in 2007. Very similar story. The fabric of the facility looking good and the Centre being very ably led. Another successful year of business reported.
Finally I need a bed. But have you ever tried to park your car in Brighton? I lost count of the number of circuits I made of the sea front before opting to stay overnight in a hotel with its own underground car park. A very hot Indian curry was eagerly sought. I felt I had earned it.
Friday: A shortish journey to the last job of the week. A play centre built by a British company in 2006. Some wear and tear found and there was a need to tighten up on a few operational procedures but no big safety issues. Three hours later I am heading home via the M25 and through Friday afternoon traffic! No need for speed cameras – portrait painters can do the job! A weekend of Report writing looms. Must keep on top.
Nick Balmforth is an inspector of Soft Play areas and is renowned for his expertise and knowledge of creating and operating safe Indoor Play areas. This blog is an excerpt of his diary which he shares with the Shareandcompareplay.com community in the hope that regular communication and insight will benefit the industry and raise standards.
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
The play inpector calls...part 2
As heralded in last week’s blog, the last 7 days have been extraordinary! They started in London with the latest scheduled Standardisation Review meeting and then on to Bangkok to inspect Thailand’s first indoor play and party centre for children and their families. I get something of a glimpse of what it must be like to be an international business tycoon and quite a contrast in temperature after this long cold winter in the UK.
Monday: British Rail to London and then the familiar tube journey to Gunnersbury, home of the British Standards Institution. The publication of the European Standard for indoor play last year gave rise to an assumption in the industry that our own BS8409:2002 Soft Indoor Play Areas – Code of Practice would be rendered obsolete. It is normal for a British Standard to be removed when superseded by a European Norm. I for one was not prepared to accept that. Yes any conflicting data with the European Standard would need to be surgically removed but there would remain much sound operational advice within the British Standard that I believed deserved to remain on the table. I therefore applied to BSI for a revision of BS8409 and my proposal was accepted last autumn. I selected a Committee to assist in that redrafting purpose and offered representation to: The Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII), the Play Providers Association (PPA), RoSPA, the Association of Play Industries Indoor Play Section (API) and The Play Inspection Company (TPIC). So far we have had three very hard-working and positive meetings and are well on schedule for completing the project this year. Watch this space!
Tuesday: Final preparations for Thailand then off to Manchester for the long-haul flight broken only by a change of plane in Abu Dhabi. I know a good supplier of sand!
Wednesday: The longest immigration procedure I have ever endured at Bangkok airport. The queuing seemed to last for hours - everyone on the plane had to be photographed. Finally made it to my hotel and established client contact. There was he said “good news and bad news”. The good news was that I had arrived to help and advise him; the bad news was that the installation was taking longer than expected and the job therefore was unfinished. Not to worry. I reassured him that much useful work could and would be done.
Thursday/Friday: On site. Met the installation team - three from UK supported by Thai labour. The locals had clearly picked up what for them were new skills very quickly and all seemed to be working very well together on this British supplied product. Established priorities and objectives for my work. To my surprise a cable TV crew arrived with other free-lance journalists all wanting video footage and interviews. This was after all the first project of its kind in the country and to them very newsworthy. Worked and sweated hard carrying out both inspection and consultancy tasks broken only by much eating of Thai food, drinking litres of bottled water and much needed showers and sleep.
Saturday: Mission accomplished. A very good play centre in prospect and they might be interested in a twinning arrangement with a UK play centre. Any offers? Hopefully the jet lag will not last too long since I have 4 South Coast inspections to carry out next week. A more usual long-haul for this much travelled play inspector!
Nick Balmforth is an inspector of Soft Play areas and is renowned for his expertise and knowledge of creating and operating safe Indoor Play areas. This blog is an excerpt of his diary which he shares with the Shareandcompareplay.com community in the hope that regular communication and insight will benefit the industry and raise standards.
Monday: British Rail to London and then the familiar tube journey to Gunnersbury, home of the British Standards Institution. The publication of the European Standard for indoor play last year gave rise to an assumption in the industry that our own BS8409:2002 Soft Indoor Play Areas – Code of Practice would be rendered obsolete. It is normal for a British Standard to be removed when superseded by a European Norm. I for one was not prepared to accept that. Yes any conflicting data with the European Standard would need to be surgically removed but there would remain much sound operational advice within the British Standard that I believed deserved to remain on the table. I therefore applied to BSI for a revision of BS8409 and my proposal was accepted last autumn. I selected a Committee to assist in that redrafting purpose and offered representation to: The Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII), the Play Providers Association (PPA), RoSPA, the Association of Play Industries Indoor Play Section (API) and The Play Inspection Company (TPIC). So far we have had three very hard-working and positive meetings and are well on schedule for completing the project this year. Watch this space!
Tuesday: Final preparations for Thailand then off to Manchester for the long-haul flight broken only by a change of plane in Abu Dhabi. I know a good supplier of sand!
Wednesday: The longest immigration procedure I have ever endured at Bangkok airport. The queuing seemed to last for hours - everyone on the plane had to be photographed. Finally made it to my hotel and established client contact. There was he said “good news and bad news”. The good news was that I had arrived to help and advise him; the bad news was that the installation was taking longer than expected and the job therefore was unfinished. Not to worry. I reassured him that much useful work could and would be done.
Thursday/Friday: On site. Met the installation team - three from UK supported by Thai labour. The locals had clearly picked up what for them were new skills very quickly and all seemed to be working very well together on this British supplied product. Established priorities and objectives for my work. To my surprise a cable TV crew arrived with other free-lance journalists all wanting video footage and interviews. This was after all the first project of its kind in the country and to them very newsworthy. Worked and sweated hard carrying out both inspection and consultancy tasks broken only by much eating of Thai food, drinking litres of bottled water and much needed showers and sleep.
Saturday: Mission accomplished. A very good play centre in prospect and they might be interested in a twinning arrangement with a UK play centre. Any offers? Hopefully the jet lag will not last too long since I have 4 South Coast inspections to carry out next week. A more usual long-haul for this much travelled play inspector!
Nick Balmforth is an inspector of Soft Play areas and is renowned for his expertise and knowledge of creating and operating safe Indoor Play areas. This blog is an excerpt of his diary which he shares with the Shareandcompareplay.com community in the hope that regular communication and insight will benefit the industry and raise standards.
Thursday, 12 March 2009
The Inspector Calls...
After months of relative winter inactivity the phone begins to ring. Five inspections in six days! Greater Manchester, Essex, Greater London, The Lake District and the west coast of Ireland. North, South, East and West! My latest workhorse of a car is certainly being run-in!
The inspections have their own variations. Each from a different supplier - four UK companies and one from across the big pond. Different design, manufacturing and installation techniques, but generally the quality is there. There have been huge improvements in the product over the last 16 years. I like to believe all the work I have put into helping create independent safety guidelines and British and European Standards for the industry has paid off.
Then there are the types of inspections - two Post-Installations, two Annuals and one that is a bit of both. What a difference inspecting empty play frames and those teeming with kids! “Can you give me a lift down mister?” Under no circumstances!
Friday: A five year old Play Centre still giving good service in a downtown location. Discussed issues of fire safety both in the design and in the need for fire safety systems. The need to be able to get everyone out inside 2½ minutes is very real for all Centres. It’s the smoke that kills.
Monday: Spanking new Centre and with a vintage United States Fire Engine in pristine condition set to transport children to the Play Centre for Parties. How cool is that!
Second job: Arrived to find installation work continuing – never easy but able to pick up on some safety issues with the installation team on site to address them so useful work done.
Wednesday: One year old Play Centre having its first Annual. Immaculate condition. Gave some training on indoor play to a work colleague grounded in outdoor playgrounds. Big differences found – like you get a hot drink on arrival!
Thursday: Short flight to the peat bogs of Ireland. Very impressive new build in a brand new leisure complex – once we had dredged our way through the mud to get inside among the hard hats!
Next week will be very different. An important BSI revising committee for British Standard BS8409 to Chair and just one post-installation inspection. Not much travelling? Wrong! The job is 6,000 miles away in Bangkok. It’s a hard life!
Nick Balmforth is an inspector of Soft Play areas and is renowned for his expertise and knowledge of creating and operating safe Indoor Play areas. This blog is an excerpt of his diary which he shares with the Shareandcompareplay.com community in the hope that regular communication and insight will benefit the industry and raise standards.
The inspections have their own variations. Each from a different supplier - four UK companies and one from across the big pond. Different design, manufacturing and installation techniques, but generally the quality is there. There have been huge improvements in the product over the last 16 years. I like to believe all the work I have put into helping create independent safety guidelines and British and European Standards for the industry has paid off.
Then there are the types of inspections - two Post-Installations, two Annuals and one that is a bit of both. What a difference inspecting empty play frames and those teeming with kids! “Can you give me a lift down mister?” Under no circumstances!
Friday: A five year old Play Centre still giving good service in a downtown location. Discussed issues of fire safety both in the design and in the need for fire safety systems. The need to be able to get everyone out inside 2½ minutes is very real for all Centres. It’s the smoke that kills.
Monday: Spanking new Centre and with a vintage United States Fire Engine in pristine condition set to transport children to the Play Centre for Parties. How cool is that!
Second job: Arrived to find installation work continuing – never easy but able to pick up on some safety issues with the installation team on site to address them so useful work done.
Wednesday: One year old Play Centre having its first Annual. Immaculate condition. Gave some training on indoor play to a work colleague grounded in outdoor playgrounds. Big differences found – like you get a hot drink on arrival!
Thursday: Short flight to the peat bogs of Ireland. Very impressive new build in a brand new leisure complex – once we had dredged our way through the mud to get inside among the hard hats!
Next week will be very different. An important BSI revising committee for British Standard BS8409 to Chair and just one post-installation inspection. Not much travelling? Wrong! The job is 6,000 miles away in Bangkok. It’s a hard life!
Nick Balmforth is an inspector of Soft Play areas and is renowned for his expertise and knowledge of creating and operating safe Indoor Play areas. This blog is an excerpt of his diary which he shares with the Shareandcompareplay.com community in the hope that regular communication and insight will benefit the industry and raise standards.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
