Certified Playground Safety Inspector
CPSI Sample Exam Questions
1.To be compliant with ASTM 1487, a designer or manufacturer of
playground equipment should
(Ans- provide buyers with a parts list for the playground
- The fish or wedge probe is used to determine whether or not a hazard
exists on
(Ans- a partially bounded opening - Which of the following is correct regarding the impact-attenuation of
surfacing material
(Ans- Critical height must equal or exceed fall height - When evaluating the structural integrity of a support structure for a swing
that appears to be failing, a CPSI should
(Ans- hire a licensed professional engineer to certify the integrity of the
equipment - Manufacturers of playground equipment must: provide the
manufacturer’s identification of the equipment
(Ans6. The majority of injuries associated with playground equipment result
from
(Ans- falls to the surface on which the equipment was located - An opening may present a common crush or shear hazard only if it
(Ans- grabs the 5/8″ (16mm) dowel - The criteria for unitary surface materials includes meeting requirements
of (Ans- ASTM F1292 and F1487 - Regarding playground safety signage, which of the following is correct
(Ans- Signage may not prevent accidents but may reduce liability - Which of the following factors is MOST important when determining the
frequency of inspections of surfacing
(Ans- Type of surfacing and amount of use - When planning a playground for public use, the play equipment that is
chosen must
(Ans- be appropriate for the age of intended users - A spring rocker with seat height of 26″ is about to be installed adjacent
to the side of a fully enclosed bucket swing set. The minimum distance
required between the swing set and the rocker is
(Ans- 108″ or 9′ - The Site History File for a playground should contains
(Ans- a comprehensive inventory of all equipment, a parts list,
maintenance, and inspection recommendations - What is the minimum use zone between a stand-alone climber and a
standing-rocking/springing playground piece
(Ans- 156″ or 13′ - The _ of each play structure shall provide clear and concise
inspection instructions
(Ans- Manufacturer - Heights of guardrails and protective barriers are determined by which of
the following characteristics of children
(Ans- Center of gravity
Certified Playground Safety Inspector
Exam
Playground and play in general help develop a child…
(Ans- SEPI (Socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually)
Why are entrances important?
(Ans- They are social spaces and information nodes for the child and
parents
What is the recommended pitch for a pathway?
(Ans- 1:20 or 20%
What are enclosures used for?
(Ans- They are a primary means of differentiating and articulating the
child’s enviornment.
Enclosures must be a minimum _ and preferably _.
(Ans- 36, 48
What does CPSC stand for?
(Ans- Consumer Product Safety Commission
What does NEISS stand for?
(Ans- National Electronic Injury Surveillance System
What does ASTM stand for?
(Ans- American Society for Testing and Materials
What is the number one cause of injury on a playground?
(Ans- Falls
What is the number one cause of strangulation and death on a playground?
(Ans- Entanglement
What does ADA stand for?
(Ans- Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
What does ADA specifically require?
(Ans- That the playgrounds be readily accessible to, and usable by,
individuals with disabilities
what should never be compromised for accessibility?
(Ans- safety – safety for all
The accessabile route to the playgound must be at least what width?
(Ans- 5 feet for two wheel chairs
What is the age appropriate platform height?
(Ans- 14 to 18 inches
What are the dimensions of a transfer platform?
(Ans- 24 inches wide and 14 inches deep
All ramps should be how wide and what pitch
(Ans- at least 36 inches wide and no more than a 1.12 pitch
Steps have a maximum height of?
(Ans- 8 inches
Steps have a maximum depth and width of?
(Ans- 14 deep and 24 inches wide
Deck should be at least what in diameter?
(Ans- 5 feet
CPSI Exam Preparation: Questions &
Answers
Circular use zone where swing motion occurs cannot overlap to a distance
of________________.
(AnsY + 72″
(y = vertical distance from the top of sitting surface to pivot point)
The front and rear use zone where swing motion occurs cannot overlap for
a distance of _ to both the front and the rear. (Ans2x x = the vertical distance from the protective surface to the pivot point of the swing. What is the handhold length of a seated rocking equipment ? (Ans- min. length 3″ Wheelchair accessible platform: The openings in platform, and between edge and railing may not exceed _” horizontal opening
(Ans- 1/2″ (0.5″)
What is the minimum side use zone for a rotating swing support structure?
(Ans- 72″
Comprehensive program of playground safety includes….
(Ans-
- audits
-inspections
-maintenance
What does the middle projection gauge measure?
(Ans- projection entering brain thru eye socket
What does the large projection gauge measure?
(Ans- soft tissue damage such as bruise or ruptured organs in abdominal
area
What is the max height of a balance beam?
(Ans12″ max hgt for 2-5 yo
16″ max hgt for 5-12 yo
What is min overlap use zone for To-Fro Swing support structure?
(Ans- 72″
What is the dowel size of the crush/shear test probe on Merry – Go –
Rounds?
(Ans- 0.30″ (5/16″)
Entanglement hazards:
If connecting devices that have in-fill such as plastic or cable that
completely fills the interior space of both loops preventing entry items of
clothing, is this exempt?
(Ans- YES
What is the minimum footrest length of a seated spring rocking equipment?
(Ans- 3 1/2″
What is the dowel size of crush / sheer hazards with movement?
(Ans- 0.62″ (5/8″)
Partially Bound Openings:
The template is considered fully inserted if it goes below the top of the
opening more than __“
(Ans- 3/4″ (0.75″)
What is the minimum diameter of hand gripping components?
(Ans- 0.95″
What is the dowel diameter for roller slides?
(Ans- 0.19″ (3/16″)
What is the minimum diameter of handrails?
(Ans- 0.95″
What is the diameter of a medium dowel?
(Ans- .30″ (5/16″)
What is the distance from the platform to the sliding pole?
(Ans- 18″-20″
Stepping forms must be stationary when they are ____
(Ans- >30″
What is the distance between stepping platforms?
(Ans- PS 12″ max
SA 18″ max
What are track ride platform dimensions (when used)?
(AnsMin depth 36″
Min width 32″
Max platform hgt 36″ for SA users
Upper body equipment can be used by children _ and up
(Ans- 4
What is the handrail (stair) height for PS age children?
(Ans- 22″-26″
CPSI EXAM: Questions & Answers
Test Method for Accessibility on Safety Surfacing for Playgrounds
(Ans- F 1951
Engineered Wood Fiber Safety Surfacing
(Ans- F2075
Guide for ASTM Standards of Playground Surfacing
(Ans- F2223
Poured-in-Place Rubber Surfacing
(Ans- F2479
Loose-Fill Rubber Surfacing
(Ans- F3012
Standard for Fencing/Barriers for Playgrounds
(Ans- F2049
Contained Play Systems
(Ans- F1918
Residential Playground Systems
(Ans- F1148
Audits, Inspections, Maintenance
(Ans- A.I.M
First equipment recommended to be removed for safety reasons.
(Ans- Giant Stride
Consumer Product Safety Commission. A federal guideline.
(Ans- CPSC
American Society for Testing and Materials. An International and Voluntary
Standard
(Ans- ASTM
International Playground Equipment Manufacturers Assoc.
(Ans- IPEMA
Impact Attenuation of Surfacing Materials Within the USe Zone of
Playground Equipment
(Ans- F 1292-17
Most common cause of playground fatalities
(Ans- Entanglement
Most common cause of injury on public playgrounds
(Ans- Falls
Certified Playground Safety Inspector
Course
S Hook maximum opening
(Ans- 0.04
vertical projection gauge – thickness
(Ans- 0.12
roller slides – size of crush/shear test probe
(Ans- 0.19
merry go round (vertical rotating equipment) – size of crush / shear test
probe
(Ans- 0.30
small projection gauge – inside diameter
(Ans- 0.50
crush and shear probe – size of opening with movement
(Ans- 0.62
flexible hand gripping components – minimum diameter
(Ans- 0.62
partially bounded opening probe (B) – minimum insertion depth
(Ans- 0.75
hand gripping components – minimum diameter
(Ans- 0.95
handrails – minimum diameter
(Ans- 0.95
rungs on rigid climbing apparatus – minimum diameter
(Ans- 0.95
middle projection gauge – inside diameter
(Ans- 1.5
hand gripping components – maximum diameter
(Ans- 1.55
flexible hand gripping components – maximum diameter
(Ans- 1.55
handrails – maximum diameter
(Ans- 1.55
rungs on rigid climbing apparatus – maximum diameter
(Ans- 1.55
partially – bounded opening probe – neck width
(Ans- 1.875
partially-bounded opening probe – neck length
(Ans- 3
large projection gauge – inside diameter
(Ans- 3
torso probe – thickness
(Ans- 3.5
torso probe – minimum insertion depth
(Ans- 4
partially bounded opening probe (A) – width
(Ans- 6.1
torso probe – width
(Ans- 6.2
partially-bounded opening probe (B) – shoulder width
(Ans- 8.5
head probe – diameter
(Ans- 9
Playground Safety Inspector
Certification Questions & Answers
Layout Guidelines (6)
(Ans1. Accessibility
- Age Separation
- Sight Lines
- Conflicting Activities
- Signage
- Supervision
Accessibility
(Ans- Ensure that all playground equipment is equal access and wheelchair
friendly. Complies with ADA and ASTM standard F1951 for wheelchair
accessibility and propulsion.
Age Separation
(Ans- Pathways, landscaping, and playground equipment that caters to
differing ages. Note – developmental differences that make this important
Sight Lines
(Ans- Layout of playground should minimize visual barriers so that
caregivers can provide adequate supervision.
Conflicting Activities
(Ans- High motion and passive activities should not be placed next to each
other. Slide exits should be kept away from other activities.
Signage
(Ans- Playgrounds should always include signs about age appropriateness for various equipment.
Supervision
(Ans- Caregivers should understand that supervision is a must on public
playgrounds to help prevent injury.
Access and Egress (4)
(Ans- Ramps, Wide Stairway, Stepladder, Vertical Rung Ladder
Ramp
(Ans- Easiest access and egress to navigate. Max length 144in. Max width
36in. Slope 1:12. HANDRAILS.
Transfer Platforms
(Ans- Used to get from assistive devices to play equipment. Low slope,
wide tread, handrails. Total height of platform = 11-18′
Steps = 14″D x 24″W(min) x 8″H(max)
Stepladders
(Ans- ages 5-12 ONLY for narrow tread. ages 2-5 must have wide tread
Slope, tread, open/closed risers, all depend on ?
(Ans- AGE
Handrails (childs hand should wrap?)
(Ans- at least 73% around
Platforms for (2-5) must have support if?
(Ans- foot and hand rail support if greater than 12″ between them
Platforms for (5-12) must have support if?
(Ans- foot and hand rail support if greater than 18″ between them
Arch Climbers (specifications)
(Ans- NOT sole means of access for 2-5 year olds. MUST attach at or
below platform
CPSI Exam (Preparation for CPSI Exam)
Questions & Answers
Priority 1
(Ans- One that could cause an injury which would result in death, brain
damage, permanent paralysis, loss of vision or a limb, or the destruction of
an organ.
Four major causes of Priority 1
(Ans- Falls to hard underlying surfaces; entanglement of clothing, strings,
or ropes; head entrapment in equipment openings; and impact by moving
or tipped apparatus
Methods Used to Determine Shock Absorbency
(Ans- 200g maximum and 1000 HIC maximum
Priority 2
(Ans- Any condition which can cause serious or non-disabling injury.
Projection
(Ans- Condition which, due to its physical nature, must be tested to the
requirements of this standard to determine whether it is a protrusion or
entanglement hazard, or both.
Entanglement
(Ans- Condition in which the user’s clothes or something around the user’s
neck becomes caught or entwined on a component of playground
equipment; Examples include bolt ends that extend more than two threads
beyond the face of the nut and open S type hooks.
Entrapment
(Ans- Any condition which impedes withdrawal of a body or body part that
has penetrated an opening; No opening may measure between three and
one-half inches and nine inches
Protective Barrier
(Ans- Enclosing device around an elevated surface that prevents both
inadvertent and deliberate attempts to pass through the device.
Protrusion
(Ans- Projection which, when tested in accordance with the requirements
of this standard, is found to be a hazard having the potential to cause
bodily injury to a user
who impacts it.
ASTM F1292
(Ans- Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surfacing Materials Within the
Use Zone of Playground Equipment
ASTM 1951
(Ans- Specification for Determination of Accessibility of Surface Systems
Under and Around Playground Equipment
ASTM F1487
(Ans- Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for
Playground Equipment for Public Use
5th percentile
(Ans- 2-year-old
95th percentile
(Ans- 12-year-old
CCA
(Ans- Chromated copper arsenate
CPSI Exam: Questions & Answers
the most recent revision of ASTM standard 1487-17 occurred in
(Ans- 2017
which of the following ASTM documents should be used as a reference
when selecting a surfacing system to be installed in a public playground
(Ans- F2223
According to CPSC, good playground supervisors must understand
(Ans-
-be aware that not all equipment is appropriate for all ages
-realize that preschool children require greater supervision and look for
posted signage
-understand the basics of playground safety and look for and report unsafe
or unsanitary conditions
where is the best source for accessible design information
(Ans- DOJ 2010 ADA standards for Accessible design
ASTM 1487 covers
(Ans- public playground equipment
the user range covered by ASTM F1487 is
(Ans- 5th percentile 2 year old to 95th percentile 12 year old
what is the most common cause of playground fatalities
(Ans- entanglement
all of the following are factors identified to contribute to playground injuries
(Ans-
-improper use/poor supervision of children using equipment
-equipment installation errors
-poor maintenance
the most common cause of injury on a public playground is
(Ans- falls
the purpose of ASTM standard 1487 is
(Ans- to reduce life threatening and debilitating injuries
to be compliant with ASTM 1487, a designer or manufacturer of playground
equipment should provide buyers
(Ans- a parts list for the playground
manufacturers of the playground equipment must provide _ on their
equipment
(Ans- identification
what is a disadvantage to using a unitary surface system such as mats or
tiles
(Ans- high initial cost
the requirement that a playground should have an accessible route from
the perimeter to all accessible play structures with an overhead clearance
of 80″, a minimum width of 60″, and a max slope of 1:16 is part of which
standards
(Ans- ADA/ABA Accessibility Guidelines
when selecting surfacing, wheelchair accessible routes should be
compliant with
(Ans- ASTM 1951 -test method for accessibility on safety surfacing for
playgrounds
T/F grass is an acceptable playground surface material
(Ans- false
impact attenuating surfacing is required in all the following areas
(Ans- -on an accessible route located adjacent to a transfer platform
-a slide exit use zone
-the interior area of a composite structure
T/F fasteners and other hardware must be corrosion resistant or have a
corrosion resistant coating
(Ans- true
playgrounds made of wood or containing wood components must
(Ans- be naturally rot resistant or treated to resist rot
before opening a new playground and allowing use by the public, a CPSI
should
(Ans- audit the playground and rectify any non-compliant issues found
engineered wood is an example of a __ protective surfacing
(Ans- loose-fill
when designing the layout of a playground, swings should be placed
(Ans- on the playground perimeter
a spring rocker with a seat height of 26″ is about to be installed adjacent to
the side of a fully enclosed bucket seat swing set. the minimum distance
required between swing and rocker is
(Ans- 108″
T/F a trampoline is recommended for use in a playground designed for 2-5
year old children
(Ans- false
T/F log rolls have non overlapping use zones
(Ans- False. **log rolls do NOT have non-overlapping use zones
the distance between two functionally linked stepping forms on a
playground designed for 2-5 year olds shall not be greater than
(Ans- 12″
T/F a concrete border painted blaze orange enclosing black shredded
rubber surfacing is considered a trip hazard
(Ans- false
T/F an arch climber whos highest stepping surface is mounted above the
platform it is attached to is considered a trip hazard
(Ans- true
most appropriate place to find information about fencing for use around
public playground is
(Ans- ASTM Standard 2049
T/F adjacent swing support structures must be 108″ apart
(Ans- false
T/F a track ride use zone is 72″
(Ans- true
T/F all rotating equipment have 72″ use zones that may not overlap
(Ans- False
overhead utility line is located above a public playground. to determine
required clearance of the line, CPSI should consult
(Ans- local, state, or national electrical codes
T/F a cpsi audits a new playground and documents all compliant and non
compliant conditions found
(Ans- true
T/F two adjacent track rides with parallel paths of travel installed 40″ apart
is a compliant condition
(Ans- false
CPSI Questions & Answers
ASTM F1487-17
(Ans- Consumer safety performance specifications for public playground
equipment
ASTM F1292
(Ans- Impact attenuation of surfacing materials within use zones
ASTM F2223
(Ans- Guide for ASTM standards on playground surfacing
ASTM F1951
(Ans- Accessibility test method requirements for surfacing under and
around equipment
Only state that mandates playground inspections
(Ans- California
All playgrounds installed after (this year) must be compliant by (this year)
(Ans- 1990, 2005
ASTM standards based on these four criteria
(Ans- National injury data, industry experience, risk management and
litigation data, anthropometrics
Risk v Hazard
(Ans- Challenge mentally/physically vs something unknown to child
play environment develops children in these four ways
(Ans- Physically, cognitively, socially, emotionally
What percent of overall playground hospitalization injuries occur in children
0-9?
(Ans- 77%
Top causes of playground injuries
(Ans- Falls (79%), Impact (11%), Misc (10%)
Top causes of death/debilitating injury
(Ans- Entanglement (top), falls, head/neck entrapment, impact
5 factors contributing to playground injuries
(Ans- Poor maintenance, improper use, inappropriate design, installation
errors, site planning issues
ASTM F1487 age range and percentiles
(Ans- 5th percentile 2yo to 95th percentile 12yo
ASTM F1487 EXCLUDES…
(Ans- Residential play equipment, athletic equipment, contained play
equipment, amusement park equipment, toys, fitness equipment (13+),
benches/tables/etc outside use zone
Professional Judgement
(Ans- the application of relevant training, knowledge, and experience in
making informed decisions. ASTM F1487 section 3 and CPSC 1.8.
CPSC involves playground (what) not part of ASTM guidelines
(Ans- Supervision
4 parts of site selection
(Ans- Travel patterns, sun exposure, hazards, slopes/drainage
6 parts of playground layout
(Ans- Accessibility, age separation, conflicting activities, sight lines,
signage, supervision
Play equipment not recommended (6 items)
(Ans- Animal swings, trampolines, swinging gates/doors, trapeze bars,
climbing ropes not secured at both ends, heavy metal and multiple
occupancy swings
Fastener and hardware material requirements
(Ans- Must be corrosion resistant, must not loosen or be removable without
tools, must be self-locking
Three types of surfacing
(Ans- Loose fill, uniform, composite
Clearance, width, and slope for accessibility surfacing inside use area
(Ans- 80″ height, 60″ width, 1:16 max slope
Circulation Routes
(Ans- Must have sufficient space between structures and play equipment,
and provide additional routes if overcrowding occurs
Minimum clearance height without overhead obstructions
(Ans- 84″ above play surface
Use Zone Rule 1
(Ans- 72″ use zone extending all directions from piece of equipment
Use Zone Rule 2. Define Complete v Partial.
(Ans- Some use zones may overlap. Complete overlap if both structures
30″ or less. Partial overlap if either structure is over 30″.