Criterion PF303
All indoor and outdoor items and surfaces, furniture, equipment and materials are safe and suitable for their intended use.
Guidance
How to show you are complying
You must make sure everything in your service is safe and suitable for how it will be used. This includes indoor and outdoor items, surfaces, furniture, equipment, and materials.
One way to help keep children safe is to use furniture and equipment that meet New Zealand Safety Standards. Even certified manufacturers may offer new products that haven’t yet been tested against the standard. If an item doesn’t come with proof of compliance, ask the supplier to provide it before purchasing.
The Commerce Commission has a fact sheet about product safety standards for learning materials and equipment. This includes making sure toys or parts of toys are not a choking hazard if a child puts them in their mouth, swallows them, or breathes them in.
You can find a link in the ‘Tools to help you comply’ section.
Playground safety
If your playground structures or equipment weren’t designed, built, and installed by a commercial manufacturer, you will need to know they are safe for use and are compliant with NZS 5828:2015. This includes:
entrapment risks are not present
height of equipment is suitable for the age of children attending
fall zones are suitable for the equipment
impact attenuation surfacing is suitable for the equipment.
You should undertake regular maintenance checks on equipment to make sure they are compliant with NZS 5828:2015 or ask a qualified playground inspector to do this for you.
If you find any issues you will need to do risk assessment and take action as required by HS309 Hazard and risk management.
When assessing whether you comply with PF303
Questions we are likely to ask
Usually, we will only ask questions if we have concerns about the safety or suitability of any indoor and outdoor items, surfaces, furniture, equipment or materials to confirm they are safe for use with children.
We are likely to look at, measure or count
Indoor and outdoor items and surfaces, furniture, equipment and materials to see they are safe and suitable for their intended use.
Any playground structures and impact attenuation surfaces.
We are likely to request
If we have concerns about the safety or suitability of any indoor and outdoor items, surfaces, furniture, equipment or materials, we will need to confirm they are safe for use with children. The following documents might be requested after a visit:
a certificate of compliance for newly installed playground equipment or safety surfacing showing it was installed according to the manufacturer's instructions
inspection records confirming the structure or equipment is safe to use.
The tools below are here to support you, but you do not have to use them. You can use other tools or methods that work better for your service.
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has a range of safety standards. You can access a copy on the Standards New Zealand website.
Get Standards - Standards New Zealand
Support to check toy is suitable using the “Six S” guide.
Toy safety – Product Safety New Zealand
Playground safety
The New Zealand Standard for playground equipment and surfacing is NZS 5828:2015 Playground equipment and surfacing.
Playground equipment and surfacing - Standards New Zealand
Commerce commission
The commerce commission provides information about toy safety including prevention of chocking using a small cylinder to test items.
Product safety standards for children's toys – Commerce Commission
Making sure all items, surfaces, furniture, equipment, and materials are safe and suitable helps keep children safe as they explore, play and learn.
Doing more than the minimum helps make things better for children and easier for staff. Below are some ideas you can consider.
Take all reasonable steps to ensure equipment is kept in good repair and maintained regularly. A regular inspection programme to ensure equipment and surfacing are properly maintained will help make sure any necessary repairs and maintenance can be completed promptly.