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ONLINE SCHOOL INSPECTION COURSE
Course Title:
Elementary School Outdoor Play Inspector Course
A Certified “SCHOOL OUTDOOR PLAY INSPECTOR” means
As a certified School Outdoor Play Inspector (SOPI), you should be able to determine whether or not the school outdoor play spaces have been designed and maintained for the safety of children. The criteria for which, are learned in an online course that sets forth information from the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), National Association for Youth Sports (NAYS), National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities (NCEF), and the National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS).
PURPOSE OF THE COURSE
School playground inspectors should have an understanding of all the guidelines and standards necessary to inspect elementary school’s outdoor play areas for safety. NPPS understands that achieving the School Outdoor Play Inspector Certification does not make one an automatic expert in the inspection process of an outdoor play environment in the school district setting. However, by providing a framework, based on national standards and guidelines by which an individual can gain the knowledge and specific competencies necessary to conduct an inspection of a school outdoor play environment, NPPS is providing the opportunity to produce experts in this area where none exist. The knowledge and skills that are gathered in this course, through independent study of course materials, and by an inspection field assignment will help create an experience level necessary to be considered a Certified School Outdoor Play Inspector.
GOALS
Specifically, participants will
- Learn how to inspect the physical layout of the outdoor play environment. This includes understanding how the area should be arranged, types of physical and environmental hazards that may be present, and regulations regarding sports fields, playground equipment, and fencing.
- Learn how to inspect the area for good sight supervision. Assessment of supervision includes examining blind spots and other physical elements that can inhibit supervision.
- Learn how to inspect for age appropriate design. Inspection of age appropriateness includes determining if appropriate equipment is present and if areas are separated properly.
- Learn how to inspect for ADA compliance. All existing play areas must provide opportunities for children to get from the school building to play area and be able to interact with other children.
- Learn how to inspect the surface materials of a play area. Inspection of surfacing materials includes inspecting the composition of the material, height of equipment, depth of material, use zones, and maintenance.
- Learn how to inspect common play components that are typically found on school’s play environments. Inspection of each play component includes examining head entrapments, protrusions, entanglements, sharp points, pinch, crush, and shearing points.
- Learn how to inspect the school grounds. This includes understanding how the area should be arranged, types of physical and environmental hazards that may be present, and regulations regarding athletic fields, playground equipment, fitness equipment, asphalt areas, and outdoor classrooms.
Certified School Outdoor Play Inspector
Code of Professional Conduct
This code sets forth the standards of professional conduct to be observed by Certified School Outdoor Play Inspector upon confirmation by NPPS as they act in the capacity of that certification.
Certificates shall, in their professional activities, sustain and advance the integrity, honor, and veracity of their certification by:
- Utilizing the most current standards of care acceptable by ADA, ASTM, CPSC, NAYS, NCEF, and NPPS.
- Maintaining competency in the outdoor play environment through inspecting procedures including knowledge of current safety criteria.
- Prioritizing all identified non-compliances according to a standard norm of foreseeable consequences.
- Advising school districts of seriously dangerous conditions in the most prompt manner as well as part of a written report.
- Never conducting a safety inspection without the knowledge and consent of the school district.
- Never conducting a safety inspection of the outdoor play area with the intent to discredit a manufacturer or to promote sale of other equipment or products.
- Never providing findings of an inspection to anyone other than the contact person of the school district of the area unless authorized by the contact person to do so.
Certified individuals failing to practice these professional standards shall be subject to loss of professional certification upon a negative finding by a review process established by NPPS.
Continuation of Certification
If you pass the examination you will be awarded the title as a Certified School Outdoor Play Inspector. Individuals who pass the examination will be mailed a certificate from NPPS approximately four weeks after the exam and assignment are graded.
Your certification is valid for three years. Expiration dates are dated the first of the month following the month that the exam was taken; plus three years. For example, if you passed the course on October 15, 2008, your expiration date for your Certification would be November 1, 2011. To continue your certification you must pass a recertification examination every three years offered by the NPPS.
If you pass the examination you are eligible to be on the list of state registered individuals provided by NPPS. This option provides for the individual to be referenced and contacted by school districts that are in need of an outdoor play environment inspection within your district. NPPS will list these registered individuals on the NPPS website. Listing of the individuals is at the discretion of those who wish to be listed. Names appearing on the list merely indicate an individual who has passed the certification requirements and does not imply an endorsement of their services.
