WSP Tranche 3 and HAZMAT Visits 2024/25

We are very pleased to let you know that the Board of Trustees have approved WSP revisiting approximately 270 playcentre properties. There are two types of visits happening and a number of Centres will get two visits.

Tranche 3 visits will consist of WSP obtaining information that MOE didn’t allow to be collected in the Tranche 1 Condition Surveys. This information provides us with the data to create 10 year maintenance plans for your Centre.

HAZMAT visits are to collect data and samples to help us identify any hazardous building materials at your playcentre. This process will produce a site specific hazardous materials management plan that can be added your hazardous materials management folder alongside your Condition Survey and Umbrella Hazardous Materials Management Plan. It is to be shown to all contractors and anyone undertaking works on your site.

Property Team Members will be in touch with Centres included in the above visits to obtain contact data that we don’t already have on record. WSP will be contacting your Centre’s directly to book in a suitable time to visit. Please note that Centre Members nor Staff need to attend these visits. Lock boxes can help with this.

WSP Condition Surveys & HAZMAT Reports

All Tranche 2 WSP Condition Surveys and HAZMAT reports have been sent out to those Centres involved.

All HAZMAT reports have a Hazardous Materials Register in them. Please photocopy these registers and add them to the wall alongside your Hazard Registers. Those with Tranche 1 HAZMATs look in your Black Hazardous Materials Management Plan Folder to see if you have a site-specific HAZMAT (only 124 Centre received them).

Hazardous Materials

Property Managers will be visiting Centres identified to check the condition of hazardous materials once per annum. But, in between these visits, if identified hazardous materials have been further damaged, i.e. bikes or balls hitting asbestos baseboards and creating damage, then please email [email protected] immediately to let us know (please include details and photos of the damage). We will need to assess the extent of the damage and whether work is required to repair or encapsulate the damage.

Wobbly Bridge Enclosure

Below are photos of the first wobbly bridge to have used the national mesh material design to enclose their bridge. This is at Parklands Kamo, Whangarei.

This is available across the country. If you would like to get a quote and have this system installed for your wobbly / clatter bridge, please contact [email protected].

Do You Have Questions You Feel Would Be Helpful on The FAQ Webpage?

If you have had situations at your centre that you think other centres may appreciate knowing, please let us know at [email protected] and we can arrange for them to be added to the FAQ page of the Playcentre website.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms, toadstools, and puffballs are the fruiting bodies of fungi. They are grown by the fungi to produce spores usually found growing in soil, wood, mulch, lawns, and decaying matter that is damp or wet. Some mushrooms are toxic if consumed, and breathing in airborne spores can lead to respiratory issues (spores cannot be airborne if wet).

There are only 2 broad categories for killing / removing them. These are:

Physically remove by hand (using gloves and a mask) and disposing of carefully in a bag, then rubbish bin

Treating with something to stop them growing.

What can we use to treat them? Note – Mushrooms etc. can be killed by something acidic i.e. having a pH of 1 or 1.2 e.g. acetic acid. Vinegar will NOT work!

Bleach solution – spray onto the mushroom itself, dilute 1 part bleach to 5 parts water. This will kill the visible mushrooms but will not kill the spores

Soap and water (dishwashing liquid soap 6ml to 1 litre of water) spray on mushrooms and make holes in ground with a rod or screwdriver and fill hole with the soapy water solution. This will kill the spores.

After, you can add a nitrogen fertiliser. This quickens the decomposition of the matter, leaving nothing for the mushrooms to feed off (450grams / 350sqm of lawn area).

RPII Extreme Cold Weather Outdoor Play Equipment Guidance

  1. Dress in Layers: Encourage children to wear multiple layers of clothing to stay warm. Ensure they have proper thermal wear, waterproof gloves, hats, socks, and insulated boots to protect against the cold and frost.
  2. Educate on Safe Play: Teach children about the importance of safe play during freezing cold weather. Emphasise the risks of running on icy surfaces and the need to be cautious around playground equipment to prevent slips and falls.
  3. Equipment Check: Before allowing children to use playground equipment, parents and guardians should check it for any signs of ice, or snow. Cold weather can affect the stability of structures, so vigilance is key to preventing accidents.
    1. Ice Build-up: Check for ice accumulation on the playground surfaces, including walkways, stairs, and play equipment. Ice can create slippery conditions, increasing the risk of slips and falls.
    2. Frozen Surfaces: Check the play equipment for any frozen components. Cold temperatures can affect the functionality of moving parts, making them more prone to breakage or malfunction. Avoid allowing children to use equipment that shows signs of freezing or stiffness.
  4. Snow Piles and Drifts: Check the playground area for large snow piles to ensure a safe and accessible play environment.
  5. Visibility of Hazards: Snow and ice can obscure potential hazards on the playground. Be vigilant in identifying any hidden obstacles, such as rocks, debris, or uneven surfaces, which may be concealed beneath the snow.
  6. Supervision is Key: Supervise children during outdoor play AT ALL TIMES in the freezing cold weather. Be vigilant for signs of discomfort or overexertion and encourage breaks when needed.
  7. Regular Breaks: Implement a schedule that includes regular breaks for children to warm up indoors. Prolonged exposure to extreme cold can lead to frostbite, so it’s essential to balance outdoor play with warm intervals.
  8. Proper Hydration: Even in cold weather, hydration is crucial. Make sure children drink enough water before, during, and after outdoor play to stay adequately hydrated. Taking a flask of a hot drink can be an excellent way of warming children up too.
  9. Emergency Preparedness: Familiarise yourself with the playground location and if possible, who owns the playground. Knowing who to call in case of an emergency can make all the difference in extreme weather conditions.     

Building Check

If you notice any recent damage to the exterior of your building, in the first instance please notify

[email protected]. Please include images and details of the damage.

Flushing wet wipes

All centre members should be mindful (maybe put-up signs) that wet wipes should not be flushed down the toilets in any circumstance. All wet wipes clog up sewage systems.

Recycling Batteries

It’s vital that centres recycle their used batteries. Thankfully, there are many more recycling facilities than before and more are on the way.

Batteries must be recycled rather than dumped. But they can’t go in your home / centre recycling bins.

Local dump / recycling sites have e-waste sections for things such as batteries and typically it’s free (please check with your local recycling service if there’s a fee or not).

Property FAQ

FAQ are available on the website,  Property FAQ’s | Playcentre/. These are updated as new questions are asked.

Property Maintenance Records

Ensure that you keep a property folder with records of all maintenance you have completed at your Centre and who completed it. This should include bark and sand top ups with a record of the amount required, total cost, and the contractor who supplied/completed it. Property and playground checklists should also be kept in this folder. This will help members with future maintenance.

Property Projects

Playcentre Aotearoa ask that all centres email the admin team: [email protected] at the very start of a project when you are initially thinking about undertaking any project. This information will then be distributed to the appropriate property team member who may be in touch to discuss any potential support or issues, guidance and advice that may be identified by the team. This is for both playcentre funding assisted projects and non-playcentre funded projects. This includes building and playground projects. This could prevent costly mistakes!

Who are the Property Team Members?

Please click the link below to view the property team members contact details.

https://www.playcentre.org.nz/learnwithus/property/property-contacts/