Our commitment to safe play equipment

Safety is our number one priority, which is why we are committed to not only meeting, but exceeding the most up-to-date product safety standards. We’re hugely appreciative of the trust our customers place in us and aim to consistently deliver wooden climbing frames that are superior in both safety and quality.

Jungle Gym garden climbing frames

All components of Jungle Gym kits, which allow you to build your backyard playset, are designed and type-tested according to the European standard EN 71-8, which specifies safety requirements for activity toys. Additionally, production processes and facilities are professionally monitored by third-party auditors to minimise any potential safety risks, and ensure European health and safety directives are met.

Declaration of conformity

Climbing frame safety features

When it comes to our relentless focus on safety, the difference is in the details. All our wooden climbing frames, playhouses and swing sets contain specially developed components which maximise their safety. To ensure your peace of mind and your child's carefree playtime, the following features are standard in our outdoor climbing frames:

  • Protective bumper pads at slide exits
  • Two-piece bolt caps to cover the head of bolts
  • Ground anchors, providing additional structural support
  • Safety handles with a non-slip surface
  • Non-slip coated metal ladder rungs with rung caps
  • Carabiner swing hooks with screwgate locking
  • Durable, galvanised, self-tapping screws and bolts
  • Construction brackets made from corrosion-resistant steel
  • Safety mesh

Our climbing frame materials

Our wooden climbing frames are weatherproof, UV-resistant and free from any chemicals which could harm the health of your children. We use finishes that are soft on the hands but provide maximum grip. Additionally, timber is cut to size, and long edges are planed smooth and rounded. We strongly recommend that you sand exposed short edges that have a radius of 3mm or more.

Garden climbing frames, playhouses and swing sets include a 10-year warranty against rot and decay on all provided timber parts. Read more about the timber we use here.

Safety warnings for garden climbing frames

Please note that our outdoor play equipment is suitable for children aged 3 to 10, with a maximum weight of 50 kg per user. Garden climbing frames are activity toys intended for outdoor and domestic use only. Use in a public setting such as a park, playground or school is considered misuse of the product and may result in premature wear or serious injury.

Do you have further questions about the safety and quality of our slides? Check out our customer support page here.

General safety instructions for garden climbing frames

General safety instructions (PDF)

Garden climbing frames safety testing

Jungle Gym garden climbing frames and play equipment undergo rigorous safety testing, to ensure our products are both safe and durable for many years.

Strength testing

Wood

Timber is placed in a machine which slowly increases applied load over time. This determines the maximum load that our timber can handle. We ensure all timber can withstand much more load than that exerted by multiple children playing on a climbing frame, tower playhouse or swing set.

Rope

Our rope is strength tested by attachment to two parts of a machine that slowly move in the opposite direction to one another. This determines the maximum load that they can handle. We ensure all swinging and climbing ropes can withstand much more load than children can exert on them.

Fabric

The tower playhouse roof canvas is attached to two parts of a machine which slowly move in opposite directions to one another. This determines the maximum load that our fabric can handle. We ensure all fabric can withstand much more load than that exerted by normal weather conditions.

Construction hardware

Screws and bolts are placed in a torsion testing machine which slowly increases applied load over time. This determines the maximum torque that our hardware can handle. We ensure all screws and bolts can withstand much more torque than that exerted when screwing them into the wood to construct the climbing frame or swing set.

Although our screws are self-tapping, drilling pilot holes into dry timber is recommended to prevent splits or cracks.

Swings

200kg weights are hung from individual swings for one hour to ensure no fraying or other deterioration occurs. For multi-swing sets, the crossbar is loaded with 200 kg, and each swing is loaded with 50 kg, to ensure it can withstand this for one hour.

Play decks

Keeping in mind that multiple children will be using the play deck at the same time, we place 50 kg multiplied by the maximum number of users (the maximum number of users for a product can be found in the product specifications) on the play deck for one hour, to ensure the climbing frame does not break.

Entrapment prevention

Holes, slots or gaps that can be assessed during the use of our products are tested with the appropriate probes, simulating the head, fingers, hands and feet. Additionally, dimensions of our designs take into account available anthropometric data to ensure that relevant body parts can move freely through these spaces. This minimises the risk of your child becoming trapped or injured during play on our climbing frames and swing sets.

Hoods and clothing strings present a significant hazard, for example, when sliding down the slide. To prevent clothes or other accessories getting trapped or tangled whilst playing on one of our playhouses or climbing frames, no baggy clothing, clothing with cords or belts, or neck gear (scarves, necklaces etc.) should be worn. Also, children should not wear bicycle/play helmets whilst using our products.

Suspension ropes, used in the construction of swings, are designed so that the risk of strangulation due to the child's head getting tangled in the ropes is reduced. Additionally, the arrangement of suspension points is designed in such a way that children won’t become entangled in the swing ropes by using our equipment.

CE Marking

CE marking is a certification mark that indicates conformity with health, safety and environmental protection standards for products sold within the European Economic Area. This means that the CE tag guarantees that the product complies with the mandatory safety conditions (flammability, toxicity, usability, etc.).

UV-testing

A lack of UV-resistance can speed up weathering and make materials more brittle. To prevent this and ensure everything lasts as long as required, Jungle Gym outdoor play equipment is UV-stabilised. To test this, we expose samples of a range of the materials we use to significant amounts of UV.

Flammability tests

Our roof tarps are tested for flammability. A sample of the roof material is put in a holder. It is then placed at a 45-degree angle above a 4 cm high burner flame. The edge of the martial is dipped 1 cm into the flame for 10 seconds. To pass this test, the material must extinguish on its own and no drop formation should occur.

Chemical analysis

Plastic components of our climbing frames and accessories have undergone a series of comprehensive chemical analysis by third-party inspection laboratories, such as Dekra and TÜV Rheinland LGA. By doing this, we can ensure that these components adhere to European safety directives, and do not contain any chemicals in amounts that could harm your child.

Commercial climbing frames

All commercial playground equipment has been thoroughly tested for safety and durability and is type-approved and certified according to the European Standard EN-1176; by the accredited third-party auditor TÜV Rheinland LGA Products GmbH.

Commercial playground equipment safety features

Our commercial play equipment includes the following safety features:

  • Sturdy timber dimensions, designed to withstand intensive use in public areas
  • Guard rails at all entrances and exits, to prevent falls
  • Shock-absorbing polymer swing seats, reinforced with an aluminium core for additional sturdiness
  • Hot-dip galvanized steel swing chains, with small links to prevent finger entrapment
  • Stainless steel swing hangers, with anti-squeak nylon bearings
  • Non-slip stainless steel ladder rungs, with nylon rung-end covers
  • Non-slip galvanised steel hand grips
  • Professional climbing rocks
  • Polyester rope climbing nets, reinforced with steel wire
  • Roof and swing brackets made from galvanised, powder-coated steel
  • Woven anti-root fabric in all sandpits
  • Sandbox cover nets made from reinforced PVC
  • Triple-coated, non-corrosive, galvanised Dacromet®-hardware
  • Polyamide bolt caps for cover bolt heads

Our commercial play equipment materials

Hy-land professional play equipment is made of pine or spruce, that has been pressure treated to prevent rot and decay. Our pressure-treated timber is free from chemicals which could harm your childrens' health. Treatment ensures a durable, weatherproof public playground, guaranteed to stand the test of time. All Hy-land timber components come with a 5 year warranty against wood rot and decay. Read more about the timber we use here.

General safety instructions for commercial climbing frames

P-series general safety instructions
Q-series general safety instructions
S-series general safety instructions

 

Commercial climbing frames safety testing

All Hy-land commercial climbing frames and play equipment undergoes rigorous safety testing, to ensure our products are both safe and durable for many years.

Strength testing

Wood

Timber is placed in a machine which slowly increases applied load over time. This determines the maximum load that our timber can handle. We ensure all timber can withstand much more load than that exerted by multiple children playing on a climbing frame, playhouse or swing set.

Rope

Our rope is strength tested by attachment to two parts of a machine that slowly move in the opposite direction to one another. This determines the maximum load that they can handle. We ensure all swinging and climbing ropes can withstand much more load than children can exert on them.

Construction hardware

Screws and bolts are placed in a torsion testing machine which slowly increases applied load over time. This determines the maximum torque that our hardware can handle. We ensure all screws and bolts can withstand much more torque than that exerted when screwing them into the wood to construct the climbing frame or swing set.

Although our screws are self-tapping, drilling pilot holes into dry timber is recommended to prevent splits or cracks.

Swings

200kg weights are hung from individual swings for one hour to ensure no fraying or other deterioration occurs. For multi-swing sets, the crossbar is loaded with 200 kg, and each swing is loaded with 50 kg, to ensure it can withstand this for one hour.

Play decks

Keeping in mind that multiple children will be using the play deck at the same time, we place 50 kg multiplied by the maximum number of users (the maximum number of users for a product can be found in the product specifications) on the play deck for one hour, to ensure the climbing frame does not break.

Entrapment prevention

Holes, slots or gaps that can be assessed during the use of our products are tested with the appropriate probes, simulating the head, fingers, hands and feet. Additionally, dimensions of our designs take into account available anthropometric data to ensure that relevant body parts can move freely through these spaces. This minimises the risk of your child becoming trapped or injured play on our climbing frames and swing sets.

Hoods and clothing strings present a significant hazard, for example, when sliding down the slide. To prevent clothes or other accessories getting trapped or tangled whilst playing on one of our playhouses or climbing frames, no baggy clothing, clothing with cords or belts, or neck gear (scarfs, necklaces etc.) should be worn. Children should also not wear bicycle/play helmets whilst using our products.

Suspension ropes, used in the construction of swings, are designed so that the risk of strangulation due to the child's head getting tangled in the ropes is reduced. Additionally, the arrangement of suspension points is designed in such a way that children won’t become entangled in the swing ropes by using our equipment.

UV-testing

A lack of UV-resistance can speed up weathering and make materials more brittle. To prevent this and ensure everything lasts as long as required, Jungle Gym outdoor play equipment is UV-stabilised. To test this, we expose samples of a range of the materials we use to significant amounts of UV.

Chemical analysis

Plastic components of our commercial climbing frames and accessories have undergone a series of comprehensive chemical analyses by third-party inspection laboratories, such as Dekra and TÜV Rheinland LGA. By doing this, we can ensure that these components adhere to European safety directives, and do not contain any chemicals in amounts that could harm your child.