The
National Playground Safety Institute Training
The Vermont
Recreation and Parks Association (VRPA) is proud to be
hosting the National Playground Safety Institute playground safety inspector
course and certification exam on April 30-May 2, 2008. The fifteen-hour course
(approved for 1.2 CEU’s) will be conducted at the Elks Country Club in
Montpelier.
According to
the Consumer Product Safety Commission, it is estimated that each year over
205,850 injuries occur on playgrounds and approximately fifteen children will
die from playground related injuries. This course is designed to educate
individuals about those hazards, and train them to identify and reduce the
risks associated with them.
The NPSI
course, sponsored by the National Recreation and Park Association and VRPA, is
the most comprehensive training program on playground hazard identification and
risk management methods offered. Topics for the course include: identifying
hazards on playgrounds; developing risk management tools; the importance of a
comprehensive playground safety program from a legal perspective; test methods
for entrapments, protrusions, and entanglement; and national standards and
guidelines.
This course is
a must-do for operators and caretakers of playgrounds in parks, schools, summer
camps, and elsewhere. Enrollment is
limited to the first 80 registrations. The opportunity to participate in this
course and take this exam right here in Vermont is only available once every
three years. For details on registration fees, program schedule,
and registration form, go to the VRPA website at www.vrpa.org or call the VRPA office
at 802-878-2077.
Editor’s Note: We are printing this course offering at the
request of the VRPA. This training is
not affiliated with the VSBA.