Direct Answer
AS 4685 is the Australian Standard for playground equipment. It's aligned closely with European (not American) standards and covers technical requirements including minimum space requirements, free height of fall, fall protection, entrapment risks, and overlapping fall zones. The gold standard approach is to build to these standards and engage an independent certifier to verify compliance.
Understanding AS 4685
AS 4685 provides the technical framework for safe playground design and installation. It's the foundation that allows children to play boldly while being protected from unacceptable hazards.
Key Standard Components
The standard covers several technical areas that are nuanced and easy to get wrong:
- Minimum space requirements: Clear zones around and between equipment
- Free height of fall: Maximum fall heights and their relationship to surfacing
- Fall protection: Barriers, guardrails, and surfacing requirements
- Entrapment risks: Head, body, and finger entrapment prevention
- Overlapping fall zones: Safe spacing between equipment
- Forced body movement: Preventing uncontrolled movement that could cause injury
Related Standards
AS 4685.0:2017
Covers development, installation, inspection, maintenance, and operations. Introduces risk-benefit analysis to support informed decisions about repairs, upgrades, and maintenance.
AS/NZS 8124 Series
Addresses playground equipment safety, including minimizing hazards, ensuring structural integrity, and preventing toxic exposure.
AS/NZS 8124-6
Specifically targets impact attenuation surfacing performance. Advocates for soft, impact-absorbing materials to reduce head injury risk.
The Tension: Standards vs. Developmental Practice
There's an important tension to navigate when applying AS 4685 in early childhood settings:
EYLF Perspective
The Early Years Learning Framework asks educators to promote appropriate risk—recognizing that challenge and uncertainty are essential for healthy development.
Standards Language
AS 4685 emphasizes minimizing risk—the language focuses on reduction and prevention.
The educator's job is to reconcile this. The goal isn't to eliminate all risk—that would impoverish children's development. The goal is to reduce unacceptable hazards while enabling meaningful risk-taking.
AS 4685.0:2017 introduced a pivotal shift: risk-benefit analysis. Rather than removing all risk, it helps operators discern which risks support development and which hazards must be eliminated.
Why DIY Is Dangerous
A Warning About DIY Construction
"Dad will build it" invites liability. If an incident occurs and standards weren't followed, duty of care is compromised. The technical requirements of AS 4685 are nuanced—entrapment gaps, fall zone calculations, surfacing depth requirements—and easy to get wrong.
Without proper training and certification, well-intentioned DIY projects can create hidden hazards that children cannot anticipate. This isn't about bureaucracy—it's about protecting children from dangers they can't see.
The Gold Standard Process
Professional playground construction follows this approach:
- Design to standards: Work with qualified designers who understand AS 4685
- Build to specifications: Use licensed builders familiar with playground requirements
- Engage independent certification: Have a qualified certifier verify compliance
- Document everything: Keep installation records, certification, and manuals
- Maintain ongoing compliance: Regular inspections to maintain standards
Few providers engage independent certification. Doing so demonstrates deep ethical commitment and professional rigor. It's the difference between saying you're compliant and proving it.
What Certification Protects
Independent certification isn't just paperwork—it protects:
- Children: From hidden hazards they cannot anticipate
- Educators: Who can supervise confidently knowing the environment is safe
- Operators: From liability if an incident occurs
- Families: Who trust that the playground meets professional standards
Standards as Scaffold, Not Barrier
The right perspective on AS 4685 is this: embrace standards as a scaffold for safe, bold play—not a barrier to it.
When compliance is genuinely met, it liberates educators to focus on the deep work—wellbeing, relationship, and authentic experience. You don't have to worry about whether the equipment is safe; you can focus on how children are using it and what they're learning.
Compliance is essential, but it's a foundation, not the finish line. Meeting it well enables authentic, child-led learning.
Key Takeaways
- AS 4685 is the Australian Standard for playground equipment, aligned with European standards
- Technical areas: Space requirements, fall heights, entrapment, fall zones, forced movement
- Navigate the tension: Standards minimise risk; EYLF promotes appropriate risk—reconcile both
- Risk-benefit analysis: AS 4685.0:2017 helps distinguish developmental risk from hazards
- DIY is risky: Technical requirements are nuanced and easy to get wrong
- Gold standard: Build to standards + independent certification proves compliance
- Standards liberate: When compliance is met, educators can focus on children, not safety worries
Need a Certified Playground?
We design and build playgrounds that meet AS 4685 standards, with independent certification on every project. Book a free discovery call to discuss your compliance needs.
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