Ball game areas

The consumer safety legislation concerns municipal, public ball game areas as well as ones on the yards of educational institutes and housing companies in addition to individual pieces of equipment, such as soccer goals and basketball stands.

Who is responsible for the safety of ball game areas?

The party maintaining the ball game area, the owner or other service provider are responsible for ensuring that the ball game area and the equipment used there are safe.

Documents in order

Public ball game areas should have an information board. State the contact information of the area, the party maintaining the ball game area as well as the emergency number on the information board. Tukes must be notified of any serious accidents that occur in ball game areas.

Identify the risks

You can use Tukes’ instructions and tools to identify risks

You should also take the following into account in identifying risks:

  • Make sure that the goals used for games in the ball game area are safe and compliant with the requirements. The goals must be installed correctly; for example, they must not be installed on slopes. Several deaths have been caused by unbalanced goals tipping over.
  • During storage, either remove the equipment from the area or lock it down to prevent misuse.
  • Make sure that the structure and material of the surfacing in the area is suitable for playing games, and that there are no stones or potholes in the area.
  • Fence in the area, if there is a road or train tracks nearby.

  • In case of possible vandalism, check and maintain the areas regularly.

Good safety practices

  • Draw up an inspection and maintenance plan for public ball game areas.
  • Keep a record of the inspection and maintenance of the equipment.
  • Inspect and maintain the equipment and its parts in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, and follow the inspection and maintenance intervals.
  • Check the effects of possible vandalism regularly and correct any defects.

  • Ensure that the equipment is stored safely, both temporarily and in the long term. During storage, prevent unauthorised use of the equipment by means such as locking soccer goals to each other.

Requirements on the equipment

The manufacturers, importers and dealers are responsible for the safety of the equipment. The manufacturers, importers and dealers must find out the requirements on the equipment and any changes to the requirements that may occur. The same safety principles must also be followed in manufacturing equipment yourself.