Keith Dalton

Keith has over 20 years experience in the playground industry. He was Managing Director of Hags Play Ltd for over 10 years, and was also responsible for the development of the BTEC Level 3 Advanced Award in Playground Inspection & Operation. He is one of the only 2 approved tutors for this course in the UK.

Safety Surfacing is an area of many myths, Keith is one of the most knowledgeable people around the industry with regard to the different types and properties of impact absorbing surfaces.

Keith was also responsible for the production of the DDA Assessment check-list that now forms the industry standard.

In May 2003 Keith enrolled with the Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII) and is one of a select group who are qualified to examine all levels of inspectors enrolling with the RPII.

In June 2003 he formed Pi2 Inspection & Training with the prime objective of providing an independent, professional service to the Industry in the area of playground inspection, training and related consultancy works. He was persuaded to get involved in the formation of The Play Inspection Company and Pi2 became an integral part of The Play Inspection Company in January 2004.

Peter Heseltine

Peter Heseltine has been involved in children’s play provision for over 35 years and has written numerous publications including:

• Review of Playground and Related Surveys
• Playing Safe
• Playground Safety Checklist
• Playground Design for Local Communities
• Children’s Play Area Design Guide
• Playground Development Guidelines
• Playground Safety
• The Children’s Playground
• Guide to BS1176 and 1177
• Assessing Risk on Children’s Playgrounds
• Regular Inspection of Children’s Playgrounds

Since relinquishing ownership of his last company Peter has been working independently providing training and inspection services to the industry and looks forward to a long and successful Directorship with The Play Inspection Company.

Nick Balmforth ACP FILAM RPII

This Division of the Company will provide Safety Inspections and Safety Audits to operators of Indoor Play Areas. The Safety Audit goes beyond the equipment provision and looks to the Management Systems and Procedures provided to ensure the safe operation of the play area.

Nick Balmforth, is a founder Director of The Play Inspection Company and heads up its Indoor Play Division. He has pioneered and led the introduction of independent national safety guidelines for the indoor play industry. His first publication, "Soft Play and Inflatables" was published by The Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management in 1992 and welcomed by the Health and Safety Executive as "a very protective and useful guide". His "Safety in Indoor Adventure Play Areas - A Code of Practice" followed in 1995. In 1999 he chaired an ILAM invited panel of experts to revise and publish this reference under the new title "Indoor Play Areas - Guidance on Safe Practice". He was the Chairman of BSI's Soft Indoor Play Panel that further developed and upgraded the publication to British Standard BS 8409:2002 "Soft Indoor Play Areas - A Code of Practice". He is the Convenor of the CEN Working Group charged with producing a European Standard for this product range and was a Project Advisory Group Member for Chiltern International Fire Ltd. in the 2003 production and publication of a "Quantified Fire Risk Assessment Method for Indoor Play Areas". He is a co-author of the 2005 publication "Managing Risk in Indoor Play Areas". In 2003 he was awarded a Fellowship of the Institute of Leisure & Amenity Management in recognition of his work and achievements in this sector of the leisure industry. In 2006-7 he helped draft the Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII) examination syllabus for Fully Enclosed (Indoor) Play Equipment and will serve as an RPII examiner in this specialism.

John Simmons

From 1st January 2005 every new inflatable delivered in the UK will require a PIPA Certification of conformity to the draft European Standard (N496). Additionally every inflatable in use in the UK will require an Independant Annual Inspection, by an RPII Registered Annual Inspector, under the same scheme (similar to an MOT certificate for a motor vehicle).

The scheme has been initiated by the Inflatable Manufacturing Industry and is endorsed by the Health & Safety Executive. This division of the company will provide inspection services to this growth market.

Leading expert on Inflatable Play is John Simmons who has been involved in the play industry for many years and is currently acting as a director of The Sports Industries Federation as well as being Chairman of the Association of Play Industries and the Inflatable Play Manufacturers Association. He has also been involved with the CEN Committees developing the new standards for Indoor and Inflatable play Equipment.

Peter Bullock

The Play Inspection Company are delighted to announce that Peter Bullock has recently joined our team:

Peter has been working in the Playground Industry for over 13 years and has a vast array of industry knowledge and expertise.

He spent 7 years as a highly successful Southern Area Manager for RSS Playmakers (Recreational Supply Services) gaining broad experience of playground design, installation and maintenance.

He was then appointed Managing Director of RSS for over 5yrs where he introduced innovative new product ranges, developed a world wide export market and built a reputation for quality service through a division specialising in Inspection and Maintenance.

Peter will be working principally in the South East of England as an Area Manager. Should you wish to arrange an appointment with Peter, please call us on the Head Office telephone number shown on the Contacts Page.

Chris Buss

The continued success of The Play Inspection Company has seen the introduction of Chris Buss to undertake the role of Operations Manager and RPII Annual Inspector. Chris has been involved with The Play Inspection Company for 3 years undertaking his training and gaining experience. He is a qualified RPII Annual Inspector and is looking forward to his role within The Play Inspection Company

Chris brings a fresh approach to The Play Inspection Company; he graduated from Nottingham University in 2001 with a BEng in Civil Engineering and has been involved in the Construction Industry for 10 years. Chris has most recently been working as a Site Manager on a Network Rail Structures Maintenance Framework Contract. His role has seen him managing up to a hundred maintenance schemes a year with values up to £300,000. He has also had previous experience on major engineering projects as both a Design Engineer and Site Engineer and this experience in the construction industry has given Chris a wealth of Health and Safety knowledge that can equally be applied to the play industry

It is this diversity that gives Chris an ideal background to ensure that the reputation and service of The Play Inspection Company is maintained through efficient operations management and quality playground inspections. In his role as Operations Manager Chris will focus on meeting our client's needs from receipt of an order to achieving the final product. Chris will also join our team of RPII qualified Annual Inspectors and spend time on site undertaking all categories of playground inspections.

Rae Adams

The Play Inspection Company is delighted to announce the addition of a new RPII Annual Inspector and Consultant to our team:

Seven years ago, Rae Adams became involved with Test Valley Borough Council's play facilities. During that time she has been responsible for managing 84 play sites, installing 42 new playgrounds, adopting a further 18 from developers, setting playground policy and procedure and advising Parishes, Community Groups and Schools on playground issues.

The transferable skills which this experience has given Rae, coupled with the knowledge gained whilst obtaining a business degree, has helped Rae to understand the necessary and often frustrating stages and obstacles which have to be overcome within councils, in order to turn a playground department around.

Rae has knowledge of the Council Environment in many area's; Consultation, Planning Permission, Funding, Contract Standing Orders, Committee Reporting, Strategy writing and the politics that can be involved.

Having now joined the Play Inspection Company, Rae is excited about utilising these skills and knowledge to help others in their roles. Rae is available to help and assist in many different area's, some of which are detailed below:

• Project Management
• Tender Processes
• Consultation
• Policy and Procedure
• Strategy
• Feasibility studies
• Play Need Assessments
• Funding Applications
• Section 106 Development Negotiations
• Staff Training

Please contact our Head Office on 01202 590675, for further information.