(A) Adoption. The township hereby adopts, for the purpose of establishing rules and regulations for the construction, alteration, design, layout, installation and use of public playgrounds, including administration, building permits and penalties, the specifications laid out in the Handbook for Public Playground Safety published by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission or any successor as Section “A” of the Township Playground Code and hereby incorporates such specifications as fully as if set forth at length herein, save and except such portions as are hereinafter deleted, modified or amended. From the date on which this chapter shall take effect, the provisions thereof shall be controlling in the design, construction and operation of all public playgrounds within the township.
(B) Amendments made in Section A of the Playground Code. Section A of the Playground Code hereby adopted is amended as follows.
(1) All the recommendations made in the Handbook for Public Playground Safety shall be considered mandatory requirements under the Playground Code. For the purposes of this chapter, the words “should,” “may,” “can” and the like shall be read as “shall” or “must;” the words “recommend” or “recommendation” shall be read as “require” or “requirement;” the phrase “it is recommended” shall be read as “it is required;” the phrase “it is not recommended” shall be read as “it is prohibited.”
(2) Where the Handbook for Public Playground Safety provides for alternatives, this chapter requires that the safest alternative, as determined by the Township Playground Inspector, be used.
(3) If the Handbook for Public Playground Safety fails to address a condition, specification or situation that is addressed by the ASTM standard, Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specifications for Playground Equipment for Public Use, ASTM F-1487-98 or any successor, then the township adopts that specific part of ASTM F-1487-98, or its successor, as it addresses this condition, specification or situation.
(C) Signage. All public playgrounds must have signs posted at prominent locations, including, but not limited to, any and all access points. Each sign must contain all of the following information: hours of operation; age appropriateness of the playground’s equipment, components and structures; and capacity of the playground. Each sign must also recommend adult supervision of children using the playground and state that no smoking is allowed within the playground.
(Ord. 143, passed 1-9-2002) Penalty, see § 90.99