June 2011

Dear Members, The Playground Contractor’s - The Code of Honor To All Our NPCAI Members, As Playground Contractors, we have voluntarily entered into an occupation with high expecta-tions coupled with extremely beneficial rewards. Our rewards are not monetary but stem from the smiling faces of the children who anxiously look out the window in bubbling anticipation of the completion of our craft (building their playground). The emotional satisfaction a Playground Contractor receives from the smiles on the kid’s faces after the playground is completed is certainly not a means to an end but one to be treasured and held in high regard. I believe our participation in completing that playground project takes us back to our youth where we altruis-tically float back into time discovering ourselves overwhelmed with the satisfaction that we have created a very special space for someone other than ourselves to play, learn, socialize, develop and grow. Where the children are concerned, our playground, yes “our playground” sets the stage (state of mind) where the children decide who they want to be, where they want to go, what they want to do. For me, it’s like the children truly experience a “freedom” of some sorts where we as Playground Contractors play a very special role .We all know benefits of play are innumer-ous so let’s discuss the Code of Honor. Wikipedia states: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia An honor code or honor system is a set of rules or principles governing a community based on a set of rules or ideals that define what constitutes honorable behavior within that commu-nity. The use of an honor code depends on the idea that people (at least within the commu-nity) can be trusted to act honorably. Those who are in violation of the honor code can be subject to various sanctions, including expulsion from the institution. (Honor codes are most commonly used in the United States to deter academic dishonesty). We as Playground Contractors, already have a Code of Honor. Our Code is built on the foun-dation of our own values, combined with Our Support of The NPCAI Mission Statement (see the Mission Statement at the end of this article) along with the values of the Manufacturer’s we represent and further solidified with the CPSI Code of Conduct which states: A CPSI must adhere to the following codes of conduct: Certificants shall, in their professional activities, sustain and advance the integrity, honor and veracity of their certification by: • Holding the safety of playground users paramount in all professional services. • Utilizing the most current standards of care that is acceptable by the NRPA formerly

NPSI. • Maintaining currency and competency of playground safety auditing procedures including

use of testing tools and knowledge of current safety criteria. • Identifying and documenting all situations which are in non-compliance with the standards

of care along with the citation of the specific reference portion of the criterion document, using a standard playground safety audit process.

Letter From The Chair

This month's Playground Photo of the Month recipient is Playgrounds of the Rockies LLC.

GameTime Equipment installed for Denver Public Schools, City and Count of Denver, Colorado. Contrac-tor is Goodland Construction, . Contact is Matt w/ Goodland Con-struction #303-598-2250 If you are interested in submitting your playground for consideration please e-mail us at npca@playground-contractors.org. If your photo is se-lected for the any month in 2011, we will have it published and your will receive recognition for your work and a gift from us, for your participation. Digital Specifications: High Resolution PDF files are pre-ferred. Delivery: Files will be accepted

Playground Photo of the Month

Post Office Box 2364 Salt Lake City, Utah 84110-2364

P: 888-908-9519 Fax: 801-355-2788

E-mail: npca@playground-contractors.org

www.playground-contractors.org

June 2011

NPCAI Board of Trustees • Prioritizing all identified non-compliances according to a standard norm of foreseeable consequences.

• Advising the playground owners or employers of seriously dangerous conditions in the most prompt manner as well as part of a written report, omitting no adverse findings from the official documentation of the safety audit.

• Never conducting a safety audit or inspection without the knowledge and consent of the playground owner.

• Never contradicting the audit findings of other CPSI without first consulting directly with the first Inspector regarding the basis for these findings.

• Never conducting a safety audit of a playground with the intent to discredit an owner or manufacturer or to promote sale of other equipment or products.

• Never providing findings of an audit to anyone other than the playground owner unless authorized by the owner to do so.

I included the CPSI Code of Conduct because of it’s importance to what we do in our Chosen Professions. If you Google the CPSI Code of Conduct you may be surprised to see it rewritten in several different ways. Ah, the importance of congruency! Now to the Playground Contractor Code of Honor! Whether it’s “Rich Dad, Poor Dad, The Pursuit of Excellence, The E-Myth Contractor or the Seven Habit of Highly Effective People” all successful companies are built and run on a recog-nized Code of Honor that is Always Without Fail Observed and Honored! Why is this impor-tant? It goes without saying that if you don’t have rules, there’s no method to the madness and people will make up their own. As Playground Contractors, Our Companies need a Code of Honor and that Code needs to be upheld. The Code of Honor is valuable in so many ways. The Code defines the playing field, the rules and the consequences. It also provides and promotes organization and consistency. More importantly it provides us a systematic method of improvement. How? That’s easy! Research shows that when processes are measured, performance improves. Research also tells us that documentation is an essential information gathering and recording tool which also leads to better performance. I say all this to say this: A Code of Honor is of No Value if and when the Code Is Breached the person or persons who breached the Code are not Called Out and re-quired to bear the consequences! What I am saying is that for Us To Be The Best Playground Contractor We Can Be, there needs to be a Code of Honor within Our Company which defines Protocol and for every Rule within that Protocol there needs to be a written and understood Consequence so that when the Protocol is Breached the Consequence is enacted and enforced. This supports the overall Mission of the Company while at the same time provides the Company a method for correction and improvement. Most importantly, it sends a clear the message to all parties involved and concerned that We Are A Company You Can Trust! We Do What We Say We’ll Do and If We for Some Reason We Don’t, We Will Do Our Best Make It Right In The End! If you haven’t guessed it by now, Our Code of Honor needs to part of Our Written Policy and Procedures Manual The Bottom Line! I offer the above in support of All of Us Who Install Playground Equipment. No matter who we install for or where we are located one thing is certain. What we do is tre-mendously rewarding and needs to be done Professionally and Correctly. At the End of the Day, it’s Our Job to Make Sure the Children Who Play On Our Playgrounds Are Playing On Equipment that has been Properly Installed so that we know we have done all we can do to ensure those Children’s Safety! Tool Box Tips: In closing, I’d like to get some feedback from Our Members and I would like for you to respond to the following questions: 1. How many of you keep the most current copy of CPSC with you at all times? 2. How many of you keep the most current copy of ASTM and CPSC with you at all times? 3. How many of you keep the most current copy of ASTM, CPSC and the ADAAG with you

at all times? 4. How many of you are interested in keeping the most current copy of ASTM, CPSC and

the ADAAG with you at all times?

Letter From The Chair (con’t)

CHAIR 2010‐2012 Playground Construction School Chair & Membership Committee Chair Roger Davis

Playground Safety Services. Inc. Po Box 2729 Shelby, NC 28152 P: 704‐487‐7774 F: 704‐480‐7775 E‐mail: rdcpsi@carolina.rr.com TRUSTEE – Chair Elect 2012‐2014 Public Relations Committee Chair James Charles Snider. Snider & Associates, Inc. 10139 Royalton Road Ste # H North Royalton, OH 44133 P: 440‐877‐9151 F: 440‐877‐9159 C: 440‐343‐6420 E‐mail: jcsnider@cvsnider.com  

TRUSTEE – Past Chair 2008-2010 Karen Spears, CPSI Kids‐Play, Inc. 700 Long Horn Pass NW Ste #B PO Box 1008

Hartselle, AL 35640 P: 888‐895‐5437 x 219 F: 256‐751‐9191 E‐mail:kspears@hiwaay.net TREASURER 2008‐2010 Nominations Committee Chair Jeff Barber, CPSI Playground Specialist, Inc. 17352 N. Seton Avenue Emmitsburg, MD 21727 Office: 301‐447‐1890 P: 800‐385‐0075 C: 301‐748‐3056 F: 301‐447‐3556 E‐mail: jeff@playspec.com 

June 2011

NPCAI Board of Trustees Thanks To All Our Current and Renewing Members! Become a NPCAI Qualified Contractor and Continue to Support The NPCAI! The Playground Contractors Role with the NPCAI. As we come to the final link in the chain in becoming a True Playground Contractor. The NPCAI Mission is: To professionally construct today's pre-manufactured playground equip-ment. THE NPCAI IS: A worldwide partnership formed to contribute to the advancement of the playground building industry by promoting playground installation as a legitimate contracting profession within the playground industry. Credits: “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”- Robert T. Kiyosaki/Sharon Lechter CPA - Advisor Blair Singer “The Pursuit of Excellence” – Thomas J. Peters – Robert H. Waterman, Jr. “The E-Myth Contractor” – Michael E. Gerber “The Seven Habit of Highly Effective People”- Steven R. Covey Become a NPCAI Qualified Contractor and Use The NPCAI Qualified Contractor Status As A Tool

Roger Davis – CPSI President – Playground Safety Services, Inc. www.playgroundsafetyservices.com rdcpsi@carolina.rr.com Upcoming Events: • November 1-4, 2011 NRPA Congress & Expo - Atlanta, GA • November 2, 2011 NPCAI Social Event, Atlanta, GA (Updated) • November 30 – Dec 2nd, 2011 Tampa, FL Playground Construction School Our Mission and Trustee Information: To professionally construct today's pre-manufactured playground equipment THE NPCAI IS: A worldwide partnership formed to contribute to the advancement of the play-ground building industry by promoting playground installation as a legitimate contracting pro-fession within the playground industry. THE NPCAI LENDS SUPPORT: To all playground safety programs, guidelines, and standards that promote playground safety by assisting the public in identifying the need for a professional playground installation. THE NPCAI SEEKS: Active participation in and contributions from its membership and corpo-rate sponsors for the development and growth of individual members, their contracting busi-nesses, and the playground construction profession worldwide. THE NPCAI OFFERS: MEMBERS A VOICE in the playground industry through leadership opportunity and networking to affect industry changes to address developing needs. MEMBERS ANSWERS to everyday installation questions and immediate access to informa-tion regarding certification, licensing and industry standards.

Letter From The Chair (con’t)

SECRETARY 2009‐2010 Brad Rhoads, CPSI Playmatta 1135 West 9th St. Upland, CA 91786 P: 888‐346‐2882 F: 877‐949‐2585 C: 909‐519‐0574

E‐mail: brad.rhoads@mattaproducts.com  TRUSTEE Tom Norquist GameTime 150 PlayCore Drive Fort Payne, AL 35968 P: 256‐845‐5610 F: 256‐845‐9361 tomn@gametime.com

TRUSTEE Randy Atchison GPI Outdoors Designs, Inc. 32140 Township Rd. 243A Calgary, AB Canada T3Z 2M7 P: 403‐242‐8740 C: 403‐874‐7745

F: 403‐242‐8796 E‐mail:randygpi@telus.net TRUSTEE Research & Development Committee Chair Marylou Iverson Iverson & Assoc. P.O. Box 1387 Kingston, WA 98346 P: 360‐297‐8887 C: 360‐908‐3479 F: 360‐297‐8220 E‐mail: ml.iverson@gmail.com

TRUSTEE Dr. Joe Deutsch, CPSI Imagination Play, Inc. PO Box 452 Moorhead, MN 56561‐0452 P: 888‐788‐9504 F: 888‐788‐9546

C: 701‐799‐4923 E‐mail: joe@imaginationplay.com

June 2011

Alabama - The State requires a Specialty Con-tractors License along with providing 4 references: Bank, Material Supplier, Architect, and Contrac-tors. Need to meet with the Alabama Board and have financial data. Contact the Alabama Licens-ing Board. 334-272-5030. Alaska - The State requires a General Contract-ing License along with insurance, bonding, and application. Contact the Division of Licensing. 907-465-2550. (updated) Arizona - The State requires a Specialty License completed application. Contact the Registrar of Contractors. 602-542-1525. Arkansas - A General Contractors License is required for commercial jobs $20,000 and up. Contact the Contractors Licensing Board. 501-372-4661. California - The State requires a C-61 License or an A, B, or C class License. Contact the Contrac-tors State Licensing Board. 800-321-2752. District of Columbia - Must have D.C. tax identi-fication number. Phone: 202-442-4311. Letter of Authority. Phone: 202-442-4434. Certificate of Occupancy. 202-442-4567. Delaware - The State of Delaware Division of Professional Regulation requires a Non-Residential Contractors License. Along with a Contractors Business License. 302-577-8778. Florida - The State requires a General Contrac-tors License, must also pass a state exam. To work in a specific county, you must possess a registered license with the Local Building Dept. in specific county. Contact the State License Board. 850-487-1395 Georgia -The State requires Contractors licens-ing. along with insurance, bonding, and applica-tion. Contact the State License Board. 478-207-2440. (updated) Guam -The state requires a Specialty Contractors License. Contact Guam Contractors Licensing Board. 671-649-9676 (updated) Hawaii - Institutional and Commercial Equipment Contractors Classification, C-25 to installation playground equipment is required. Submit finan-cials, surety bond, and insurance. C-48 required for installation of bleachers and grandstands. C-3B to install Play court surfacing. Hawaii Contrac-tors Licensing Board. 800-586-3000. Idaho - Specialty licenses for installation of School Playground Equipment, 02880; Athletic and Recreational Surfaces, 02790; Aquatic Rec-reational Equipment, 13165. Contact State of Idaho Division of Building Safety and Public Works. Phone: 208-334-4057 Also contact Idaho Contractors Board. 208-334-3233. Iowa - The State requires Contractor Registration; also, you must obtain an Iowa employer account number and application from the Labor Division. Phone: 515-242-5871.

Feature

Louisiana - State license required under Play-grounds #10 for commercial work over $50,000. Contact the Contractors Licensing Board. 225-765-2301. Mississippi -The State requires a Specialty Li-cense for commercial work over $10,000 and public works contracts that exceed $50,000. Con-tact the State License Board. 800-880-6161. Montana - The State requires Contractor Regis-tration, and workman's compensation. Request application and other forms from the Contractors Registration Unit. 406-444-7734. Nevada - The State requires a C-25 License. Apply for application at the State Contractors Board. 775-688-1141 or 702-486-1100 (updated) New Mexico - The State requires a GF-5 or GB-98 License; you must have experience in play-ground installations, exam and application from the PSI. 877-663-9267. North Carolina - The State requires a General Contractors License for work over $30,000. Con-tact the State License Board. 919-571-4183. North Dakota - The State requires a General Contractors License for work over $2,000. Con-tact North Dakota Secretary of State. 701-328-3665. Oregon - The State requires a General Contrac-tors License, bonding and insurance, 16 hours of Oregon business practice and regulation study, then take an exam. Contact the State Contractors Board. 503-378-4621. South Carolina - The State requires a General Contractors License for work over $5,000. Con-tact Contractors Licensing Board. 803-896-4686. Tennessee - The State requires a Commercial Contractors License for work over $25,000. Con-tact the Board for Licensing Contractors. 800-544-7693. Utah - The State requires a B-100 or an S-500; also, 2 year experience in the playground indus-try, business & law exam. Contact the State Li-cense Board. 801-530-6628. Washington - The State requires a General Con-tractor's License and a Master Business License. Contact the Contractor Registration Section. 800-647-0982. West Virginia - The State requires a Specialty License for work over $1,000. Contact the West Virginia Division of Labor/ Contractor Licensing Board. 304-558-7890. Wisconsin - The state now requires Contractors to register. Contact State of Wisconsin Depart-ment of Commerce-Credentialing at 608-261-8500. (updated)

Overview of Playground Licensing Requirements NPCAI Board of Trustees

TRUSTEE Tom Peeples Peeples Play-ground Safety Consulting, LLC. Po Box 745657 Arvada, CO 80006‐5657 P: 720‐351‐7309 F: 303‐421‐6675

E‐mail: playgroundsafety@live.com TRUSTEE Matthew F. Walsh, Vice‐President Precision Play-grounds, Inc. 5120 Damascus Road N. Jacksonville, FL 32207 P: 904‐636‐5106 F: 904‐636‐5177 C: 904‐607‐0445 E‐mail: matt@precisionplaygrounds.com

NPCAI Administration

NPCAI Office Sylvia Salazar, Executive Director. PO Box 2364 Salt Lake City, UT 84110‐2364 USA

P: 1‐888‐908‐9519 F: 801‐355‐2788 npca@playground‐contractors.org www.playground‐contractors.org sylvias@playground‐contractors.org

June 2011 Feature

First Year Findings on the Accessibility of Playground Surfaces Published Do playground surfaces remain accessible for people with disabilities over time? A research team at the National Center on Accessibility (NCA) at Indiana University is attempting to answer that question. First year findings from a longitudinal study on the installation and maintenance of accessible playground surfaces reveal there is no perfect playground surface. The NCA study, which is being funded by the U.S. Access Board, is exam-ining the performance of various types of surfac-ing materials at 25 newly constructed play-grounds, including poured-in-place rubber, engi-neered wood fiber, rubber tiles, and hybrid sur-face systems. Even within 12 months of installation, each type of surface studied was found to have accessibility, safety, or maintenance issues. Poured-in-place rubber installed at one site was not resilient enough to meet ASTM standards for impact at-tenuation. Surface tiles installed at another site had puncture holes, buckling, and separating seams that created openings and changes in level on accessible routes. Other study findings from the first year of testing, which are outlined in an NCA re-port, “A Longitudinal Study of Playground Surfaces to Evaluate Accessibility – Year One Findings," include: playground sites with loose fill engineered wood fiber were found to have the great-est number of deficiencies affecting the accessible route to play components, includ-ing a lack of firmness and stability; rubber tile and poured-in-place rubber surfaces were found to have the highest level of firmness and stability; besides firmness and stability issues, many surfaces had noncompliant slopes, cross slopes and changes in level; and in some instances, surface materials were not in-stalled according to manufacturers’ recommendations to achieve an accessible sur-face.

The study was undertaken to collect infor-mation helpful to the public in choosing surfacing materials most suitable for play-grounds based on performance, installa-tion, and maintenance considera-tions. NCA researchers continue to monitor and test surfacing materials at project sites to assess results over a total period of 3 years. The project is due to be completed next year. For more information, contact Jennifer Skulski, CPSI, Principal Investigator,

at jskulski@indiana.edu or (812)-856-4422, or Peggy Greenwell, Accessibility Spe-cialist, U S Access Board, at greenwell@access-board.gov or (202) 272-0017 (v), (202) 272-0075 (TTY).

The Playground Contractors Role with the NPCAI!

The Playground Contractors Role with the NPCAI

As we come to the final link in the

chain in becoming a True Playground Contractor.

The NPCAI Mission is:

To professionally construct today's pre-manufactured playground

equipment.

THE NPCAI IS: A worldwide partner-ship formed to contribute to the ad-

vancement of the playground building industry by promoting playground

installation as a legitimate contracting profession within the playground

industry.

THE NPCAI LENDS SUPPORT: To all playground safety programs,

guidelines, and standards that pro-mote playground safety by assisting

the public in identifying the need for a professional playground installation.

THE NPCAI SEEKS: Active participa-tion in and contributions from its

membership and corporate sponsors for the development and growth of

individual members, their contracting businesses, and the playground con-

struction profession worldwide.

THE NPCAI OFFERS: MEMBERS A VOICE in the playground industry

through leadership opportunity and networking to affect industry changes

to address developing needs.

MEMBERS ANSWERS to everyday installation questions and immediate access to information regarding certi-

fication, licensing and industry standards.

June 2011 Feature

The National One Call Center Is a MUST for Playground Contractors!

As a Playground Contractor, Calling the 811 National One Call Center should be a part of your Installation Policy Procedures Manual and included in your 5 P’s: Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance! Here is the basic information you need to know as a Playground Contractor! How it Works Getting your lines marked is quick and easy with 811. When you dial 811, your call is for-warded to the One Call Center in your area for processing. Local One Call Center operators record the location of the dig and then notify the affected utility companies of your digging plans. Your utility companies then dispatch a professional locating crew to mark the approxi-mate location of your lines within a few days. You should be sure to call 811 a few days (you should allow at least 72 hours and this varies by state) in advance of your scheduled dig to allow time for the request to be processed. Once your lines are marked, you will know their approximate location and you can dig safely. Know-ing what's below will protect you, your family and your neighbors. A Couple Frequently Asked Questions You'll find quick answers to the most frequently asked questions about 811 and the Common Ground Alliance below. If you have other questions about safe digging, let us know: Q: Why should I call 811 before every dig? A: Don't gamble with your safety — if you're a professional excavator or a homeowner, smart digging always requires a call to 811. Knowing where underground utility lines are buried be-fore you dig will help protect you from injury and prevent damages to utilities, service disrup-tions and potential fines and repair costs. Whether you're planting a tree or shrub, or installing a deck or pool, every job requires a call—Even if you've called before for a similar project. The depth of utility lines varies, and there may be multiple utility lines in one common area. Marked lines show you the approximate location of underground lines and help prevent unde-sired consequences such as injury, service disruptions to an entire neighborhood or costly fines and repair costs. Q: I've called my local "Call Before You Dig" number before - will 811 replace this service? A: No, 811 will not replace your local one call number. The One Call process will remain the same and continue to notify your local affected utility companies, who will continue to mark your underground lines for free. With more than 62 local one call numbers across the country, 811 eliminates the confusion of multiple "Call Before You Dig" numbers by providing one na-tional number you can call to get your lines marked. Please visit the 811 Website at www.call811.com for complete information! Helpful Hints: Make Sure the One Call Ticket is In The Name of Your Company if You Are Doing the Dig-ging! Don’t rely on someone else’s ticket number as you most likely won’t be covered if you hit a line.

Roger Davis – CPSI President – Playground Safety Services, Inc. www.playgroundsafetyservices.com rdcpsi@carolina.rr.com

NPCAI members are encouraged to participate in the National

Recreation and Parks Association Congress & Exposition

This year’s event will be November 1-4, 2011

Atlanta, Georgia

November 1-4, 2011 NRPA Congress & Exposition Atlanta, GA November 2, 2011 UPDATED NPCAI Social Event, Atlanta, GA Now Seeking Sponsors! November 30– December 2, 2011 Tampa, FL Playground Construction School. March 21-23, 2012 Dallas, TX Playground Construction School

NPCAI Calendar of Events

June 2011 Feature Professional Business Practices of Playgrounds Playground equipment goes through many phases of development before the children ever get to play on it. Unfortunately for the contractor and the owners, the decisions about construc-tion of the equipment are made at the end of a long line of decisions. But, if the reverse were true (owners made their installation decisions prior to deciding the brand of equipment and layout of the equipment), many of the problems that creep up during an installation could be resolved before they occur. Here are some thoughts about how some of these issues could be resolved. What you do want to keep in the forefront of your mind is to always try to act in the interest of the children for whom the equipment is purchased and installed. Make your motto Safety First. It is not the contractors Job to choose equipment for the customer. Unless your com-pany is a sales and installation company, leave the selling to the manufacturer’s sales repre-sentatives. In turn, you should expect them to leave contracting and installation issues to you. Playground installations are a specialty service. Know what you're talking about when it comes to installation and leave the equipment selling to the salesman. It is the contractors job to support the customers decision on the equipment they do choose. Although you can't always find good things to say about all brands of equipment, you can find something good to say about the play structure your customer bought. With a repeat customer, simply letting them discover for themselves what equipment they like best is a good rule of thumb. If the equipment you are bidding has an equipment design that is faulty or is difficult to install, simply build the extra cost into your bid. Unless your company sells as well as installs, or you work strictly as one manufacturers installer, directly influencing or trying to sway a customer’s decision to one kind of equipment over another should be avoided. Its not the contractors job to find fault with the manufactures equipment. You may have issue with certain play structures or manufacturers. . Equipment is difficult to install, has poor design, a manufacturer that shorts you parts more often then not. Although these are serious problems that raise havoc with your installation profit, and more often than not, are not prob-lems you created, keep in mind they are installation issues, therefore you are in the best posi-tion to do something about them. It is the contractors job to resolve installation problems due to manufactures fault in a professional manner. Having a network of people you can rely on at the manufacturer’s headquarters is crucial. Develop a rapport with the sales representative and the people in the company that get your problems solved in a timely manner. Never let the customer call to order missing parts or complain about defective parts. Keeping these issues between the contractor and the manufacturer opens the door for better equipment design, shipping proce-dures and ultimately a better installation. Never open a playground until you have done everything under your power to make it safe. Make sure responsibility for pre-installations issue are clearly defined. Are the owners or the contractors responsible for having the playground area prepared? Is there safety clear-ance, are the borders in? Has ADA access from the perimeter to the playground been ad-dressed? Who is responsible for concrete footing on a surface mount? Is there room for a con-crete truck and semi delivering the wood surfacing? Is there water and electricity available at the site? Is the equipment at the site, if not who is responsible for bringing it to the site? Have the utility lines been clearly marked? Is there pre-existing sand that needs to be removed? The list goes on and on. These issues need to be addressed prior to installation. It is costly to send a crew to a site only to find out the pit is down 18 inches instead of twelve or have it full of water from the sprinkler that was left on all night. Although there is no fool proof way to trouble shoot every potential problem before you mobilize a crew, having a checklist of things to discuss with your customer before going to the site could save you big problems and increase your profit. Make sure you visit the member section of the NPCAI website for free forms to assist you on your jobs. NPCAI Source- The Playbook Archives

Why Sponsor the NPCAI Social? With money very tight this year we wanted to provide the benefits to you of social sponsorship!

NPCAI has created sponsorship packages to meet almost all budget sizes. These premium packages are loaded with additional value-added exposure that helps to make your sponsorship investment even more visible. NPCAI invites you to consider sponsorship of an NPCAI Social. event as an essential component of your 2011 marketing plans. Consider these five reasons of how sponsorship can help to achieve your marketing goals: 1. Enhance company image –Sponsoring an NRPA event or pro-gram that appeals to your target audi-ence can help to shape buying atti-tudes and generate a positive reac-tion. 2. Heighten visibility – Sponsorship of an NRPA event or program will gen-erate heightened visibility not only at the event, but will also earn you con-siderable visibility beyond the event. 3. Differentiating from competitors - The mere act of sponsoring an event or program is a significant way to create competitor differentiation. Your company name has the opportunity to stand out head and shoulders above the competition. 4. Helping with good "Corporate Citi-zen" role - Sponsorship allows com-panies to be viewed as a "good neighbor." To be seen supporting the park and recreation community is extremely powerful and creates enor-mous goodwill. 5. Increase booth traffic - Sponsor-ship can also be a powerful promotion and sales tool. Research by The Cen-ter for Exhibition Industry Research (CIER) indicates that exhibitors who use sponsorships can effectively in-crease booth traffic by more than 35 per cent.

June 2011 Feature

PlayGuard Reveals New Logo PlayGuard Playground Safety Sur-facing says goodbye to its old logo in favor of a more modern and playful one. The new logo is fresh, fun, and cheerful. PlayGuard has been protecting children for more than 15 years and the logo has grown and changed with each new generation. The updated logo features child-like and joyful PlayGuard letters dancing while the phrase “Safety Surfacing” is still solid and reliable below. The color palette will have several versions, each with bright, youth inspired colors. The new logo coincides with the recent expansion of the PlayGuard line to include 1” tiles. For more information please visit www.playguardsurfacing.com. About ECORE International ECORE International has been at the forefront of recycling efforts since their incep-tion in 1989. Twenty years ago, ECORE pioneered the recycled rubber flooring cate-gory. Today, as North America’s largest user of recycled scrap tire rubber, ECORE processes more than 80 million pounds of scrap tire rubber each year, and helps to conserve more than one million barrels of oil in the process to convert pliable treads into durable product solutions for commercial, industrial, and architectural applications.

Benefits Available to Members! Making us

The NPCAI offers many benefits to its members. Such benefits include • NPCAI embossed membership

certificate. • NPCAI membership card • A monthly E-zine • Free Listing on the Online Directory • Free Website Listing • RFP Listing • Playground Wiki • Free Access to over 200 forms. • Aflac Discount Program • Imprint Plus Name Tags • General Liability Insurance Program • Free copy of the Playground Maga-

zine. • Free Classifieds • Your company information is given

out to any interested individual seeking your services

• $100 savings on the Playground Construction School.

• Errors & Omissions Insurance Coverage

• Annual NPCAI Social Event • Sponsorship Opportunities • Qualified Contractor Credentials. Most Important NPCAI will support you every step of the way.

Dear Members, In this issue of the NPCAI Playground Insider we are addressing Better Business Practices and with that said I have a very important question for you! Do you have the Correct Insur-ance Coverage? Did you know that all NPCAI members are offer a discount on their Gen-eral Liability and Errors & Omission Insurance? Here is what we offer you for being a member! Cooper Insurance Services, Inc., offers operations consisting of Playground Equipment Dealers, Playground Equipment Distributors, Playground Equipment Inspectors, Playground Equipment Manufacturers or Importers, Playground Equipment Stores, Playground Installa-tion Contractors. Coverage that is provided? Cooper Insurance Services, Inc. offers General Liability Coverage, Professional Liability Coverage – Occurrence Coverage with separate limits, Non-auditable policy, No deductible, unless there are claims, Low minimum premium, Can include Blanket A/I; WOS; Primary/Non-Contributory Wording or Per Project Aggregate (where required by contract), Quick turnaround on quotes, Competitive rates. Who they are? Cooper Insurance Services, Inc., works with Partners Specialty Group has access to a fi-nancially strong carrier with A.M. Best Rating of A+ XV. Superior Service in Knowledge, Experience and Responsiveness. So than take a minute and compare your rates with your current carrier and give Steve Car-raway a call at Cooper Insurance Services, and we will give you the best he can. Steve can be reached at 1-800-252-3153 or www.cooperindiana.com. Also drop him an e-mail and he will at steve@cooperindiana.com.

Be the best you can be! Sylvia Salazar NPCAI Executive Director npca@playground-contractors.org 1-888-908-9519

Message from the Executive Director

June 2011 Feature

Join us on these social networks

New & Renewed Members!

• Newest Members

• Zeager Bros. Inc.

• Play Safe Inspections

• ParkWorX, LLC.

• Play Solutions, Inc.

• Top One Maintenance Corp

• Recreation Contractor, LLC.

• A & H Contracting, Inc.

Print ads for OSHA's heat-related illness campaign available for downloading Print ads for OSHA's heat illness campaign are now available, in color and black & white, from its Media Resources page. OSHA initiated this national outreach campaign to educate workers and their employers about the hazards of working outdoors in the heat. OSHA is leveraging relationships with other state and local partners, employers, trade organizations, unions, community groups, educational institutions and health-

care professionals to disseminate training materials across the country with a very simple message: "water, rest and shade." OSHA's new Heat Illness Campaign Web page provides educational materials in English and Spanish, as well as a curriculum to be used for workplace training. Multi-ple copies of publications can be ordered from OSHA's Web site. OSHA is also part-nering with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on weather service alerts to incorporate worker safety precautions when heat alerts are issued across the United States. NOAA is also including pertinent worker safety in-formation on its Heat Watch Web page.

Safe and Sound at Safety Town The Stow Safety Town program educates children on the basics of safe, summer-time living. Look both ways before you cross the street. Stop, drop and roll. The number for an emergency is 9-1-1. Everyone knows that, right? Well after the 200 safety town students finish their five-day program, they will know those tips too, and more! "The kids really get a lot out of it," said Kathy Christ, Stow Youth Services director and safety town coordi-nator of 13 years said. There are around 35 kids per group, and those groups are split into teams of six or seven, she said. Each table (which has a correspond-ing color) are helped by three to four volunteers. All volunteers are middle school-aged and older and work with the kids through their own volition, said Christ. The day begins with bus crossing safety. The kids are taken off the school bus (donated by the Stow-Munroe Falls School District) and taught to wait for the bus driver's signal; look both ways and then cross when it's safe. From there, the kids are split into their respective groups and some groups go practice bicycling and walking in the mock village, while others practice play-ground safety on the monkeybars and slide. The groups switch every so often so every child has an opportunity to learn safety in all respects, she said. The mock village, located at Stow Fire Station No. 3, has been the location for the life-like scenario portion of Safety Town for three years. Prior to the town being built, the village was not as realistic. "We used to use the basketball courts," Christ said. "We had these plywood mock buildings. This is a much nicer area." The miniature village has small buildings of Stow businesses like Bellacino's, Handel's and the Executive Coin Company. The funding for the buildings came from those companies to have their likeness place upon them, said Christ. Bel-lacino's also donates 30 large pizzas for the pizza party that Christ sets up for all the volunteers after Safety Town is done. Safety Education Specialist Sandy Ray helps the program by teaching additional fire safety tips. "This is a great age to start the kids," Ray said. "Kids at this age take safety very seriously. Kids go home and tell their parents that they need to check the batteries in the smoke alarms. It's a great gateway to the parents." For more information on Stow Safety Town, click here.

Blueprint By State

June 2011 Building Your Business

Blue Print for Becoming a FLORIDA Registered Contractor. Department of Business and Professional Regulation - The Construction Industry Licensing Board. 1940 N. Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0771 Phone: 850-487-1395 ● Fax: 850-921-4216 E-mail: Call.Center@dbpr.state.fl.us Website: www.dbpr.state.fl.us The state requires that contractors complete an application, and must pass a written exam covering business, finance and construc-tion subject with a passing grade of 70%. Applicants must document four years of experience, as well as provide a credit report and a financial statement, not more that twelve months old. A net worth ranging from $2500 to $20,000 depending on classification is required. Renewal is good for a two year period. Application proc-essing time average is 30 days. Fourteen hours of continuing education are required for each two-year renewal cycle.

Mark your Calendar Upcoming Play Industry Events & CPSI Courses

Registration Now Open for the Following: July 12-14, 2011 Raleigh, NC 919-513-3937 July 19-21, 2011 Riverside, CA 919-665-2777 August 10-12, 201 Mercer Island, WA 360-459-9396 August15-17, 2011 Wheat Ridge, CO 303-231-0943 Sept 13-15, 2011 Cincinnati, OH 614-895-2222 Conferences and Workshops:

Georgia Recreation and Park Asso-ciation Annual Conference August 16th, 2011 Hawaii Recreation & Park Association Annual State Conference August 25 - 26, 2011 Arizona Parks and Recreation Asso-ciation Annual Conference August 30– September 1, 2011 Ice Arena Institute of Management September 18 - 23, 2011

2011 Congress NRPA Congress and Exposition November 1 - 4, 2011

Miracle Recreation Implements “Playgrounds 4 Joplin” In wake of the recent destruction caused by the devastating EF5 tornado in Joplin, MO, Miracle Recreation has implemented a “Playgrounds 4 Joplin” program to help re-build the playgrounds damaged within the community. Miracle Recreation’s manufacturing facili-ties are located only 40 miles from the Joplin, MO area, and many of the com-pany’s friends, families and co-workers were affected by this disaster. The company is committed to help bring play back to the children of Joplin. Miracle Recreation has committed to donate $100 for every playground sold during the month of June. Proceeds will go towards parts for rebuilding playgrounds af-fected by the Joplin, MO, tornado. In addition to donating $100 for every playground sold in June, Miracle will provide crews to install or repair each playground, manned by its staff and professional installation teams in the area. Miracle is doing its part to rebuild Joplin, MO. If you would like to personally contrib-ute, you can donate on Miracle’s fundraising website at www.miraclefunraising.com/playgrounds4joplin.

The statement and opinions express in the foregoing articles are those of the author, and not those of NPCAI. Copyrighted © 2011. International Playground Contractors Association. The Playground Insider is a registered trademark owned by the International Playground Contractors Association. All rights reserved. This is members ezine.