2025 Spring Certified Playground Safety Inspector Course & Exam

State College, PA

Class - Wednesday and Thursday, April 23-24
Exam - Friday, April 25
 
Registration Fees:
Workshop & Exam: $595 Member/$720 Nonmember
Workshop Only: $495 Member/$595 Nonmember

Are your Playgrounds Safe? 
According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, 200,000 children are treated annually for playground accidents. Of these, 70 percent, or 140,000, occurred at public parks and schoolyards. 

About the Course 
Sponsored by the NRPA and hosted by the Pennsylvania Recreation & Park Society and Murrysville Parks and Recreation, this course is the most comprehensive training program on playground hazard identification and risk management methods offered. Advanced reading and ten hours of training will prepare you to sit for the Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) Exam, scheduled at the culmination of the certification course.

The CPSI Course trains individuals to identify hazards on public playgrounds and playground equipment, how to rank hazards according to injury potential, and how to apply that knowledge and establish a playground safety program. The course covers the material necessary to pass the Certified Playground Safety Inspector certification exam. 

Upon completion of the CPSI course an individual should be capable of establishing a sound risk reduction program, establish a system repair, retrofit, and removal of hazardous equipment, and establish a routine inspection system for their agency or playground owner-client. Resource materials developed especially for this course are included in the registration fee and will be mailed to all participants who pre-register. 

What is Included?
CPSI Manual & Field Guide including: 
ASTM F1487-11 Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification of Playground for Public Use 
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Handbook 
1.5 Continuing Education Units (NRPA) 
Playground Inspection 
Lunch and refreshment breaks on days 1 and 2 

Who Should Attend
Administrators 
Supervisory Personnel 
Public Works Departments 
Building and Grounds Maintenance Staff 
Engineers and Architects 
Playground Equipment Representatives 
Operators and Caretakers of Playgrounds in Parks, Schools, Summer Camps, Day Camps, Hotels/Resorts, and Day Care Centers 
Agencies such as YMCA/YWCA, Head Start, Boys & Girls Clubs, and Police Athletic Leagues 
Insurance Adjusters and Loss Control Specialists 
Homebuilders 
Landscape Architects 

Schedule
Day 1 (instruction) - 8:00 am - 5:00 pm 
Day 2 (instruction and virtual inspection) - 8:00 am - 5:00 pm 
Day 3 (Exam) - 9:00 am - 11:15 am 

Location and Lodging
The CPSI class will be held at the Best Western Plus University Park Inn and Suites (address below).  Lodging arrangements for participants are being coordinated with this hotel.  Please use the link provided below to get the special rate.  The hotel provides a free breakfast buffet for all guests the workshop is being held in their meeting room.  The hotel is located just a short distance from downtown State College and Penn State University.

Location
Best Western Plus
115 Premiere Drive
State College, PA 16801

Lodging Information
Best Western Plus University Park Inn and Suites
15 Premiere Drive
State College, Pennsylvania 16801 
(814) 234-8393
$119/per night plus taxes and fees
PRPS Room Block is available Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, April 22-24, 2025.
Call and use the code “CPSI” when reserving. or book online here

Meet the Instructor
The Certified Playground Safety Inspector Course (CPSI) instructor team is comprised of the top playground safety professionals in the United States. CPSI instructors have diverse backgrounds in playground safety consultation, manufacturing, installation and education. CPSI instructors are consistently rated as excellent by students. 

General Information 
Workshop registration includes resource materials, breaks and lunch on days 1 and 2. Course materials will be mailed to participants a few weeks before the session.  Register Early!

Registration Deadline 
Please register early, we send out books once we have the minimum number of participants registered. NRPA does not recommend taking the exam without thoroughly reading the materials. In some cases, studying for the course in less than 3 weeks leads to exam failure. No walk-ins are allowed for the course or exam. 

Age and Education Requirement 
Candidates sitting for the CPSI Certification examination must be 18 or older and have a high school degree or equivalent. Your legal identification will be verified upon entry into the examination site. 

Class Size 
The minimum course size is 25; the maximum is 50. Registration is on a first come, first served basis.

Certification 
The certification exam will be given on day 3. Certification is valid for 3 years and is renewable by exam. Those passing the exam will be added to a National Registry of Certified Playground Safety Inspectors. 

Special Accommodations 
In order to properly accommodate all persons with disabilities, it is recommended that all requests come in writing no less than 30 days prior to the course and exam. 

Cancelation Policy 
PRPS will refund your registration, less a $25 processing fee, if your cancellation is received in writing before course materials are shipped (note: PRPS ships course materials as soon as they are received from NRPA and cannot guarantee shipping dates). After materials are shipped, cancellations are subject to an additional $285 fee.

No refunds can be made for cancellations less than 30 days prior to the beginning of the course. 

To Register:
1: Sign in or create a new account. 
2: Select registration option
3: Add session selections to your itinerary
4: Proceed to checkout to complete transaction.