EN 15567-1:2015/FprA1

Overview

EN 15567-1:2015/FprA1 - "Sports and recreational facilities - Ropes courses - Part 1: Construction and safety requirements" is a European Standard published by CEN that sets safety, design and construction requirements for permanent and mobile ropes courses and their components. It specifies the mandatory checks and documentation needed for safe installation, inspection and maintenance. The standard explicitly excludes temporary ropes courses and children's playgrounds (see EN 1176). For operational guidance on use and procedures, see EN 15567-2.

Key Topics

• Scope and applicability: Applies to permanent and mobile ropes courses and their components; excludes temporary installations and EN 1176 playground items.
• Design and construction requirements: Establishes safety-based requirements for structural and component design (design drawings and calculations are required).
• Inspection and inaugural commissioning: The draft amendment A1 updates subclause 7.1.2 to require a documented inaugural inspection by an inspection body before opening. Required checks include:
  • visual inspection;
  • functional tests carried out at height by an inspector;
  • verification that construction matches design drawings (e.g., guy angles);
  • confirmation that design calculations and/or tree strength assessments exist;
  • verification of current arboreal assessments for tree-supported elements.
    It is recommended that a Type A inspection body per EN ISO/IEC 17020:2012, clause 4.1, conduct these inspections.
• Maintenance and ongoing safety: Specifies inspection and maintenance principles to keep courses safe through their service life (see full standard for periodic inspection intervals and procedures).

Applications

EN 15567-1 is used to:

• Guide designers and structural engineers in producing compliant design drawings and calculations for ropes course structures.
• Inform constructors and installation teams about required construction tolerances and documentation checks during build.
• Define commissioning and inaugural inspection processes for owners/operators before opening a course to the public.
• Support inspection bodies, safety managers and park operators in performing visual and functional tests, and in verifying tree assessments for arboreal supports.
• Serve as a reference for risk assessment and maintenance planning for adventure parks, outdoor centres, and mobile event ropes courses.

Related Standards

• EN 15567-2 - Ropes courses: use and operational procedures (complements Part 1).
• EN 1176 - Playground equipment safety (specifically excluded for children’s playgrounds).
• EN ISO/IEC 17020:2012 - Conformity assessment - Requirements for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection (recommended Type A bodies for inaugural inspections).

Keywords: EN 15567-1, ropes courses, construction and safety requirements, inaugural inspection, arboreal assessment, EN 15567-2, EN ISO/IEC 17020, inspection body.