A playground safety checklist provides an up-to-date play area inspection system based on standards from the American Society for Testing and Materials' F 1487-95 and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's Handbook for Public Playground Safety (1994). Guidelines address "public" playground equipment installed in parks, schools, childcare facilities, institutions, multiple-family dwellings, restaurants, recreational developments, and other public areas. The checklist does not include equipment in amusement parks, exercise equipment, home playground equipment, or soft-contained play equipment. Information highlights include the definitions of safety terms, a list of tools needed to conduct an inspection, a description of inspection procedures, a daily inspection checklist and general site survey, a surfacing evaluation, modular inspection forms for each type of play equipment, and a sample inspection summary form to document inspection results. The checklist also explains how often to conduct a playground inspection, how hazards should be reported, and how play area accessibility should be evaluated. A bibliography concludes the checklist. (GR)