Exercise equipment

Standards
Compliance requirements for embellishments
Note:
- Where Australian Standards or part thereof have been adopted by legislation, they are a legal requirement.
- This list may not be exhaustive. Please refer to the relevant authority websites for updated information and current document distribution dates. These documents are subject to amendments from time to time.
Legislation
Refer Legislation for guidance.
Australian Standards/industry guidelines
National Construction Code (NCC)
The embellishment shall be developed in accordance with the NCC (current edition):
- Building Code of Australia (BCA) Volumes 1 and 2
- Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA) Volume 3.
Safety in design (SiD)
Include Safety in Design (SiD) principles to eliminate, or if not reasonably practical, minimise risks to health and safety throughout the design, construction and life of the embellishment.
See Legislation – Work Health and Safety Act 2011 for additional safety guidance.
Exercise equipment
Exercise equipment shall be developed, installed, inspected, maintained and operated in accordance with AS 16630:2021 Permanently installed outdoor fitness equipment - Safety requirement and test methods.
Exercise equipment ground surface materials
Exercise equipment ground surface material must be designed, manufactured and installed in accordance with:
- AS 16630:2021 Permanently installed outdoor fitness equipment - Safety requirements and test methods
- the area of movement for exercise equipment with a free height of fall of more than 1.0 m and/or equipment which causes forced movement of the user, shall be equipped with an impact damping ground surface.
- the critical fall height of ground material shall be determined by performance testing in accordance with AS 4422:2016 Playground surfacing – Specifications, requirements and test method. (See Appendix ZZ - variations for Australia)
Designing for shade
- Creating Shade at Public Facilities: Policy and Guidelines for Local Government Edition 2 - prepared by Australian Institute of Environmental Health. Technical resource containing guidelines about ‘essential’ and ‘preferred’ quantities of shade at public facilities.
- AS 4174:2018 – Knitted and woven shade fabrics. A Standard for the classification, performance and labelling of knitted and woven shade fabrics for horticulture and human protection applications.
Designing for access and inclusion
- AS 1428 (Set) – Design for access and mobility. Design requirements for new building work to provide access for people with disabilities. This Standard is referenced in legislation.
Designing for safety (CPTED)
- Queensland Government – Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) – Guidelines for Queensland, 2021. Provides guidelines about designing a safe environment to assist in the prevention of the opportunity for crime.
Erosion and sediment control
- Best Practice Erosion and Sediment Control (BPESC) documents - IECA Australasia. Erosion and sediment control documents by the International Erosion Control Association (IECA).
- Queensland Acid Sulfate Soil Technical Manual: Soil Management Guidelines. Technical and procedural advice to avoid environmental harm and to assist in achieving best practice environmental management (BPEM).
- Procedural guide (Environmental Protection Act 1994) - Releases to waters. Best practice guide to achieve water quality objectives and management goals:
- from building sites and small construction sites less than 2500 m2
- from land development sites and construction sites greater than 2500 m2.
Trees
- AS 4970:2025 – Protection of trees on development sites. Provides guidance on the principles for protecting trees on land subject to development.
- AS 2303:2018 – Tree stock for landscape use. Specifies the criteria for the assessment of above-ground and below-ground characteristics of tree stock that are to be supplied for landscape use.
- AS 4373:2007 – Pruning of amenity trees. Specifies methods for pruning trees and gives guidance on correct and uniform practices.
Approvals/authorised person
Certification
Exercise equipment
Certification is required from a certified compliance engineer detailing the following:
- The design, construction and installation of the exercise equipment have been undertaken to the manufacturer’s specifications and comply with AS 16630:2021 Permanently installed outdoor fitness equipment and all other relevant statutory requirements codes, regulations and standards.
- All equipment pieces must have markings in accordance with AS 16630:2021, i.e. compliance plate and basic level mark.
Ground surfacing material
If an impact dampening ground surface is required for compliance, it must meet the impact attenuation requirements of AS 4422:2016. An exercise equipment safety surface impact attenuation test certificate is required detailing:
- that the surfacing on site complies with Australian Standards for Play Spaces AS 4422:2016 – Playground surfacing – Specifications, requirements and test method.
Signage
All ‘activity entry’ signs and ‘regulatory’ signs appropriate for exercise equipment must refer to LIM Signage suite for guidance, technical drawings and graphic design templates.
Coastal management district
- Ensure appropriate environmental approvals are obtained and the conditions observed where any building work is proposed in the Coastal Management District.
- Consult with Queensland Government Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning (DSDIP) – State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) for application forms, guidelines and information sheets.
Other
- Ensure all relevant approvals are obtained from the appropriate governing bodies and all conditions are observed.
- Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) approval is required for works near state controlled roads. This applies to any part of the road reserve including pathways, kerb and channelling, nature strip and traffic island.
Council additional requirements
Corporate documents
- Refer Overview of corporate documents for guidance.
Corporate liaison
Developer delivered assets
- Council (Development Services) – all works associated with any development application.
Council delivered assets
- Council (Parks and Gardens) – recreation parks, amenity reserves, linear parks, landscape corridors, sports grounds and recreation trails enquiries relating to asset management, business planning and direction.
- Council (Environmental Operations) – recreation trails, foreshore infrastructure, environment reserves, constructed waterbodies and wetlands.
- Council (Communication) – graphic design services, communications and publishing support.
- Council (Sport and Community Venues) – sports ground planning and asset management.
This component is currently in development