Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI)

What is CPSI? | Blended Learning: Program Overview | Registration | Course Materials | Sponsors

CPSI Blended Course Offerings

Wednesday, June 2, 2021 & Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NRPA has taken precautions to continue offering the CPSI course and exam. To ensure the safety of CPSI participants, NRPA launched their CPSI Blended Course. This course and exam provides independent online learning courses, virtual learning sessions with the instructors, and an in-person exam at a local testing center.

Read carefully below about the process of the NEW CPSI Blended Course!

Registration Open Now!

What is CPSI?

Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) course promotes children’s rights to play and promotes nationally the importance play has to a child’s development.

Did you know? According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, it is estimated that each year over 205,850 injuries occur on playgrounds and approximately fifteen children will die from playground-related injuries.

This course is the most comprehensive training program on playground hazard identification and risk management methods offered anywhere. Advanced reading and fifteen hours of training from nationally known playground safety experts will prepare participants to "sit” for the Certified Playground Safety Inspector Examination offered at the culmination of the certification course.

Topics include:

• Identifying hazards on playgrounds
• Developing risk management tools
• Legal aspects of having a comprehensive safety program
• Test methods for entrapment, protrusions, and entanglements

This course is a must for staff from park and recreation agencies, schools districts, child care facilities, health departments, landscape architecture firms, playground manufacturers, installers or contractors, insurance firms and others responsible for play equipment areas or playgrounds.

Help our children by designing, installing, and maintaining safe playgrounds.

NOTE: Meals will be provided for the days of the course, but not on the day of the test. We encourage you to also bring snacks and water canteens.

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CPSI Blended Course: Program Overview

• Registration:
• Registration will be done through WRPA. Each registrant must have a unique email address; they can not share email addresses. The email you provide will be unique to you and will be used to register you for the course and examination.
• The registration deadline is 30 days prior to the course. The drop deadline is two weeks prior to the course. Please note: studying for the course in less than a three-week period may lead to exam failure.
• Once the minimum registrant requirement is reached (20 registrants), WRPA will begin to send weekly reports to NRPA where they will confirm your virtual learning session instructor. 
• WRPA will send your registration to NRPA and they will take over communications and instructions about the CPSI Blended Course and Exam.
• Course Materials:
• The CPSI Course Manual & Field Guide and CPSI Blended Course Overview will be sent to you (if you ordered) from WRPA within 6 weeks prior to the course.
• NRPA will then send you access to the CPSI Online Learning Course (12 hours) and the CPSI Virtual Learning Session (4 hours).
• You will have access to the CPSI Online Learning Course for a total of 180 days from registration. You can start and stop at your own pace. However, registrants must complete the entire CPSI Online Learning Course at least 24 hours before the CPSI Virtual Learning Session. 
• Cancellations & Refunds:
• Once registrants have started the Online Learning Course, no refunds will be issued. Please contact Terrence Johnson, NRPA Playground Safety Manager at [email protected] if you have any extreme circumstances brought to your attention.
• Participation:
• NRPA will notify registrants, by email, 1 week, 1 day, and 1 hour before the CPSI Virtual Session with access information. When the session becomes active (15 min prior to start time), registrants will click the play button to access the content and will be taken to a new tab with the active Zoom meeting of the CPSI Virtual Session. 
• NRPA will notify registrants, by email, one week before the first Virtual Session will convene.
• Registrant information will be sent to the professional testing company. Registrants will then be sent an email with information on how to schedule their examination at a nearby testing facility. Please note: you must complete your 12 hours of the CPSI Online Learning AND the 4 hours of the CPSI Virtual Learning Session to sit for the exam.
• Registrants may schedule their examination based on their testing window (within 90 days of the Virtual Session conclusion) and the testing company's schedule.

Directory of Testing Centers

If you have specific questions about the CPSI Blended Course, please contact Terrence Johnson, NRPA Playground Safety Manager at [email protected]. For any registration questions of CPSI Blended Course materials questions, please contact the WRPA Office at [email protected].

Accommodations: If you require special accommodations or ESL accommodations, please fill out the accommodation PDF and return back to NRPA via email [email protected] as soon as possible.

Download CPSI Blended Course
and Exam Overview

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Registration:

Washington Cities Insurance Authority (WCIA): This program is eligible for WCIA's Training Reimbursement. Reimbursement funding is available upon program completion. Reimbursement requests must be submitted through WCIA Origami Member Portal by the designated Origami user. For questions about reimbursement or your designated Origami User, please contact Member Services at [email protected].

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations submitted 30 days prior to course will receive a refund, less $50 processing fee (refund will be submitted once course materials are returned). No refunds will be given for cancellations after 30 days prior to course or if registrants have started the Online Learning Course, no refunds will be issued. Please contact Terrence Johnson, NRPA Playground Safety Manager at [email protected] if you have any extreme circumstances brought to your attention. No substitutes are allowed. No refunds will be given once the registrant starts the Online Learning Course.

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Course Study Materials:

It is greatly important to study before the first day of the CPSI Virtual Learning Session. WRPA will receive the materials a few months prior to the start of the CPSI Virtual Learning Session and will send your course materials to the address that you provided on your registration form. Materials cannot be sent out sooner, as the materials are sent to our office approximately 6-8 weeks before the course.

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Thank You to Our 2021 Annual Sponsors