Form library · Facilities and maintenance
Park and open space inspection checklist
A routine safety and condition inspection of a park or open space. Record whether it is a routine visit or after a report or storm, then check the paths and steps, benches and bins, signs, fencing and gates, trees, ponds and water features, lighting and litter, with a detail box for each problem. Add each issue with its location, risk and photos, record whether high-risk issues were made safe, and set the actions. Every question is listed below, and you can fill the live form in on this page.
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Why inspect parks and open spaces?
Under section 2 of the Occupiers' Liability Act 1957, an occupier owes visitors a duty to take such care as is reasonable in all the circumstances to see that they will be reasonably safe. The Occupiers' Liability Act 1984 adds a duty, in some circumstances, to people who are not visitors. Regular inspections of paths, furniture, boundaries, trees, water features, lighting and litter, with issues recorded and acted on, show what was checked and done.
Last updated . Facts checked by the SiteSurvey team on 17 October 2026 against section 2 of the Occupiers' Liability Act 1957 (common duty of care) and section 1 of the Occupiers' Liability Act 1984 (duty to people other than visitors).
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Every question in the park inspection template
A park and open space inspection: paths, benches, bins, signs, fencing and gates, trees, water features, lighting, litter and hazards, each issue with risk, photos and action. 3 sections and 53 questions. Follow-up questions and guidance appear only when an answer calls for them, so the person on site never sees the ones that do not apply.
Make it your own: every question is editable
This is a starting point, not a fixed form. Once it is in your SiteSurvey account you can reword any question, add or remove questions, sections and answer options, and add your own logo, so it fits the way your team works and the jobs you do.
Details you only enter once
Add this form to a project in SiteSurvey and it fills in what the project already knows, so nobody on site retypes it and every form on the job uses the same names. Anything filled in can still be changed.
- Project: the project name
- Client: the project's customer
- Site: the site, when the form is opened for a space or a product
- Site address: the site address, from the space or the project
Site
- ProjectShort answerFills in from the project name
- ClientShort answerFills in from the project's customer
- Site*Short answerFills in from the site, when the form is opened for a space or a product
- Site addressShort answerFills in from the site address, from the space or the project
- Inspection date*Date
- TimeTime
- Inspector*Short answer
- InspectionChoose one
- Routine
- After a report
- After a storm
- GuidanceUnder section 2 of the Occupiers' Liability Act 1957, an occupier owes visitors a duty to take such care as is reasonable in all the circumstances to see that they will be reasonably safe. A dated record of each inspection and the action taken shows what was checked and done.
- Walk Cam: site walk-aroundWalk Cam video with voice-to-text
Optional. Film a guided walk-through on the SiteSurvey app.
- Weather captureAnswer
Record estimated current conditions and add what you observe on site.
Checks
- Paths and steps free of trip hazardsChoose one
- OK
- Defect
- Not applicable
- What is wrong?Short answerShown when “Paths and steps free of trip hazards” is “Defect”
- Benches, bins and tablesChoose one
- OK
- Defect
- Not applicable
- What is wrong?Short answerShown when “Benches, bins and tables” is “Defect”
- Signs and noticesChoose one
- OK
- Defect
- Not applicable
- What is wrong?Short answerShown when “Signs and notices” is “Defect”
- Fencing, gates and wallsChoose one
- OK
- Defect
- Not applicable
- What is wrong?Short answerShown when “Fencing, gates and walls” is “Defect”
- Trees: no obvious hazardsChoose one
- OK
- Defect
- Not applicable
- What is wrong?Short answerShown when “Trees: no obvious hazards” is “Defect”
- Ponds and water featuresChoose one
- OK
- Defect
- Not applicable
- What is wrong?Short answerShown when “Ponds and water features” is “Defect”
- LightingChoose one
- OK
- Defect
- Not applicable
- What is wrong?Short answerShown when “Lighting” is “Defect”
- Litter, dog fouling and sharpsChoose one
- OK
- Defect
- Not applicable
- What is wrong?Short answerShown when “Litter, dog fouling and sharps” is “Defect”
- Checks OKWorked out by the form
- DefectsWorked out by the form
- Not applicableWorked out by the form
- Issues foundRepeat for each issue. Each one asks:
- Issue*Short answer
- LocationShort answer
- Where it is (GPS)Short answer
Optional. Mark the spot, so the grounds team or tree surgeon goes straight to it.
- RiskChoose one
- High: make safe now
- Medium
- Low
- Length or size affected (m)Number
Optional. Such as the length of lifted path or broken fencing, or a branch across a path. Use a tape, or measure from a photo with something of known size in the same plane, such as a 600 mm paving slab.
- Made safe on site?Yes or NoShown when “Risk” is “High: make safe now”
- is_unsafeWorked out by the form
- WarningHigh risk and not made safe on site. Close or tape off the area, or report it for an emergency response, before you leave.Shown when “Risk” is “High: make safe now” and “Made safe on site?” is No
- PhotosPhotos
- High-risk issuesWorked out by the form
- MediumWorked out by the form
- LowWorked out by the form
- High risk, not made safeWorked out by the form
- WarningA high-risk issue was not made safe on site. Report it now and keep people away from it.Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
Actions and sign-off
- Are further actions needed?Yes or No
- Further actionsRepeat for each action. Each one asks:Shown when “Are further actions needed?” is Yes
- What needs doing?*Notes
- PriorityChoose one
- Urgent
- High
- Medium
- Low
- Who will do it?Short answer
- Due dateDate
- StatusChoose one
- Open
- In progress
- Completed
- Actions open or in progressWorked out by the formShown when “Are further actions needed?” is Yes
- Next inspection dueDate
Set by the site owner's inspection regime.
- Days to the next inspectionWorked out by the formShown when “Inspection date” is answered and “Next inspection due” is answered
- CheckThe next inspection date is before the inspection date. Check the date.Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
- Inspector name*Short answer
- Position or companyShort answer
- Inspector signatureSignature
- CheckSigning records what was found on the day. It does not make unsafe equipment safe or replace a thorough examination, design check or service by a competent person.
See it filled in
A completed park inspection report, made by SiteSurvey from a fictional site visit: every answer, the photos, the guidance that applied and the sign-off, ready to send as a PDF.
Park inspection FAQs
How often should parks be inspected?
The law sets no fixed frequency. Decide it from how busy the space is and its risks, and add checks after storms or reports. The form records the type of inspection.
Is there a duty to trespassers?
Under section 1 of the Occupiers' Liability Act 1984, an occupier owes a duty to people other than visitors where they know of a danger or have reasonable grounds to believe it exists, have reasonable grounds to believe someone may come near it, and the risk is one they may reasonably be expected to offer some protection against.
What about play areas?
Use the playground inspection checklist for equipped play areas. You can still note an obvious play area defect here as an issue.
What if something is dangerous?
Record it as high risk and make it safe on site where you can, for example by taping off a hanging branch. The form counts high-risk issues and asks whether each was made safe.
Can I photograph each issue?
Yes. Each issue has its own photos and location, and trees get a quick check for obvious hazards on each visit.
Who uses this?
Council parks teams, town and parish councils, grounds maintenance contractors and estate managers.
Related
Related templates
Templates that go with the park inspection form
A routine playground visual inspection: area checks, then each item pinned by GPS with its fall height measured from a photo against the surfacing's rated critical fall height, loose-fill depth against the minimum, restrictions and repair follow-up, with counts.
A tree condition survey: every tree with its tag, species, size, condition, defects, the people or property it could hit, risk, recommended work and urgency, plus TPO and conservation area checks.
A grounds maintenance visit record: each area with tasks done, photos and issues, weed control, nesting bird checks before hedge work, waste removed, and the client's sign-off as proof of visit.
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