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Basketball safety

Securing basketball rings and backboards

Basketball rings and backboards should be securely installed on building exteriors, such as on brick walls or above doors to avoide serious or fatal injuries.  More information is available from the basketball safety brochure.

The following steps will help protect your kids:

basketball warning labelFix it. Secure it. Test it. Play it safe.

  • Never allow anyone to hang or swing off a basketball ring and backboard.
  • Do not fix a basketball ring and backboard to brickwork, roof rafters or above doors.*
  • Do not use a basketball ring and backboard mounted on brickwork, roof rafters or above doors.*

* Unless assessed as safe by a structural engineer or registered architect.

Fix it

  • Follow manufacturer’s instructions when attaching the basketball ring and backboard to a post. A mounting board bracket is available from most sporting stores. Check that it is compatible with your chosen basketball ring and backboard.

Secure it

  • The basketball post should be:
    • hot-dipped galvanised steel (to  reduce corrosion), and capped at the top to stop water pooling within the post,
    • 90 mm in diameter with a steel thickness of 5mm,
    • 4.8 metres long.
        • The basketball post should slide into a steel sleeve that is set into the concrete footing.
        • The footing sleeve should be:
          • hot-dipped galvanised steel,
          • 101.6 mm in diameter with a steel thickness of 4mm,
          • at least 800 mm long.
        • Major hardware stores and steel suppliers should be able to provide this item for you.
        • The concrete footing should be:
          • 500 x 500mm (or 500mm diameter),
          • 1 metre deep,
          • the footing sleeve should be encased by concrete, with 200mm of concrete beneath the sleeve,
          • approximately 15 bags of 30kg general purpose ‘pre-mixed’ concrete mixed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

        Alternative systems can be provided by a structural engineer or by the equipment manufacturer.

        Test it

        • Check the stability of the post, brickwork or any other supporting structure on a regular basis, as it can deteriorate over time.
        • Ensure water does not pond at the post-footing connection as this can cause corrosion. This is especially important in salt-water environments.

        Suppliers

        If you are a supplier of rings and backboards, you can download a printable copy of the warning label (PDF 56 KB).