Almost everything has to be certified these days, but what does it really mean to the purchaser, specifier, owner/operator and user of the playground. There are a number of questions that should be raised prior to the acceptance of a certification and reliance upon it to provide you with peace of mind or assurance that the surface will continue to attenuate impact.

Currently the ASTM F1292 standard outlines the test procedure and minimum performance criteria for the attenuation of impact for playground surfaces. Forces greater than 200 Gmax or 1000 HIC have been demonstrated to have the potential of a life threatening injury. In the performance statement of the standard it is clear that should the force generated as a result of the test be greater than the 200 Gmax or 1000 HIC, the system shall be replaced. The test consists of the dropping of an instrumented headform from the height specified by the owner/operator of the playground to the surface below. Only with the site test method is the owner/operator, specifier and user assured that the surface produces forces at or lower than the performance requirements of the standard.

Certification of a surface product, manufacturer or installer will not provide direct assurance that the specific surface that has been installed, will meet the standard at the fall heights specified by the owner/operator at the time of installation or on a maintained surface at any time in the future. In addition it does not mean that the surface maintained to the requirements of the supplier will continue to perform to the requirements of the F1292 standard. This could be communicated in a number of ways. Either as a specific exclusion from the warranty or by not listing it in what is specifically included in the warranty. The reasons for a supplier or manufacturer excluding a statement for future performance can be many, however failure tostate a future expected performance places the owner at risk that at some time after installation and within the warranty period of the product it will have to be upgraded, maintained or replaced at what could be a considerable cost to the owner.