The owner/operator of the playground faces a complicated set of requirements in the installation and ongoing management of the playground surface assets at the time of specification, purchase, installation and throughout its entire life. Some of the requirements will have liability concerns; others will have civil rights considerations, and every choice goes through a decision blender of capital vs. maintenance budgets and resources.

Ultimately, for the entire length of time that the playground is open to the public, all of the standards and laws must be met. Failure my result in injury to a child, financial penalties for a liability claim or regulatory penalties for noncompliance.

The owner/operator may not have the expertise; however they are ultimately responsible for the outcome. In many cases they turn to consultants and suppliers as they are presumably in possession of specialized knowledge related to the sustainable playground surface that is durable and least cost.