Parents need to select the correct location for installing your swing set. It is important for your children’s safety and the product’s longevity. The safe play area refers to 6 foot safey zone around the entire swing set. This zone extending 6′ beyond the Playset on all sides, including the slide and the space above the Playset. Because children may deliberately jump from a moving swing, the Safe Play Area must be extended to 14 in front of and behind a swinging Accessory. The ground surface must be level. Installing your swing set on sloping ground can cause it to lean or “rack”. This leaning puts additional stress on all connections and joints and in time will cause those connections to loosen and fail. The Safe Play Area must be free of all structures, landscaping, trees and branches, rocks, wires, and other obstacles to safe play. Children can be seriously injured running, or swinging into these obstacles. Remove all tripping hazards from the Safe Play Area. Tripping hazards include; roots, stumps, rocks, landscaping, sprinkler heads, railroad ties, plumbing and electrical connections. Do not install your swing set over concrete, gravel, asphalt, packed earth, or any other hard surface.  Visit Consumer product safety commission for a list of recommended ground covers.