If you’re renting a bouncy castle or other similar equipment for a party at your house, school, or place of business, you may reasonably trust that the supplier you’ve chosen will follow all applicable safety regulations. The truth is, however, that is not always the case. The brief guide that follows will assist you in knowing what to look for and what to ask for, as well as guiding you to a safer encounter.
A continuous inflator fan is used to keep the bouncy castles and inflatable slides up and running at fairs and fun days, and this tutorial is geared at those sorts of bouncy castles and inflatable slides.
The process through which they are created
If an inflatable has been used for commercial purposes in the United Kingdom, it should have been manufactured in accordance with British Standard BS EN14960:2013. The Standard covers requirements for the material from which the inflatable is constructed, the number of anchor points it should have, and the location of those anchor points. Make certain that any inflatable you rent specifies in its documentation that it has been manufactured in accordance with this BS Standard.
It is necessary to sew together panels of vinyl-covered material to construct a bouncy castle. While a result, it requires an inflator with a ‘continuous flow’ feature that operates continually, pushing air into it continuously as the air exits naturally through the stitching. If it sustains a tear, a rip, or a breakdown of the stitching, it will swiftly collapse since the air will have found an alternate route to exit. Rather than exploding, this sort of inflatable will just collapse.
Installation
Castles are equipped with a motorised inflator (also known as a blower). The most prevalent sort of ‘blower’ is one that is powered by electricity (240 volts). This will necessitate the use of an extension lead to connect it to a power supply, so consider how far the extension line will need to extend and whether there will be any trip risks. You may also want to consider installing an RCD inline (trip switch) to protect the system. Don’t assume that any standard household outlet will suffice; you may need to consult an electrician for assistance. It’s preferable if you request that the inflatable rental company provide any electrical leads that may be required, since standard household kinds may not be adequate for outside use or weather resistance. During the process of assembling the inflatable, perform a visual inspection of the cables to ensure they are not damaged (electrical tape, wires showing, broken plugs). Consider the possibility of tripping risks associated with the use of cables.
It might also be powered by a generator, as an alternative. A generator will need to be enclosed, with a fire extinguisher strategically positioned nearby. Do not keep spare fuel cans out in the open near the generator, since this might cause a fire.
Inquire with the provider about the method by which the bouncer is inflated, since this may affect where the inflatable may be installed. Several inflatable rental firms and suppliers will presume that they will be setting the inflatable in close proximity to an electric source that you will offer them.
In addition, the castle should be walled in from the back and sides (and maybe even the front) so that youngsters do not come into contact with or trip over objects like the metal anchor pegs, the power inflator, and the electric outlets.
Moreover, it must be situated in an appropriate location, away from trees and other risks such as waste bins and fences. If the gradient is not sufficiently level, the inflatable will have a greater possibility of flipping over when youngsters are using it.
Potholes, stones, and other obstacles should be avoided in certain areas. Entry and departure locations must be marked with safety mats (also known as crash mats). Depending on whether the castle will be used on concrete (or a comparable surface) or indoors, additional safety matting may be necessary.
General state of the castle’s interior
When you’ve finished setting up and inflating the inflatable, have a look around. Does it appear to be correct? Is it free of contaminants? Examine the item for tears or faded stitching, and make sure that its form appears to be correct. It’s possible that part of the inside stitching has come undone, causing the form to appear incorrect.
Check to see that the power inflator on the castle is the proper size. The appropriate size should be specified in the castle’s safety certificate and/or on the castle’s identification label. The most common size for small inflatables is a 3/4 horsepower (750 watts) inflator, with bigger units requiring a 1.5 horsepower inflate. Some inflatables may require two or more inflators to be properly inflated.
When running out of extension leads or utilising a generator, you must keep this power consumption in mind. If the castle is not buoyant enough, this may indicate that the inflator is too tiny or that the integrity of the castle stitching needs to be examined. If the castle is not buoyant enough, this may indicate that the inflator is too large.
Points of reference
Any inflatable must have at least six anchor points in order to be legal. Every anchor point installed by the castle maker must be used, even if it is not at ground level (the higher anchor points assist in maintaining the shape of the castle and preventing additional strain on the ground-level anchor points).
Strictly speaking, ground pegs for grass use must be at least 380mm in length and 16mm in diameter, with the shape of a shepherd’s crook on one end (rounded top).
Anchorage assistance ropes must be in excellent condition and strong enough to carry out their intended function.
When ground stakes are not an option, another method of anchoring the down inflatable down must be developed that is as effective (such as sand bags, weights or ground fixings). Clearly stated in the operators handbook should be this requirement: If weights or other ballast are being utilised, there must be a proper manner of securing any guy ropes to the weights or other ballast.
In this situation, the point of anchorage should be at ground level in order to prevent wind from reaching beneath the inflatable. Although the feasibility of alternative anchoring (as opposed to ground stakes) can be determined, it may be difficult to assess their capacity to sustain the necessary force since it is difficult to evaluate their strength. At the absolute least, each anchor point must have a force of at least 163Kg applied to it, but it is likely that more force will be required to produce the 1600KN force required to hold the inflatable in place.
Even if the inflatable is being used indoors, it will still require anchoring. Fortunately, the operator’s handbook will provide instructions on how to do this since, while wind will not blow it away, it must be prevented from wandering around the floor, maintained in its normal form, and prevented from overturning.
Wind speeds are measured in knots.
24 miles per hour is the speed that has to be remembered (38kph).
This is the highest wind speed at which any inflatable, regardless of how many anchor points it has, can be utilised safely and effectively. However, it is possible that an inflatable will have a maximum operational wind speed that is less than this, so you should double-check.
It is necessary to have a wind metre, which is also known as an anemometer, in operation where the inflatable is being utilised. In order to verify that the wind conditions are suitable for the continuing operation of the inflatable, wind measurements should be obtained at frequent intervals. In the absence of actual local data, relying on a weather app or weather prediction is regarded insufficiently accurate in this situation. This can be influenced in either direction by factors such as trees, buildings, hills, and wind-alley conditions on the property itself.
Although weather applications may be used to assist estimate circumstances, they may only indicate ‘average’ wind speeds, which means that ‘gust’ and maximum wind speeds must also be taken into consideration when making predictions.
Those who use the service and those who supervise them
All inflatables should be outfitted with instructions on how to use them. If you have rented the inflatable for a short period of time, this is quite crucial (the operator has set it up and then left it for you to supervise). In this document, you will find information regarding the number of children who are permitted to be on it at the same time based on their height (this should also be on a patch stitched on by the manufacturer). In addition, information regarding the types of behaviour that are not permitted on the inflatable should be provided.
Children should not be allowed to climb on castle walls or do somersaults. Shoes should be removed unless otherwise mentioned in order to protect people from getting accidently kicked by other persons. It is possible that glasses may need to be removed, and pockets will need to be emptied.
It should be overseen at all times, and the supervisor should be equipped with a whistle in order to attract the attention of the kids. The supervisor must be over the age of eighteen.
The castle should be checked periodically throughout the event to ensure that no anchor points have become loose, that the inflation tube connecting the castle and blower is secure, and that no rips or tears have occurred.
Certificates and other safety-related documents
Your supplier should be able to provide you with the necessary documents and certifications:
• Coverage for third-party liability claims
• A certificate (or certificates) of safety for their equipment
• Conducting a risk assessment
• Instruction handbook for the operator
In order to ensure the integrity of inflatables, they should be subjected to frequent inspections. This examination should have taken place within the preceding 12 months. One of the most reliable ways to ensure that this test has been performed by a qualified (or competent) individual is to have it tested by someone who has issued a PIPA or ADIPS certificate. Certificates issued in this manner may be verified online at the PIPA or ADIPS websites, reducing the likelihood of certificate fraudulence occurring. They will also be labelled with a PIPA tag or some other form of identifying marking.
You should also read the risk assessment of the inflatable since it will provide you with more information about the variables that need to be addressed. Any electric inflator should have also undergone a PAT test (electrical test) before being used.
If you have a large number of inflatables at a fair, it may also be a good idea to have some sort of first aid station on hand.
The provider or the operator
It is also worth mentioning that inflatable operators may become members of a variety of trade organisations and alliances (for example, the British Inflatable Hirers Alliance), which can help them to network and grow their businesses. Although not being a member of such an organisation should not be seen negatively, if an operator is a member of a trade association or alliance, this often implies that they have been vetted and are up to date on applicable rules, good practise, and other important information.