So plan ahead and plan to be safe. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has released updated advice in relation to hiring and buying of inflatables that could help you avoid any serious accidents at events.
Whether you are buying or hiring an inflatable, you should make sure it has a PIPA tag or an ADiPs declaration of compliance (DoC). You can check whether safety tests have been carried out by visiting the PIPA or the ADiPs website.
This will only take a few moments to do, but shows that you have been diligent in ensuring the inflatable meets the required standards before using it.
Check the weather – wind speeds and wet conditions cause problems for safety. If the weather deteriorates and the surface becomes slippery, the inflatable should be put out of use.
Check for holes and rips in the material – be cautious of repair patches, ensuring they are done sufficiently and can withstand use. Check all the other equipment ensuring it is intact and safe for use, including the blower and the securing points. Prevent unauthorised access and tampering of equipment, to avoid injury to those not trained.
Users should always be supervised on any inflatable and the users’ numbers should not exceed the limit given in the instructions. There should be a safe area where users can get on and off, with mats provided to ensure safety. Throughout use regular checks should be made of the anchor points to ensure that the grounding of the inflatable is still stable.
An awareness of the ages of users should be taken into consideration when allowing more users to get on. For example, if there are young children on the inflatable and a group of older children want to join them it would be safer to ask them to wait to prevent the risk of injury.
Inflatables definitely have a place in a lot of outdoor events at licensed premises, and can be a great attraction to encourage families to attend. If used carefully and safely they offer a great fun-filled experience. Care should be taken however as the repercussions of not doing so can be catastrophic.
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