Health & Safety
As a bouncy castle manufacturer, we understand the importance of complying with the essential pieces of legislation that govern the inflatable world. We also understand that as an operator of the equipment, you need to be aware of what you should and should not do to protect both yourself and your customers in the eyes of the law.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion among various organizations that offer different services, which can be overwhelming for those in the inflatable industry. That's why we have put together this quick guide to help clarify the difference between our two roles and what we do to ensure maximum safety and compliance.
Please note that the information provided in this guide is not meant to constitute financial, tax, import, or business advice. We recommend that clients undertake their own research and consult with a technical specialist in the subject. This guide is merely intended to be a helpful resource to provide guidance and clarity on the essential legislation governing the inflatable industry.
If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our team is always happy to help ensure that you have the knowledge and tools you need to operate safely and successfully in the inflatable industry.
Bouncy Castle Manufacturers & The Law.
The manufacture of bouncy castles was unregulated until 2006 when the British Standards introduced BS14960. This has now been replaced by its European equivalent EN14960. This document ensures that inflatables are designed and manufactured with maximum safety in mind. You would not believe the thought that goes into ensuring the modern-day bouncy castle is safe for use. It literally takes us many hundreds of hours a year to comply.
When purchasing a bouncy castle, you should check that the manufacturer has ensured and can prove that the bouncy castles and inflatables they are selling comply with EN14960. Anyone who is doing so will be happy to provide you with a certificate at the point of sale.
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Bouncy Castle & Inflatable Testing (It's the law).
When a company, organization, or individual rents, lends or allows the public to use any equipment, they become subject to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 regardless of money being exchanged. This act places a duty of care on everyone involved in the transaction. It means that the attendant, the employees (Operators), The business owner (Controller) and the owner or manager of the premises where the equipment will be used should do everything possible to ensure its safe use at all times.
In addition to the Health and Safety at Work Act (HASAWA), The HSE insists that all our inflatables undergo a strict testing procedure to ensure that they comply with relevant guidance. This testing is done in line with the HSE Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) requirements "to be tested initially after manufacture and prior to its first use and then again annually by a competent person." This satisfies the provision that the equipment is suitable and safe for its intended use throughout its life.
This is the only law in relation to testing of inflatables.
All inflatables manufactured by Betterbounce Direct have been tested prior to sale, and as such, you are covered for the first 12 months under our own brand of testing (BISA Scheme) BetterBounce Inspection and Safety Assessment Scheme.
After 12 months, you should have your equipment tested by a competent person. We suggest either bringing your inflatables back here to Betterbounce Direct to renew your BISA test or contacting your local manufacturer/repair person. To comply with the regulations above, you must ensure that your inflatables are taken to a competent manufacturer or repairer.
Betterbounce Direct has been manufacturing, repairing, and selling inflatables for over 25 years and offers a comprehensive testing and repair service should you require it. You can also search the internet for someone more local.
We are also able to supply other similar brands of testing scheme should you require, which includes RPII, ADIPS, TUV NAFLIC, SIS & PIPA among other.
In addition to the above, All electrical items that are hired out must also be PAT tested every 6 months.
For further information on testing, Please see our EN14960 statement and terms and conditions.
The Bouncy Castle Hire & Best Practice.
Adherence to the above documents is the minimum requirement under the law, but it is good practice to take additional measures. This helps prevent the industry from being brought into disrepute and raises safety standards across the board. Non-compliance can have serious repercussions for the operator, as demonstrated by a tragic case in 2016, where two fairground workers were convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence. The incident occurred after a bouncy castle blew away with a young girl inside due to inadequate anchorage. The workers were sentenced to three years in prison, and the judge told them they had taken an enormous risk with children's lives, which ultimately cost Summer her life.
Click here to read the full article published by the Guardian
We highly recommend that all hire companies compile or obtain the following documents to ensure the safe use of inflatables at events. Remember, if you purchase a bouncy castle or inflatable from Better Bounce Direct, you will receive free online access to these documents.
Public Liability Insurance Certificate.
Although not legally required, Not having it is commercial suicide and we highly recommend that you take out Public Liability Insurance when hiring our products, especially given the current "claim culture" society. At Better Bounce Direct, we suggest the following list of insurance companies who specialize in bouncy castle and inflatable hire insurance. Protecting yourself and your customers should be a top priority when operating any business, and public liability insurance is an important step in mitigating risks and ensuring a safe and successful event.
Risk Assessment & The Law (This is an extract from the HSE).
To manage the health and safety of your business, you must control the risks in your workplace. This requires you to identify potential harm to people and decide whether you are taking reasonable steps to prevent that harm. This process is called risk assessment and it is required by law.
If you have fewer than five employees, you are not required to write anything down. Risk assessment is not about creating excessive paperwork, but rather about identifying practical measures to control risks in your workplace. You may already be taking steps to protect your employees, but your risk assessment will help you determine whether you have covered everything.
Think about how accidents and ill health could occur and focus on the most likely risks that could cause the most harm. Some risks may require specific control measures according to other regulations. Your risk assessment can help you identify where you need to look at certain risks and control measures in more detail. These measures do not need to be assessed separately, but can be considered as part of or an extension to your overall risk assessment.
We have provided example risk assessments that you can view, print, or download for your records by clicking on any of the documents below.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. We also have many more risk assessments available and can provide you with further assistance.
The risk assessments provided above are only a selection of the most popular equipment we offer, and should be treated as a generic template and example. They are not intended to be relied upon solely and we strongly advise that you seek your own legal advice in order to ensure compliance with all relevant health and safety regulations.advice.
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Method Statement.
Although not legally required, it is highly recommended that organizations establish a clear method of working for their events. It is important that event organizers know exactly how each contractor expects to carry out their activities on site. The method statements provided below are based on years of on-site experience and are designed to ensure that erection procedures are carried out as smoothly as possible.
While these operations go beyond legal requirements, they will help your business stand out from the competition. We highly recommend that you encourage your customers to read these documents in advance of the event and familiarize themselves with your operational procedures to ensure that your events run smoothly.
You can view, print, or download the method statements for your files by clicking on any of the documents below. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to Contact us directly.
Buy A Copy Of EN14960.
One of the most crucial documents for operating inflatables safely is the EN14960, which can be purchased directly from the British Standards at around a cost of £350. This document has an entire section dedicated to the safe operation of inflatables, covering essential topics such as wind loading, anchorage, safe setup, annual testing, installation, supervision, matting, guide ropes, and much more. Without this guide, it would be nearly impossible to operate within the legal guidelines. We strongly recommend that anyone operating inflatables has a copy of this document to ensure the safety of all involved.
The document can be purchased at a massively reduced rate for under £50 by following the link below:
https://www.better-bounce.co.uk/category/new-for-2023/4295/bb-1125-the-bouncy-castle-rules-and-regulations-british-standards-en149602019-paper-copy#BodyContent
Check an inflatables test certificate status
To check if an inflatable has been tested by the Betterbounce BISA Scheme and if the test certification is valid, simply follow the link below and enter the inflatable's serial number into the search system. The serial number should be found within the manufacturer's tag on the front of the inflatable.
Please note that this database can only search for inflatables tested by our scheme. A missing or expired certificate may not necessarily mean the inflatable is unsafe or untested. The operator may have opted to use another scheme after the inflatables initial 12-month certification. Check around the inflatable for another tag or link, or ask the operator for a copy of the certificate
For test certificate & EN14960 warranty claim information, Please see our full Terms and conditions.
Bouncy castle testing & How We Can Help.
As part of our manufacturing process, all of our inflatables undergo a strict testing procedure to ensure compliance with relevant guidance. This testing is done in line with the HSE Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), which requires annual testing by a competent person. To ensure compliance with this law, the inflatable must be fixed with appropriate markings and must have a certificate to prove to the users that it is safe to use.
Our in-house testing scheme covers both EN14960 inflatables designed specifically for bouncing and sliding by children under the age of 14, as well as other types of inflatables falling outside the scope of EN14960, such as novelty inflatables, simulator inflatables, rodeo inflatables, activity inflatables, and adult inflatables. Similar brands of schemes include RPII, ADIPS, TUV NAFLIC SIC, BISA & PIPA, among others. We can arrange for these tests to be carried out at the point of manufacture if required, but it must be noted that these are private companies and not government-run, and the certificates issued are an alternative brand to our own.
All of our in-house test certificates are issued electronically and most of our products have been manufactured using risk assessment, which is based on over 40 years of design, manufacture, and sales experience, as well as customer feedback and historical data. Our risk assessment is also informed by discussions with other manufacturers, testers, and relevant organizations such as RPII, ADIPS, TUV NAFLIC SIS, BISA PIPA. We have over 20 years of experience hiring Betterbounce products up to 5,000 times per yer, and feedback from over 20,000 products sold worldwide. We cross-reference all of this information, tweaking and evolving our approach over time to ensure the safety and compliance of our products.
EN14960 has many clauses that are widely regarded as a grey area or requiring risk assessment, and as such, the "opinions" of different testers may vary. Our risk assessment may differ from that of other testers, so please keep this in mind when purchasing. If you have any specific test requirements, please consult with your RPII, ADIPS, TUV NAFLIC & PIPA or other inspector prior to ordering or purchasing, and we will be happy to work with them and provide detailed CAD drawings and specifications free of charge
For further information, Please see our EN14960 statement and terms and conditions to make a more educated decision before purchasing.
What can and can't be tested?
As stated earlier, all inflatables must undergo testing in accordance with the PUWER regulations from HSE. For inflatables specifically designed for bouncing and sliding, manufacturers may have them tested by certified bodies such as RPII, ADIPS, TUV NAFLIC & PIPA. However, it's important to note that not all testing bodies are qualified to test all types of inflatables.
For instance, PIPA and RPII are only authorized to test inflatables designed for bouncing and sliding, such as bouncy castles, slides, and some basic obstacle courses. They are not qualified to test rodeo bull beds, gladiator duels, pillow bashes, sumo suits, knockout inflatables, ball pools, wrecking balls, bungee runs, eliminator runs, activity units, marquees, buildings, grottos, fairground inflatables, water slides, foam pits, and many other inflatables.
At Betterbounce, we can test all inflatables under the HSE PUWER regulations and/or EN14960 and EN177 where applicable. This guarantees consistency in our testing process, but we can also provide an RPII or PIPA report upon request and you will receive a (BISA Scheme) BetterBounce Inspection and Safety Assessment Scheme certificate.
Choosing the right testing body is an important decision for your company, and we encourage you to make an informed decision before purchasing.
For further information, Please see our EN14960 statement and terms and conditions to make a more educated decision before purchasing.
The following diagram should help make things easier.
PIPA Testing now available at Betterbounce
At BetterBounce, we are always striving to enhance the safety measures associated with our inflatables. We are delighted to announce that we are now able to offer PIPA testing in-house if required. This exciting development reinforces our commitment to providing you with not only top-quality inflatables but also ensuring their compliance with the highest safety standards.
To streamline the testing process and offer you a more comprehensive service, we now have our very own in-house PIPA inspector. This dedicated professional will be available every Friday to conduct thorough inspections of your inflatables. Our Inspector is Samantha smith who is available for testing offsite nationwide.
Safety is paramount when it comes to inflatable play equipment. The PIPA inspection scheme was established to guarantee that inflatables adhere to recognized safety standards. At BetterBounce, we recognize the critical role PIPA testing plays in ensuring the safety of both operators and participants.
To book your latest PIPA inspection,Please feel free t contact us directly using the details below.
*Table last updated May 2021
Should you need any further advice, the best contact by far is Myself (Samantha). I can be contacted by Clicking here and I'm always happy to help.
Please Click here to see our full terms and conditions
Contact Us
Should you have any queries regarding bouncy castle health and safety or testing, Please feel free to contact us direct via the details mentioned below.
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