Product Disclaimer, EN14960 & test Statement (Extract from T&C's)

24) All our inflatables undergo a strict testing procedure to ensure our inflatables comply with relevant guidance. This testing is done inline with the HSE Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) requirements “To be tested annually by a competent person. This test varies from inflatable to inflatable, depending on which legislation cover the inflatable.

EN14960 covers inflatables designed specifically for bouncing and sliding by children under the age of 14. Novelty inflatables, Simulator inflatables, Rodeo inflatables, Activity inflatables, Knockout Inflatables, adult inflatables & other inflatable items are not legislated for anywhere whatsoever and in the absence of HSE defining a competent person, we must use our own interpretation of what is and what isn't safe based on our own risk assessments only. All goods supplied by our company are not tested or sold as fit for any particular purpose other than the purpose in which they are designed & tested to do. Only the designer or manufacturer can specify what this might be.

Better Bounce direct provides manufacturers certificates for all its inflatables as standard under the HSE Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) requirements, However from time to time, some organisations may wish to disagree with our interpretations or specifications. As a result, it's imperative that you check with your chosen organisation before placing an order in order to avoid later disappointment.

Sadly, it is all too common that the interpretation of the regulations are exploited or misinterpreted. To Avoid any issues later, please specify which test you would prefer at the time of manufacture. Your chosen test will determine how your warranty claim is dealt with so please be familiar with all test methods or contact us for advice in advance of your order.

If your chosen test organisation is Betterbounce and the Betterbounce scheme, you needn't do anything as this testing scheme will apply by default. For further details please visit our Testing page or Health & safety page to make an informed decision prior to ordering.

As of April 2016, all our inhouse test certificates will be issued electronically. Most of our products have been manufactured using risk assessment. Our risk assessment is based on over 25 years of design, manufacture & sales experience, other manufacturers ideas, discussions, decisions & precedence, over 25 years’ worth of customer feedback & vital historic data, combined with 25 years design review details, recorded injury accident data & over 12 years’ experience hiring over 300 Betterbounce products up to 5,000 hires a year, feedback from over 20,000 products sold worldwide, all cross referenced, tweaked, tweaked again and evolved over time from discussions & feedback from PIPA, RPII, HSE, BSI & ADIPS testers.

EN14960 has many clauses which are widely regarded as a grey area or an area requiring risk assessment and as such one testers “Opinion” may vary from our own BUT may not necessarily be incorrect.

Our risk assessment may differ from the risk assessment of other testers so please bear this in mind when purchasing. Should you have any specific test requirements, please consult with your ADIPS, TUV, NAFLIC, RPII, PIPA or other inspector prior to ordering/ purchasing and we will be happy to accommodate your requirements at this time. We are more than happy to work with your chosen testers and provide detailed CAD drawings and specifications to ensure you are your chosen test regime are happy, all free of charge.

Or better still, We can appoint and work directly with an independent ADIPS, TUV, NAFLIC, RPII, PIPA or other inspector prior to ordering/ purchasing should that be the scheme you choose to persue throughout the inflatables life.

Please bear in mind, any alteration requests, warranty claims & amendments to design of inflatables after your initial test at Betterbounce will not be considered. Any inflatable falling outside of the scope of en14960, even if the initial better bounce test or inflatable tag refers to EN14960 will also not be considered due to lack of official regulations from BSI available and the huge scope for difference in opinion.

As of 06.06.2016, We have made the decision to fit inflatable EN14960 tags to all inflatables produced by Betterbounce Direct. This includes inflatables falling outside the scope of EN14960, However please dont be alarmed if these are left blank. These tags have been fitted to inflatable games falling outside of the scope of en14960 for ease of transition in the future, as and when they are included in the standard. The tag will allow both ourselves and other organisations to track the status of the inflatable, its age, manufactured date should they be required in any future tests.

Please remember that when purchasing an inflatable from Betterbounce you are choosing to accept the opinion of Betterbounce and the Betterbounce scheme on all areas of testing and the way in which we interpret EN14960 unless choosing another test method for th initial test certification at the time of order.

Should any of our items be tested by a 3rd party organisation such as ADIPS, TUV, NAFLIC, RPII, PIPA after the initial test period and it be unfortunate enough to fail, Betterbounce will not honour the rectification works unless you requested the original test at time of manufacturer to be ADIPS, TUV, NAFLIC, RPII, PIPA retrospectively.

Ie, If your inflatable is supported by a PIPA Tag & test at the time of order/manufacture and initial test for example, these changes will be perused on your behalf with that inspector/ inspection body. If the inflatable was not PIPA tag and tested at the time of manufacture, sadly we are unable to consider alterations and claims further down the line.

Notwithstanding the above, we are open to suggestions by other inspectors/ testers on all grey areas of documents such EN14960 & do pro-actively encourage the testing system as a whole. We are happy to be challenged on any aspect of our manufacture and are more than happy to amend designs at our own expense should we agree on future versions of the product. Please also remember that industry guidance changes regularly and information may change from the date of manufacture.

Please bear in mind that when you pay an external body for subsequent tests, you are paying for a professional opinion based on the views, guidance and risk assessments of that person and organisation. Sadly, that person's summary may differ from the views of our organisation. In the absence of information we will always favor our own scheme. In choosing the Betterbounce test regime over any other scheme, you agree to indemnify us from any loss of business, loss of revenue, loss of profits, loss of goodwill, loss of opportunity or any indirect, special, exemplary, consequential, incidental or punitive loss or any damage whatsoever, even if advised of the possibility of such damages in advance.

Guidance notes and testing instructions also vary and change from time to time within certain organisations and isnt always in sync either. The guidance usually changes when new information or findings come to light. Sadly it's impossible to predict the future and we may update designs from year to year as we listen to feedback and suggestions.

Any organisation updates and guidance to the standard should dated and as per BSI, Standards cannot be applied retrospectively so shouldn't affect your test status, especially if you opted to use the Betterbounce Scheme, However, we do reserve the right to change our opinion and charge for any alterations we may feel are necessary during your annual inspection.

Please note, All original test paperwork and logbooks are given to the customer on delivery. It is the sole responsibility of the purchaser to retain these documents for future reference. Betterbounce do not always keep accurate records and do not keep copies beyond 12 months.

Please note; On inflatables accompanied by a Design review pack, we reserve the right to be shortened the test procedure as we see no reason to re-measures the castles height, width or length.

We also see no reason to recalculate bouncing areas, number of anchor points, maximum user heights, maximum number of users, bed & wall heights, perform Flame retardant tests of materials (as we batch test on delivery) as all these points will be carried out on the first product in which the design review is completed. A proper test will still be carried out with regards to all other aspects. If you have any queries regarding this, please contact us prior to order.

In addition to the above, Betterbounce reserve the right to manufacture our inflatables in either one of our factories or a 3rd party factory located anywhere in the world. This decision is at our own discretion and without the express permission of the client.

24b) Flame retardancy

Please be aware that Flame retardant (FR) coatings on some materials can be shorter than others. The length of time a fabric remains FR varies depending on usage, UV and water exposure, air conditions, cleaning products and other influential factors.

As a result, ALL fabrics will are excluded from our 2 years warranty period, and will only be covered for 1 year, However, FR, waterproofing & barrier sprays are available in a simple spray format on the internet and we reserve the right to redirect you towards a re-application spray should any materials be failed by your chosen test body.

All materials are tested prior to both production and certifications verified at the time of manufacture. We do not give out actual certifications to the public, testers or testing bodies as a general rule. As part of your purchase you will receive a written conformity check on your initial test certificate. No further documents will be provided. This is to protect our material source and our unique formulations from the wider industry, however, we would of course always provide documents in a court of law, should the need arise.

Please also be aware that any discrepancies in FR validation from alternative testing bodies must demonstrate a fair test and not the famous "5 seconds with a lighter in the workshop test" The FR test is a special laboratory controlled test regulated by ASTM F 963 & NF P 92-507:2004 reports with official testing.

In the event a testing body failure, we will provide all the FR evidence from the time of manufacture within 56 days.

Please note; Flame retardancy failure after the warranty period does not constitute evidence contrary to the original test documents and we will not be held liable for any disputes that may arise as a result of the above. Please ensure you discuss these requirements with either ourselves or your chosen test body prior to purchase as discussions after manufacture will be dismissed.

The estimated design life of all our inflatable products is 5 years before retirement to a non commercial environment for test purposes.

24c) Maximum User Heights & Maximum User Numbers

The maximum user height of inflatables is decided by the manufacturer. This takes into account the height of the walls, slopes, climbs, toys and implements, along with other influential design and play factors unless the item is to be used for other purposes and not specifically designed for bouncing and sliding.

Bouncy castles designed for use under the scope of EN14960 are likely to have higher walls to contain child users. Inflatables falling outside of the scope of EN14960 and adult are likely to have lower wall heights as users generally have the ability to sense and protect themselves from danger with wall heights having very little to do with containment.

Please bear in mind that external testing bodies may agree or disagree with our views and as such it would be beneficial to contact them prior to us commencing manufacture if you wish to have your inflatable tested outside of the Betterbounce scheme throughout the inflatables life, especially if the inflatable falls outside of the scope of EN14960 where no formal guidance is available from British Standards. User heights on Adult inflatables and inflatable games may differ from that of traditional inflatables.

In ordering from Betterbounce and choosing the Betterbounce scheme, you agree to our initial user height and number statistics and agree to indemnify us from any loss of business, loss of revenue, loss of profits, loss of goodwill, loss of opportunity or any indirect, special, exemplary, consequential, incidental or punitive loss or any damage whatsoever, as a result of alternative organisations wishing to make changes to our user data.

Maximum user weights

All inflatables are designed with the following weight users in mind, regardless of the user height as follows:

• Slides upto 6ft platform: 65kg
• Slides over 6ft platform: 85kg
• Inflated walls, under 12x15ft with 300mm thick walls (approx.): 65kg
• Inflated walls, over 12x15ft with 300mm thick walls (approx.): 75kg
• Inflated walls, under 12x15ft with 500mm thick walls (approx.): 75kg
• Inflated walls, over 12x15ft with 500mm thick walls (approx.): 85kg
• Netted walls, under 12x15ft: 55kg
• Netted walls, over 12x15ft: 55kg
• Obstacle course Netted walls (When used for the purpose in which it was designed for): 85kg
• Obstacle course Netted walls (When used for bouncing and sliding not racing): 65kg
• Moonwalk Domes upto 15x15 : 75kg
• Moonwalk Domes over 15x15 : 85kg
• This maybe subject to change on specific inflatables and not guaranteed, Please ask before purchase if this is crucial

Notes regarding Operating pressure

HSE has stated that they now want the end-users to ensure the inflatable has all the required pressures you'd normally find on an annual test during everyday hires. They require this information to be checked on delivery and recorded along with any relevant wind speeds. They also insist in other documents that these devices are calibrated annually so please ensure you have one calibrated.

HSE has stated that they now want the end-users to ensure the inflatable has all the required pressures you'd normally find on an annual test during everyday hires. They require this information to be checked on delivery and recorded along with any relevant wind speeds. They also insist in other documents that these devices are calibrated annually so please ensure you have one calibrated.

If the Manometer reading is over 4" water gauge(1 kpa) then the inflatable can be used in line with EN14960.

If the Manometer reading fails to achieve 4" water gauge (1 kpa), then simply change the blower for another and retest, Add an additional blower or use a larger horsepower blower to achieve 4" water gauge (1 kpa).

If none of the above work to achieve the 4" water gauge (1 kpa) requirements, then the inflatable is not fit for use and must not be used.

Why do we use manometers and not rely on blower HP?

A 1.5HP blower from every manufacturer gives a different pressure reading from new on the same inflatable with a range as big as 20%

The HP is the power of the motor and gives no indication of how much air leaves the blower or at what speed or pressure it leaves so its completely irrelevant to anything other than an initial guess at which one to pick out and try first.

• Now age a blower 3-4 years and you've another 10-25% drop.
• Dirty fan blades mess with the airflow, another 10-30% drop.
• Add a 50m extension cable and the pressure reduces further.
• Use the HORN7 cable with a better AMP rating and the pressure goes up.
• Use 1.5mm 3 core instead of 2.5mm and it goes down.
• Use multiple splitters or feed disco or light units from the same cable and the pressure goes down.
• Use a 4Hp petrol blower and you're somewhere around a 2.5-3Hp electric blower capacity equivalent.
• Use a generator and your HP can drop out by up to 30% too.
• This alone can reduce an inflatable from being perfect on a 1.5HP to needing a 2HP.

Now throw multiple blower tubes into the mix and the whole theory of HP is wiped out. You can use whatever combination of blowers you see fit but they must always achieve the manufacturer's recommendations or a minimum of 1kpa at the unit. This must be measured at the inflatable with a Manometer device in line with HSE's recommendations.

This is why we do not specify a blower type. Please contact us prior to ordering, should you require any more detailed information.

24d) Test Certificate & EN14960 Warranty Issues/ Claims

For test certificate & EN14960 warranty issues or claims information, Please see our full Terms and conditions.

We hope this helps for now and if you need to ask any questions, simply send us an email to info@better-bounce.co.uk via the Contact us page or give one of our technical team a call on : 0113 8878264