09 April 2019
As the summer season approaches, the Health and Safety Inspectorate (HSI) is reminding operators of bouncy castles and inflatables in Jersey of their legal obligations.
Updated guidance has been issued by the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following a number of serious incidents last year where inflatables have collapsed or blown away in windy conditions. In accordance with this guidance, Inspectors from the HSI will expect the following standards to be followed by commercial operators of bouncy castles and inflatables in Jersey:
- all inflatables hired for commercial use should have been inspected by a recognised body such as ADIPS or PIPA within the last 12 months
- no inflatable should be used outside in winds in excess of Force 5 on the Beaufort scale which is 24 mph or 38 km/h
- because of these wind restrictions, HSI will expect operators to be in possession of an anemometer
- when used outside, inflatables must be anchored by all the anchor points, using metal ground stakes at least 380mm long and 16mm wide with a rounded top. They should have a welded ‘O’ or ‘D’ ring fitted to the end
- if ground stakes can't be used (eg on tarmac) then ballast weighing at least 163 kgs should be secured to each anchor point to prevent the wind getting under the inflatable
- operators should be aware of the electrical safety hazards presented by the blower and check cables etc. for damage before use
- the use of the inflatable should be supervised
Further information
Further information on the safe use of bouncy castles and inflatables can be found on the following websites:
Fairgrounds and inflatables on the UK HSE website
ADIPS Scheme
PIPA Scheme
gov.je