Safety & Standards
There are many different types of inflatables available here in the UK.
Some are imported or intended as a toy only and not for commercial use.
All of our inflatables are from the UK and built for commercial hire.
Only 610gsm Flame retardant PVC is used in the construction of the inflatables.
They are built with nylon webbing reinforcement and exceed all required standards.
Our inflatables and equipment are annually tested by an independent authority 'PIPA
to ensure compliance with BS EN 14960.
If you are hiring a bouncy castle or other play inflatable, it is really important that you check its Health and Safety credentials.
The PIPA inspection scheme was set up by the inflatable play industry to ensure that inflatable play equipment conforms to
recognised safety standards BSEN14960:2013.
The scheme is supported by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as well as all the industry associations and Local Authorities.
PIPA (Pertexa Inflatable Play Accreditation) delivers improved safety for users, quality assurance and certified annual testing.
The BSEN14960:2013 Standard is designed not to eliminate all risks when playing on inflatables,
but to reduce them and manage the risks.
The Standard is basically broken down into various responsibilities.
The hire company also has a responsibility to ensure the Standard is adhered to.
The Standard runs to almost 50 pages and is a bit complex in places - but we will highlight and simplify the most important points.
One of the most important parts of the testing will look at is the anchor points.
Are they in good condition and secure and not frayed, worn or broken? Are there the correct number of anchor points?
Six anchor points is the absolute minimum on a standard bouncy castle. Other Inflatables may need more anchor points.
To know how many Anchorage points are needed testers measure the surface area of the inflatable that will be exposed to the wind.
They have calculations and formulas to work out how many anchor points are needed.
Testers also have a tool they hook to the anchorage and pull and precisely measure the anchor point to 165 kg of weight.
If an anchor point fails (or all of them fail) then the inflatable immediately will fail the test.
Another aspect that testers look at is containment.
Containment means the height of the walls on the bouncy castle and any built in rain cover that will help to "contain" the users.
The height of the walls will also determine the maximum height of the children that are allowed on the inflatable at any one time.
There also should be no entrapment points where children could get a limb caught or even their head caught.
The next major point of safety that testers look at is access. That is to do with the height of the bed and the fall out (i.e. the step) and the relationship they both have to each other.
Testers measure the height of the bed and the important dimension is the distance from the ground to the very top of the step.
Testers will also look at the structural integrity of the inflatable, checking that the pressure is sufficient enough when there are users playing on the inflatable.
Testers do this by using a digital manometer. The pressure measurment must meet a minimum standard in order to pass.
Strathaven Castles also use a digital manometer to double check the pressure at every setup.
The next thing that is tested is the length of the blower tube. This must be a minimum of 1.2 metres.
The reason this is so important is that it helps to prevent a child from hitting their head on the blower if they hang or climb on the back wall and fall off.
(However, adequate supervision should prevent them from doing this in the first place!).
A second reason for having a blower tube of 1.2 metres is if the inflatable deflates unexpectedly due to say a power-cut.
Testers will also consider the maximum number of users that the inflatable can take as well as the height of those users.
They measure the total surface area of the playing area and then use another formula to calculate how many children or adults are allowed on the playing area.
A label attached to the front or side of the inflatable which clearly shows how many children are allowed on depending on their height.
The taller they are then the fewer number of children are allowed on at any one time.
This label should also clearly identify what type of blower should be used on the inflatable with respect to power output.
Testers may also check the blower to make sure there is nothing missing such as the guard to protect inquisitive fingers from the impeller.
Testers also check electrical connections to make sure they're safe and carry out a PAT test on the electrical equipment.
Once the Inflatable passes the test to BS 14960:2013 Standard the tester will need to issue a certificate and input the information on the database on the official website at www.pipa.org.uk
Every inflatable that is tested must have a unique identifying number or a serial number.
All our inflatables have pipa tags to see details of these tests click on the test tab on the products.
There are multiple Health & Safety rules regarding the safe use of inflatables,
and at Strathaven Castles, we take this very seriously.
A full site safety inspection and risk assessment is performed at every hire.
If we are not able to secure our inflatable as per the HSE & manufacturers guidelines,
we will not be able to accept the hire for your children's safety.
We have £ 5million of Public Liability Insurance.
Did you know for example that the Health & Safety Executive dictates that where an inflatable is being operated outside, the use of an anemometer device to measure wind speed is used , and if such a device is not available, inflatables
SHOULD NOT BE USED.
This is why we will always use an anemometer to check conditions are safe to use the inflatable.
There are NO CANCELLATION FEES if the hire is prevented due to high winds or very heavy rain.
No inflatable should be used in winds above 24mph (38 kph).
At every hire, we will perform a detailed risk assessment and check list to ensure the equipment is set up safely.
We have been trained and certified by the Rpii (Register of Play Inspectors International)
Our company was also registered and vetted by South Lanarkshire Council Environmental Health department.
We continue to be proud members of the British Inflatable Hirers Alliance (BIHA),
the leading Trade Organisation for the UK Bouncy Castle Industry, promoting safety & standards.
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British Inflatable Hirer's Alliance
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rpii accredited
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PIPA Inflatable Play Inspected
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