Below are some of the hazards listed in our risk assessment:
Hazard: Inflatable Instability & blowing away in windy conditions
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable or anyone else in its path.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
Adherence’s to operational side of Standard. No inflatables will be used in winds over force 5 \on the Beaufort scale 18 to 24 MPH 29 to 38 KM/H. The quantity and strength of anchor points and size of ground fixing pegs are checked for conformity to standard during annual test. Every member will always carry an anemometer Responsibility for deflating in high wind will be handed over to the customer built into the hire agreement. A warning text and/or email to deflate will be sent by the operator to all customers in the event of a high wind forecast.
Hazard: Anchorage – inadequate anchorage may cause instability (Blowing away, Tipping or turning over)
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable or anyone else in its path.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
Adherences to operational side of Standard page 4.2.1. anchorage .All inflatables shall be provided with anchorage and /or ballast system .For outdoor usage ground fixing pegs will be used in all anchor points and inserted into the ground between 30-45 degrees and shall be a minimum 380 mm in length and 16 mm in diameter.
If ground fixing pegs cannot be used the inflatable shall be secured to the ground by an equally effective method so that each anchor point is capable of supporting 160 kg. In some cases, it is necessary to drill and fix or secure to a heavy object such as a vehicle. For indoor – when the inflatable is used indoors the anchorage and/or ballast system should be used when necessary to maintain stability.
Hazard: Situations caused by loss of pressure in the inflatable as a result of failure of the fabric.
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
Fabric is checked yearly in Annual Safety Check and routinely as part of the 10 daily checks.
Hazard: Situations caused by loss of pressure in the inflatable as a result of failure or loss of power to the blower.
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
This is tested in the annual safety check and the sudden deflation of the inflatable in the event of loss of power can be severely reduced by non-return valve built into the inflatable and the blower is required to have a non-return valve in order to pass its annual PAT test.
Hazard: Situations caused by loss of pressure in the inflatable as a result of disconnection of the blower.
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
Security of connection of blower to inflatables is covered in Operator & Attendants Course and is included in daily checks to comply with operational side of the safety standard.
Hazard: Situations caused by loss of pressure in the inflatable as a result of litter blocking the air intake and/or vents.
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
Reminders in terms and conditions signed by customer.
Hazard: Falls from the Structure.
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
Strict adherence to standard for structure and clear label advising minimum height and number of users + impact-attenuating mats will always be placed in the impact area.
Hazard: Tripping (particularly over anchorage)
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
Follow standard and force anchor pegs all the way flush with ground.
Hazard: Injury to users caused by boisterous behaviour.
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
Supervision and clear instructions in hire agreement on how to avoid boisterous behavioural.
Hazard: Overcrowding
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
Strict adherence to standard by the hirer as each unit will have maximum users label clearly visible and will be highlighted in the hire agreement as the reasonability of the supervisor.
Hazard: Larger users not being separated from smaller ones.
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
Clear instructions for the supervisor in the signed hire agreement.
Hazard: Adults or users older than the intended users of the inflatable using the unit.
Who is at risk? Those users above the age and size of the intended users may cause the seams of the inflatable to split and deflate rapidly causing injury to all inside. Retaining walls may collapse due to the unsuitable size of some users.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
European Safety Standard states that a clear label will be visible indicating maximum height of user and maximum number of users. Hire agreement clearly states safety label restrictions be noticed and adhered to at all times.
Hazard: Access to dangerous (parts of) machinery – for example inadequately protected or unguarded blowers.
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
All blowers will undergo annual PAT testing and check of blowers is included in routine checks before each use.
Hazard: Inadequate means of escape in case of fire.
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
Annual check includes test for evacuation.
Hazard: Lifting injuries caused by manual handling.
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
A minimum of 2 people will deliver & collect the inflatable. All employees will be qualified in safe handling. A sack truck trolley will be used where possible and all pathways will be clear of trip hazards.
Hazard: Injuries to users caused by them wearing inappropriate clothes and shoes.
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
Users warned to were appropriate clothing.
Hazard: Injuries to users caused by them wearing inappropriate clothes and shoes.
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
Users warned to were appropriate clothing.
Hazard: Entrapment and suffocation.
Who is at risk? Users of the inflatable.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
All inflatables in the group will be tested for entrapments, especially those that may cause suffocation. No inflatables that have the potential to cause entrapments or suffocation will be offered for insurance because they will not pass a safety test.
Hazard: Long Electric Power cable trip hazard.
Who is at risk? Employees and/or general public.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
Secure the power cable parallel to walls and other structures on the side on walkways. Secure to the ground as soon as its laid down with tape and do not remove until cable is due to be wind up. Only cross walkways when absolutely necessary.
Hazard: Inserting & extracting ground fixing pegs.
Who is at risk? Operators and employees could hit their hands with the mallet.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
Hold the stakes halfway down when banging them in. Knock the peg halfway using the mallet before pulling them out or use a peg lever extractor make sure the area is clear of other people.
Hazard: Sharp objects that could damage the inflatable.
Who is at risk? Users on the inflatable could be injured by sharp objects in and around the unit and the inflatable could get punctured and deflated.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
Site will be checked for suitability as per routine inspection. Users will be asked to remove their shoes and other sharp objects before embarking on the inflatable.
Hazard: Users playing on the inflatable after the event / with no supervision.
Who is at risk? Any user who could disregard the guides for safe use of the inflatable and injure themselves and other. If an injury occurred there may not be anyone around to help.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
The inflatable will be supervised the entire time that it is inflated and will be taken down as soon as possible after the event is finished.
Hazard: regular/everyday safety issues.
Who is at risk? Routine inspection shall be carried out before use each time the equipment is made available for use.
Action that will be taken to prevent this hazard:
The checks shall include that:
- Site is suitable
- All anchorage is secure and in place
- Ancillary equipment is in place (e.g.: impact absorbing mats)
- There are no significant holes or rips in the fabric or seams
- Correct blower is used
- Internal air pressure is sufficient to give a firm a reliable footing
- There are no exposed electrical parts & no wear on cables
- Plugs, sockets, switches etc are not damaged
- Connection tube & blower are firmly attached to each other
- Blower is safely positioned & its mesh guards are intact
The equipment shall not be used by the public until any defect identified in the routine inspection have been rectified.
Choose a professional hirer for your next party.
Registered members of the Irish Inflatable Hirers Federation (IIHF) are fully insured and professional Bouncy castle and inflatable hirers. Check out our directory of registered members to make sure you are choosing a reliable and fully insured hirer for your next event.
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