Safety information about hiring a bouncy castle in Chesterfield and Sheffield

Hiring a bouncy castle for your party or a celebration can be great fun, as they keep the kids happy and entertained for hours. Even though bouncy castles themselves are relatively safe, accidents can happen. Not every castle you can hire from companies are the same, some are made overseas and don’t conform to the strict British safety standards. By hiring an inflatable from SC bouncy castles, you’re guaranteed an inflatable that’s been made right here in England, which have all been tested to EN14960; the European safety guideline. Read more here direct from the health and safety executive.

What does these safety standards cover?

Here are a few examples of why you need to hire from a reputable supplier such as SC bouncy castles in Sheffield and Chesterfield.

· Fire retardant material

· Correct amount of anchor points

· Correct length of safety step

· Correct height of walls

How do we make sure the bouncy castle is safe for use?

Setting up an inflatable may sound simple but there is actually a lot of risk if done incorrectly, hence we do a risk assessment during every set up. It starts with an evaluation of the site, making sure the surface is suitable and there are no height obstructions. Whilst transporting the inflatable to your site, we’ll make it’s done safely and out the way of any children. Next, we’ll connect the blower tube to the fan the correct way around, making sure the fan is stable with no risk of falling over. We will then locate the nearest 240v plug socket and connect the power. The cable from the power source to blower will not pose a trip hazard, cable covers are use when needed. Once we have inflated the bouncy castle, all anchor points will be secured using pegs inserted into the ground at a 45 degree angle, this will stop the castle from moving or blowing away. This is just a small example of the method we use, click below to download and print a copy of our full method statement and risk assessment. For set ups on concrete, see our FAQ's page.

How can the customer ensure safe play on a bouncy castle?

All customers should read and understand the hire agreement they sign when hiring a bouncy castle from us. On the agreement is a list of does and don’t which should guide you toward having a safe party. Some important points to ensure safe play include –

A responsible adult to supervise at all times
No climbing or bouncing on top of the walls
Don't mix age groups
No food, drinks, glasses, shoes, badges, jewelry belts on the inflatable
Keep an eye on the wind, turn off if the wind gusts exceeds 24mph.
Do not overcrowd the inflatable
Do not use liquids or make the inflatable slippery
No smoking or flames near the inflatable (BBQ's should be 20 meters away)
Do not move the safety mats in front of the bouncy castle or obstacle course
Nobody with a history of back or neck problems should use the inflatable

Putting a bouncy castle on hard surface

UPDATE!! - AT WEEKENDS, WE NO LONGER PUT BOUNCY CASTLES OUTSIDE ON HARD SURFACE DUE TO THE TIME IT TAKES AND EXTRA MATS NEEDED. Exceptions may be made for last minute bookings, so we can check our mat stock.

Exceptions are made for schools if we can use their PE mats

Cost for bolting:

£15 for bolts and mats (weekday hire only)

£10 just for the bolting. This option is only available for schools where they can use their own PE mats.

A lot of schools are on tarmac and require bolting the inflatable to the ground for safety. NEVER COMPLETELY USE SANDBAGS! Using just sand bags will invalidate your insurance and put children at risk. We have seen companies using sand bags at schools and pubs before, unfortunately a lot of people are unaware of the risk. It only takes a strong gust of wind to be able to lift a castle off the ground.

What does bolting involve?

It involves drilling 6 small holes into the concrete and using a washer and bolt so we can secure the 6 anchor points on the castle. Don't worry, you wont be able to notice the holes after we remove the bolts. We have done lots of schools in this method.

How we bolt a bouncy castle

Alternative method of securing a bouncy castle on hard ground

If you have a fence or fixed object behind and at the side of the castle, bolting may not have to be an option. As you can see in the photo below we have secured straps around the fence but we can even attached straps around a vehicles wheels, if parked next to the inflatable. Send a picture of your site to our contact page if you're unsure.

Securing a castle with straps

When securing on grass we ensure all anchor points are used and pegs are hammered firmly in at a 45 degree angle to ensure maximum hold and pose no trip hazard. Cable covers will be used where needed.

These are just a few points, for a more in-depth and detailed list of safety guidelines, its advisable you download and print our hire assessment below before your event starts. Give a copy to whoever will supervise the bouncy castle.

Click and download our hire agreement here.

sc-bouncy-castles-hire-agreement.pdf

If you require a risk assessment for you bouncy castle, you can download it here -

risk-assessment-bouncycastle2018-19.pdf