Several Irish companies renting bouncy castles are failing to adhere to European safety standards, according to an Irish umbrella group.
Irish parents should be aware of safety standards for bouncy castles as summer approaches and children take their First Communion. This warning follows the death of a six-year-old girl and injuries of six other children in Barcelona.
The young girl was flung more than 35 feet into the air yesterday and tragically died of her injuries after being hurled to the ground. Investigators believe there was a problem with the castle's anchoring or safety valve.
According to the Irish Inflatable Hires Federation (IIHF), less than 30 per cent of Irish companies comply with European safety standards. IIHF member Gerry Frawley warned in a blog post that companies without up-to-date safety certificates may not be insured.
The IIHF website issues detailed advice for parents who want to hire a bouncy castle for their child's party. They recommended that parents pay attention to whether or not a company complies with European safety standards for inflatables.
They say it is important for parents to do a bit of research on a company and make sure it fully complies with this standard, has a valid safety certificate, and is insured.
Safety checks
It has been reported that the owner of the Spanish restaurant that installed the bouncy castle, Jaume Matas, said that he had only installed the attraction on March 14, and that he had no idea why the accident had taken place. Investigators later found that after the accident, the base of the bouncy castle was secured by three of the six stakes needed to hold down the bouncy castle.
Mr Frawley is calling on parents to hire castles from reputable companies and to always request a copy of the hirer’s safety certificate. The IIHF says that parents should make sure that the company performs '10 daily checks' before and after installing a bouncy castle on a site.
Some of the basic checks a company can perform include checking if all anchorages are in place; equipment such as impact-absorbing mats are present; and making sure air pressure is sufficient enough to give a firm footing.
Supervision
“A bouncing castle is not a babysitter,” Frawley says in the IIHF blog post. "Even if your hire company complies with all this, your bouncy castle is safety certified, and all is in perfect order; your children can still be at unnecessary risk because of lack of adult supervision."
He says, "One of the most dangerous activities involving a bouncing castle, slide or obstacle course is to let the children plug the unit in and out for the fun of it. This is seriously dangerous as a small child can be lifted up in the castle and thrown clear from a very big height. This should never happen!"
