Bouncy castles are a much beloved feature by children, especially in summer as an outside attraction. Whilst their popularity started from birthday parties and funfairs, they are becoming increasingly popular for soft play businesses to invest in to diversify their offerings to an ever-discerning customer market and provide additional revenue, especially in hotter weather where traditionally, soft play isn’t as in demand. However, it is important that any business considers the health and safety factors associated with outdoor use. We’ve broken down the main considerations for any business, no matter the weather!
WARM WEATHER & BOUNCY CASTLES
Despite the common myth that it is possible for a bouncy castle to explode in the heat, House of Play are happy to confirm that is not true (at least not with ours!) This is due to continuous air flow that helps the bouncy castle stay inflated. Air naturally escapes from the seams which means that a continuous stable pressure is maintained and as a result, a bouncy castle cannot be overinflated to the point where it would burst.
However, due to the vinyl material used in bouncy castles, they can get very hot, especially in the sun with recorded temperatures up to 47 degrees Celsius. The temperature of the bouncy castle should be closely monitored by the required attendant of the inflatable equipment and if too hot, be closed off until it is an appropriate temperature. As children are especially sensitive to heat stroke and dehydration in particular, we would always advise being safe than sorry! They should also always be wearing appropriate clothing – socks, shorts and t-shirts to avoid skin contact with the bouncy castle if hot.
COLD WEATHER
Since we are famous in the UK for our bad summer weather, there may be times where the bouncy castle would be outside whilst cold. Whilst cold weather doesn’t have as many risks as the hot weather does for bouncy castle use, it is important that bouncy castles avoid wind and rain. Wet weather invites dangers with children slipping and hurting themselves as a result and it is against all safety regulations for a trampoline to be in winds above 24mph. All bouncy castles are required to come with an anemometer to measure the speed of wind and take action accordingly if this goes above the limit.
For these reasons, most bouncy castles are not available for hire outside during the period of October 1st – March 31st 2019. This is also because cold weather comes with challenges to anchoring the bouncy castle properly. It is within all safety requirements that any bouncy castle be situated on hard ground with mooring straps fixed to solid points. This can be more difficult in colder weather.
According to all regulations on the health and safety of bouncy castle equipment, this must be tested by a competent person on an annual basis whether outdoors or indoors. We can help set this up for you at House of Play amongst many of our other services from servicing and maintenance to designing and supplying your bouncy castle.
To find out more, please contact us on 01302 846876 and we’d be delighted to help!