A surprising number of CORSA members own or sponsor Bounce Houses for use in their communities. What is less known is the scope of the risks posed by these amusements.
From a recent incident that occurred in England Police investigate tragic death of 7-year-old girl killed in bouncy castle disaster; "Detectives have launched an investigation after a girl died after the bouncy castle she was playing on got swept away in the wind in an Essex park on Saturday (March 26). The girl, who is believed to be aged 7 and from Norwich, was taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital by ambulance just before 5pm after sustaining serious injuries whilst on a bouncy castle. She sadly died a few hours later."... "A 24-year-old woman and a 27-year-old man, both from Cambridgeshire, have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence and remain in police custody."
This was not an isolated incident; inflatable accidents occur every year and improper operator training, operation and setup are common underlying root causes. For background information there are several attachments to this email. Please note that these are intended as background materials only and each inflatable has specific operating and set up instructions and every operator must have the appropriate required training. The attached document from the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Amusement Ride Safety Division - Laws and Rules Governing Amusement Rides in Ohio contains the rules all operators must follow in Ohio. As an introduction to inflatable safety the attached Inflatable Bouncer Safety Factsheet and Safe Use & Operation of Play Inflatables has some general background guidance. The article from England referenced above can be found in the attachment Bounce House. [cid:image003.jpg@01D18F47.F9D21600] James Hale, ARM-P, ARM-E Risk Control Consultant County Risk Sharing Authority 209 East State Street Columbus, OH 43215 614.246.1630 FAX 614.220.0209
