Seven Safety Mistakes That Could Cause Injury During Inflatable Use
Inflatables are a lot of fun for energetic young acrobats, but they can also be dangerous if care is not taken when they're being used.
It's important to be aware of all of the danger risks before you offer an inflatable to young children for amusement and exercise. The following are few precautions you should take to avoid the dangers:
Properly anchor the inflatable
Inflatables need to be firmly anchored to prevent them from rising up off the ground. They are anchored with either stakes or sandbags. Stakes need to be driven deeply into the ground to create a strong attachment, and sandbags need to be placed at each tether if sandbags are used as anchors.
Locate an inflatable far away from trees, cable lines, or other obstacles
Obstacles located near inflatables above where children are jumping and playing are dangerous and can cause injury. You should not locate an inflatable in a place where there is not an adequate amount of open space
Plug into a ground fault circuit interrupter
If an inflatable is not plugged into a ground fault circuit interrupter, electric shocks could injure those who are playing on the equipment.
Keep the generator away from the blower that fills the inflatable
Inflatables are often used with generators for power and blowers for inflation. However, locating the generator and blower near one another can cause the inflatable to become filled up with carbon monoxide gas. This creates an extremely dangerous fire hazard that can easily be prevented by simply putting the generator a safe distance away from the blower.
Leave the blower on while the inflatable is in use
The blower should be left on even after the unit is inflated and is in use. If the blower is not left on until the inflatable is no longer being used, it could begin to deflate and create an injury risk.
Limit the number of people in the inflatable at the same time
The manufacturer of the inflatable should specify the maximum number of people who can use the inflatable at once. Do not exceed this limit or you will put excessive stress on the inflatable and make it more likely that children will become injured by running into one another.
Keep outside objects away from the inflatable area
The only thing that should be allowed into the inflatable area is people. Bringing other objects or props into the inflatable could cause these objects to be bounced around uncontrollably, potentially striking children who are playing.
For more information, consider contacting a professional like those at Adventures In Climbing.