Inflatable Games Inspection

1. Introduction
   After considerable negotiations between the PIPA Leadership Group and the Health and Safety Executive, agreement
   has been reached on how PIPA can expand its scope to include all land-based inflatables that currently fall outside of
   the current standard BS EN 14960 (all parts).
2. Why have PIPA requested this expansion?
   Most Inspection Bodies already inspect inflatable play equipment that falls outside the scope of the standard, BS EN
   14960 (all parts), and issue their own Inspection Reports. Whilst this has been seen by many as acceptable in order
   for operators to comply with the Health and Safety At Work Act (HASAWA) and the Provision and Use of Work
   Equipment Regulations (PUWER) should anything go wrong PIPA would not be in a position to support the Inspection
   Body as a result, due to our current remit.
   The Health and Safety Executive recognise this leaves many in the industry with a ‘grey area’ which sits between
   PIPA and ADIPS. The discussions and proposals are designed to close this and protect PIPA Inspection Bodies and
   Operators.
   In order to offer full support to Inspection Bodies, PIPA and the Health and Safety Executive must be confident in the
   competency of individual Inspectors to carry out inspections of land-based inflatables that fall outside of the scope
   of BS EN 14960 (all parts).
   This will have to involve an element of continued professional development and training in order to achieve the
   requirements of the Health and Safety Executive.
3. How will competency be proven?
   PIPA Leadership Group has identified various categories of inflatable games which can be divided by risk category:
   • non-ride on – inflatables where users ARE NOT required to sit, stand or touch when in general use -
   examples include, Basketball Shoot, Football Shooters, Inflatable Darts etc
   • ride on – inflatables where users ARE required to sit, stand or touch when in general use - examples include
   Bungee Run, Gladiator Duel, Pillow Bash etc
   • electromechanical – inflatables that contain a mechanical device as well as an inflatable element – examples
   include Bucking Bronco, Surf Simulator, Wipeout etc
   PIPA have agreed with the Health and Safety Executive that various levels of inspector will need to be created to
   allow Inspectors a steady progression to achieve a level of competency that can be supported by PIPA and the Health
   and Safety Executive.