N-Flatables Announces: Inflatable Bounce Houses Could Get a Whole Lot Safer

Without the blower, the inflatable would quickly deflate

You may be surprised to learn that up until recently, there has been very little in the way of regulations for the inflatable industry, meaning it is often left up to the manufacturers to set their own safety guidelines. Sadly, injuries and even some deaths have been associated with these inflatable bouncy castles.

One of the leading causes of injuries while using an inflatable bounce house is a sudden deflation event. Unlike sealed air inflatables, inflatable bounce houses require a blower fan to continuously fill the device with air; without the blower, the inflatable would quickly deflate. An unexpected power outage, mischievous child turning off the blower, or the blower becoming detached from the inflatable can all result in the sudden collapse of the inflatable structure, which can cause serious injuries — including suffocation.

An Automated Warning Siren - Saves Precious time

Warning of such a deflation event could give children the ability to safely exit the inflatable before any injuries are incurred. While there has been such a safety device on the market for years, use of such a device is sadly not a requirement.

Unfortunately, children have been seriously injured and have even suffocated inside deflated inflatables due to the industry's refusal to make such a simple blower safety device mandatory.

That is about to change.

(USCPSC) United States Consumer Product Safety Commission gets involved.

With input from the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC) and the ASTM (an international standards organization), new safely guidelines and responsibilities are set to go into effect for manufacturers, operators, and patrons of inflatable devices. While these standards are still set to be finalized, they will likely include a requirement to use a device that will warn of a power loss or other unexpected deflation event.

New safety regulations can help keep kids safe

Such a device would include an audible siren and perhaps a flashing light that can warn children, parents, and operators instantly — giving them precious time to safely exit the inflatable.

The inflation siren device already exists, called the Watchdog Blower Siren™, and while some rental companies are using this device, it has hardly become commonplace. We are hoping to keep bounce houses fun, and these new regulations, including requiring a blower safety device with an audio/visual alert, are about to make them a whole lot safer too. And that means we can all rest a little easier.

Photo- http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160502/362608

SOURCE N-Flatables