This past month there was a terrible event in Long Island, New York involving three bounce houses. The houses were blown across a field by a gust of wind while children were inside. Thirteen people were injured. Not all inflatable companies follow necessary safety procedures, as appears to be the situation in this scenario. What makes this stand out from others, is that it was all caught on home video and unleashed on the internet. The story was one of CNN’s top emailed headlines for an entire day.
So what does this mean to your inflatable business? We all know that one apple can spoil the whole bunch. With so many viewers of this video and it having gone viral at the time, this unfortunate event really gives the inflatable business a bad name, as being unsafe and even dangerous.
This also demonstrates the importance of taking all of the necessary safety precautions to keep everyone safe. Address any safety concerns that your customers may have, stressing that your business follows all of inflatable safety procedures to the letter. You should also include any accident-free track record you have established in all sales and marketing literature, as well as on your web site. Noting that you are different from these “fly by night”, unsafe companies will put your customers at ease using your products for their events.
Just to review the following are some of the most important safety procedures you, and all of your employees, should always adhere to:
- Always keep your equipment in tip-top condition. Promptly address any damaged or malfunctioning equipment.
- Carefully select the site location for the inflatable, on a flat ground, clear of any debris, trees or power lines.
- Securely stake the inflatable to the ground, or have weighted bags securing them into place.
- When inflated make sure there is no sagging material anywhere on the inflatable.
- Always stay on top of the weather forecast on the days leading up to and throughout the day of the event. Do not hesitate to deflate the inflatable if rain, lightning, wind or snow presents a safety concern.
- Limit the number of individuals in an inflatable at any given time. Group children in the inflatable according to size, and do not allow any child under three years of age in the inflatable.
The operator should stay alert at all times. Watch for problems with the individuals inside, any deflation of the inflatable or sudden gusts of wind and be ready to take action accordingly.
Sharing these safety guidelines with your customers, with the assurance that your company will always abide by these will also help to combat any negative reputation inflatables may have.
Nearly every industry will at some point take a hit from the media. Just remember that in time any backlash from this news story will blow over. Reputable inflatable companies providing a fun activity far outweigh the others.