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This is a picture taken inside a facility called Monkey Joe’s. It is located in Chesterfield County. There are so many things wrong with this picture. The damage demonstrated in the picture took time to make the slide surface wear. The use of duck tape is not an approved method of repair for an inflatable slide.
Ladies and Gentlemen, my child, your child, your grand child could be using this slide. How is the inspector who inspected this slide going to explain why this slide passed inspection and a deteriorating condition such as this worn surface not be adequately repaired or replaced.
These inflatables are not toys. When operated improperly they can cause injury and death.
I am having a hard time seeing the “duck tape” patch based on the size of the repairs and the size of the child on the slide. Looks like welded patches of the same material, that are off on the color, based on the pictures.
Still a hazard, as that slide cover has seen its better days. Of course I would check the with the manufacture to inquire as to proper patching technique. Reading the ASTM Inflatable Standard would also give proper guidance and the device was not padded at the entrance and exits.
So if you do not know what the manufacture requires to patch their inflatable then how can you say it is wrong? Especially by calling it a “duck tape” patch when it does not appear to be that at all. They may have specific criteria for when a patch would have to be removed or repaired due to the wearing at the edges.
That would be a situation when you refer to the manufacture’s manual and in absence of a manual, the inflatable should have never been allowed to operate per the VADR and the incorporated ASTM Standards.
As for the use of the term duct tape, that was how the citizen reported it to me.
Unfortunately in this jurisdiction I have seen several inflatables that were not operated per the manufactures manual. As a result of that unsafe practice an injury occurred and resulted in a lawsuit. It is our job as inspectors to be certain the amusement device is properly assembled and has the necessary safety systems.
Much like the incident in Omaha earlier this year. Had the inspector(s) used the ride manual for guidance they would have known that ride required seat belts. The ride jerk, the rider fell into the center of the spinning ride. Her hair got caught in the unguarded mechanism and she was scalped.
Back to inflatables. The CPSC and NAARSO has said time and time again that inflatables are the most dangerous amusement device for children. Recently the inspection was change to annually. That does not make sense when you see wear and tear pictures like the one I posted.
I understand the safety concern. I have a 4 year old son and an 11 year old daughter who love the bounce houses and slides. As you well know an inflatable is only required to be inspected once a year regardless if it is indoors or moved all over the state. Is it safe to assume that the patches were there at the time of inspection???? There are a lot of rips and tears that can show up in that one year period. If something does happen in that one year period it would fall on that owner to make the repair as per the manufacturer. There are a few assumptions being made on this post, like was the patch there at the last inspection and does it meet the manufactures requirements, that you and I cannot answer at this time. I would say that if you are aware of a safety issue in my locality, the locality you have named in this post or any other locality you should give them a call and not call them out on a public forum like this one.
I have tried giving them a call in the past and that did not correct the situation I raised as concerning. As an inspector it is not only my job to inspect, but to educate and train per the manufacturer requirement and industry standard.
By the way I called no out. I just reference the jurisdiction that these events occured in. They just happen to be located in the same one.
Since the year 2000 myself and other who share concerns for inflatable safety have been working very hard to write the inflatable standards for ASTM f-2374. The first standard was published in 2004 and is currently being overhaul to make a better standard. All the standards in the world won’t make a difference, if inspectors don’t inspect.
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