Five children hospitalized in Australia after incidents involving inflatable castles
In Australia, five children were hospitalized after two separate incidents in which strong winds lifted inflatable castles into the air. Near Geelong in the state of Victoria, two children fell out of an attraction during a birthday party and suffered upper-body injuries. In Sydney, two more children and an infant were injured, ABC News Australia reports.
Wind restrictions
Emeritus Professor David Eager, a specialist in amusement ride and playground safety, said that inflatable castles are generally safe provided operating rules are followed. Under Australian Standard AS 3533.4.1:2018, such attractions must be securely anchored and must not be used if wind gusts exceed 40 km/h.
The exact circumstances of Saturday's incidents have not been established, but strong winds likely played a role. Gusts of up to 90 km/h were forecast in the Geelong area, while wind speeds of 80 km/h were measured in Sydney. Under such conditions, according to the expert, inflatable attractions should not be used.
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Requirements for operators
In Australia, amusement ride operators must comply with occupational health and safety laws. Inflatable structures with a platform three meters high or higher must be registered as equipment that has passed a safety inspection and has been registered by the authorities.
In 2021, six children died and three suffered serious injuries at Hillcrest Primary School in Tasmania after a sudden strong wind lifted an inflatable castle. The attraction operator was found not guilty of a crime because the wind was deemed unforeseeable.
Eager also drew attention to the risk of purchasing inflatable castles from overseas online suppliers. According to him, such products may not comply with Australian standards and may not be covered by Australian consumer protection mechanisms. After the Hillcrest tragedy, inflatable castles were banned from use in Tasmanian public schools and on public land.
