PIPA - Testing and Tagging for Inflatable Play Equipment
PIPA is an inspection scheme set up by the inflatable play industry to ensure that inflatable play equipment conforms to recognised safety standards. PIPA is short for the ‘Professional Inflatable Play Association’.
The scheme is supported by the HSE who were consulted at every stage of its development and is one of only 2 supported schemes. The other HSE supported scheme is the Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme (ADIPS). To see the HSE’s guidance on inflatables, click here.
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) require that all work equipment, including inflatable play, must be inspected at suitable intervals. In the inflatable play industry this is deemed to be once a year.
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAWA) and subsequent regulations require all inflatable play equipment 'that is designed to be used by a member of the public for entertainment purposes either as a slide or for bouncing upon” to be tested by a competent person, usually a PIPA, ADIPS inspector or the Manufacturer of the product.
BS EN 14960 is the only standard for design, manufacture and testing of inflatable play equipment. Following the standard is regarded as ‘best practice’ and would usually be sufficient to demonstrate compliance with HASAWA. The published standard is subject to copyright so cannot be made available from this website. It can be purchased here.
It is important to note that PIPA only covers inflatable play equipment within the scope of BS EN 14960. Although we are currently working closely with HSE to expand the scope. To find out more, click here.
Operators using other inspection schemes or methods may be required to demonstrate how such procedures equal or better the accepted ‘best practice’. Inspectors with no formal qualifications, however experienced, would probably not be able to satisfy a court of their competence.
The PIPA scheme delivers improved safety for users, quality assurance and certified initial and annual inspection.