Our Vision and Strategic Plan

Please note the office will be closed from Friday 20th December until Monday 6th January...... Wishing you a happy holiday season and a joyous New Year, from all of the PIPA team

Our Vision and Strategic Plan

The PIPA scheme envisions upholding public safety by engaging industry stakeholders in a collaborative approach.

Vision 2035

Setting out our vision helps us to focus our work on moving forward to where we want to be for our stakeholders. And by doing so, we know that we are using our resources in a way which helps improve the industry and provides assurance to those who use the PIPA scheme.

In 2035, PIPA will be:

The UK’s inspection scheme for all inflatable play equipment.
The industry’s professional body, representative of manufacturers, controllers, enforcers, and end-users.
A trusted organisation, looked up to by both those who work inside the industry, and those who use the inflatable industry’s services.
Operating as a professional and efficient organisation.
To ensure that we achieve our vision, we are committed to working with other organisations and individuals who will support our work in raising standards in inflatable play.

Strategic Plan 2024 - 2029

To achieve our vision, PIPA sets out a 5-year strategic plan of the work we will undertake.

These are stated in our strategic aims, which state what we need to do and how we will do it.

To ensure PIPA can demonstrate PIPA inspectors are competent in their work against a solid inspection framework.

It is important that PIPA can show that inspectors who work under the PIPA inspection scheme are fully competent in performing PIPA inspections, and this is against a clear inspection framework to drive consistency.

To achieve this aim, we will:

Attain accreditation from UKAS, as a conformity assessor of PIPA inspectors.
Transition all PIPA inspectors to achieve certification under the new scheme rules to remain as PIPA inspectors.
Produce a set of clear scheme rules and inspection framework, to ensure there is no disparity in what a PIPA inspection is, what a PIPA inspector does, and what happens if people go outside of the PIPA inspection framework and scheme rules.

To develop the PIPA office as an effective and autonomous function, capable of delivering quality outcomes overseen by its governing body.

PIPA continues to grow year on year, and to ensure its longevity, it must have an in-house office function who is capable of operating the scheme regardless of who is involved in the governance of the scheme.

To achieve this aim, we will:

Create an in-house PIPA office team, overseen by a senior manager.
Adapt the PIPA leadership group to become a governing and strategic board, to oversee the operation of the organisation, and to hold the PIPA office function to account.
Create a senior management position, who will run the day-to-day operation of PIPA, supported by the office function. And will be responsible for ensuring the vision, and strategic plan, are carried out in full.
Create a structure to hold PIPA leadership group members to account for their behaviour, actions, and timely delivery of objectives.

Expand the scope of the scheme, to include more inflatable play devices, and upskill PIPA inspectors to carry out the inspection in a quality manner.

The scope of PIPA has previously been limited to those devices which fall under the standard BS EN 14960 : Part 1. This has not only caused confusion within the industry and the public, but it has also meant there has been an inconsistent approach to the inspection of other inflatable devices. Some of which have increasing prevalence, and risk.

This has left the industry with a gap in its safety testing abilities due to a lack of guidance and framework.

To achieve this aim, we will:

Continue to work on developing inspection methods on inflatable devices, using pre-existing standards as a basis. And train inspectors to be able to use these inspection methods to be able to carry out these inspections in a competent manner.
Carry out work to bring the following devices into the scope of the scheme:
a. Electro-mechanical inflatable devices
b. Ride On Inflatable Games
c. Water borne inflatables
d. Sealed inflatables
e. Inflatable play parks / centres
f. Inflatable devices not covered by the PIPA ‘Non Ride-On Games’ inspection process

Improve PIPA’s reach within the industry, to ensure that all stakeholders are not only involved in the scheme, but they benefit from the scheme’s work.

PIPA was created as an inspection scheme for the industry, undertaking the training and examination of inspectors to certify their competence. However, a number of stakeholders rely on PIPA as the industry’s voice. And PIPA could do more to help all stakeholders in the industry, from Manufacturers and Controllers, to the end user (being members of the public).

To achieve this aim, we will:

Create an online resource for the industry, providing factual information and making it clear what the health and safety requirements are related to acting as a controller of an inflatable device, and an operator of an inflatable device.
Explore the requirements of industry stakeholders and seek information about how they want to engage with PIPA and
understand their expectations.
Work with enforcement agencies, to better equip them with the correct knowledge of the industry, and to support their work to make the industry a safer place for all.
Work with other organisations, industry schemes, and bodies who wish to improve the industry and seek a consistent safety standard.

Create a trusted organisation, recognised by all stakeholders.

In order for PIPA to continue its work, it must be an organisation which is trusted by all stakeholders inside and outside of the inflatable industry. Stakeholders must be able to not only trust PIPA inspectors to carry out their work to a high standard, but also rely upon PIPA as an organisation to act in a manner which can be relied upon.

To achieve this aim, we will:

Build the PIPA scheme with Integrity: by carrying out its work with the strong moral principles of improving the safety standards within the industry. And by upholding the work and behaviours of those who fall within the scheme’s remit.
Make PIPA a reliable and respectable scheme: by carrying out any stated actions in a professional manner.
Improve the transparency of the scheme: by publishing more information about its work, its leadership group, and when things go wrong.
Make PIPA accountable: by engaging with stakeholders and accreditation services and seeking feedback on its work.
Ensure PIPA’s work is carried out with rigour: by developing systems to ensure its work is reviewed by stakeholders and the industry, seeking professional insight, comments, and feedback to create a source of high-quality and trusted information.

Annual Plan 2024

Where to next?

Check a Tag

Understand our Tags

PIPA Tags are the registration plate of inflatables which fall under the PIPA inspection scheme.

Enter the tag number to view the current inspection reports for your device

Check a Report

Understand our Reports

Inspection reports are issued by PIPA inspectors against tagged devices

Enter the inspection report number to view the inspection report in full

PIPA Operator Training

Find out more about PIPA's Operator Training Course provided by PIPA inspectors who are approved accredited trainers.

Learn More