Amusement rides and bouncy castles create a fun atmosphere for attendees at events. It’s important these attractions are safe for all to enjoy and comply with WorkSafe New Zealand (WorkSafe) regulations.
Land-borne inflatable devices (LBI), such as bouncy castles and slides, and amusement devices including fairground rides and other mechanically powered units used for rider entertainment, must meet conditions set by WorkSafe.
This information is intended to help you understand your obligations and requirements for inflatable and amusement devices as an event organiser.
Land-borne inflatable devices
LBI, as described above, must meet conditions set by WorkSafe. While there is no requirement to register LBI, operators must ensure these devices comply with safety standards as set in sections 30 and 36 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. This includes the requirement for all LBI to comply with Australian Standard 3533.4.1 - 2005 Land-Borne Inflatable Devices.
When planning to have a bouncy castle at your event, think about:
- Do you have the manufacturing guidelines for the bouncy castle?
- Do the manufacturing guidelines state the bouncy castle meets the Australian Standard?
If you can answer yes to the above two questions, the next step is to provide the Dunedin City Council (DCC) with a Health and Safety Plan. This Health and Safety Plan must include the following information:
- The size of the bouncy castle.
- How the LBI or bouncy castle is being installed.
- Who is installing it and what relevant experience they have.
- What is being used to pump the castle or LBI up (such as a generator), and how you will ensure it is safe.
- How you will secure the bouncy castle to ensure it doesn’t blow away.
- Whether there are wind limits for the bouncy castle and how you will manage or determine if it is too windy.
- Who will be looking after the bouncy castle during the event.
Submit your completed Health and Safety Plan to the DCC Events team for approval alongside your event booking.
Amusement devices
Amusement devices include fairground rides and other mechanically powered units. This includes, but is not limited to, bumper boats, bumper cars, bungee jumping equipment, Can-Am Cars, Merry-Go-Rounds, Ferris wheels, Go-karts, and minibikes.
These devices must be registered with Worksafe by the device owner after it has been certified by a registered engineer.
If you plan to have amusement devices at your event, it is the event organiser’s responsibility to ensure these are registered with WorkSafe and to obtain a permit to operate from the DCC Building Services team.
Still have questions? Get in touch with our Events team to discuss your event and get help with your application.