Inflatable Amusement Device Setup SWMS

Inflatable amusement device (IAD) setup at public events, school fetes, corporate family days and shopping centre promotions involves erecting bouncy castles, inflatable slides, obstacle courses and interactive games that must comply with AS 3533.4.1 Amusement rides and devices — Land-borne inflatable devices. The work triggers WHS Regulation 2025 duties because operators are dealing with stored pneumatic energy, mains-powered blowers, ground anchoring into unknown substrates, and direct interaction with children and members of the public. A documented Safe Work Method Statement is mandatory under WHS Regulation 2025 s299 because the activity involves manual handling of bulky loads, working with plant requiring registration, and exposure to wind-loading failure modes that have caused fatalities across Australia. The SWMS must address anchor and ballast calculations, wind-speed shutdown thresholds, electrical compliance for blowers in wet environments, and supervisor competency for the entire operating period — not just the rig-up phase.

Hazards identified

7 hazards covered, sorted by priority.

Control measures

Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.

1. 1Elimination — Cancel and deflate the device when sustained wind exceeds 28 km/h or gusts exceed manufacturer rating per AS 3533.4.1 clause 2.4, removing the wind-uplift hazard entirely
2. 2Elimination — Refuse setup on surfaces where anchoring depth cannot be verified, eliminating anchor failure risk before rig-up commences
3. 3Substitution — Substitute ground stakes with engineered 1000L water ballast bags or concrete blocks when operating on bitumen, pavers or indoor venues per manufacturer ballast schedule
4. 4Engineering — Drive 600mm minimum steel stakes at 45° angle through every anchor point listed on the device data plate, with shock-absorbing webbing straps rated to the certified anchor load
5. 5Engineering — Power all blowers through a portable RCD with 30mA trip, weatherproof IP44 connections, and elevated cable routing per AS/NZS 3012 for construction and demolition sites
6. 6Administrative — Conduct continuous anemometer monitoring with logged readings every 30 minutes; shut down and evacuate device when threshold reached, recorded in operating logbook
7. 7Administrative — Maintain trained supervisor at every device entrance for entire operating period, with documented patron limits by age and weight per AS 3533.4.1 occupancy table
8. 8Administrative — Use mechanical aids (trolley, two-person lift, tail-lift trailer) for all inflatable unit movements over 25kg per Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice
9. 9PPE — Issue cut-resistant rigger gloves, steel-cap boots and hi-vis vest to all setup crew during pegging and tensioning operations
10. 10PPE — Wear hearing protection (SLC80 minimum Class 2) when working within 1 metre of operating blowers exceeding 85 dB(A) per AS/NZS 1269.3

Applicable Codes of Practice

Worked example

At a regional council Australia Day family event, the lead operator arrives at 6:00am to set up a 6m inflatable obstacle course on grass adjacent to the main stage. Before unloading, the supervisor gathers the two-person crew at the trailer tailgate and opens the SWMS on a tablet for the pre-start brief. They walk through the seven hazards in order: the supervisor points to the wind-uplift entry and confirms the anemometer is calibrated and the 28 km/h shutdown threshold is logged in the operating book. The crew identify that the council grass is soft from overnight rain, so they cross-reference the anchor control and decide to drive 600mm stakes at every point AND add four 1000L water ballast bags as redundancy. Each crew member signs the SWMS sign-on register acknowledging the manual handling control requiring two-person lift for the rolled unit. At 11:00am the supervisor logs a gust reading of 26 km/h and, per the administrative control, briefs patrons that the device will close if wind reaches threshold. At 11:40am a 31 km/h gust is recorded — the supervisor immediately evacuates patrons, deflates the blower, and documents the shutdown in the logbook. The SWMS is updated with the actual shutdown event and re-signed before reopening when wind subsides at 1:15pm.

Related legislation

• WHS Act 2011 (model)
• WHS Regulation 2025
• AS 1170 — Structural design actions; Event Industry Code of Practice

Frequently asked questions