Wind-Related Bounce House Incidents in Meteorological, Regulatory, and Outreach Contexts

Abstract

Inflatable bounce houses, also known as portable inflatable amusement devices, are safety hazards when they are dragged, blown over, or lofted by winds. We have documented 132 cases of wind-related bounce house incidents worldwide for the years 2000–21 that caused at least 479 injuries and at least 28 deaths. Over three-quarters of these incidents happen in the warm season. A subjective effort to categorize the meteorological conditions leading to these incidents reveals that, of the over 70% of incidents for which a specific meteorological cause could be identified, cold-frontal passages, dust devils, or thunderstorm-related winds are most likely to be occurring at the time of the event. In the United States, regulations regarding bounce house safety vary widely. Seventeen states either have no guidelines or specifically exclude inflatables from regulation. Nineteen U.S. states’ laws or regulations explicitly cite American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards, which set limits on the wind speed in which inflatables should be used and, for commercial bounce houses, require the presence of a meteorologically knowledgeable attendant. For events with nearby wind data available, 22% of all incidents occurred with reported wind speeds lower than any ASTM standards, and 51% below the highest ASTM threshold. Increased vigilance is therefore necessary on the part of bounce house providers and consumers to avoid wind-related incidents. We have created a website for public dissemination of this study’s data and safety tips.