Childrens Indoor Play Areas

[BLEVE]

Just taken my kids to an indoor play area, converted modern commercial unit with inflatable chutes, foam filled play equipment etc.

Fire evacuation and rescue of kiddies from a height with the possible hindrence of parents and limited staffing levels would be a nightmare.

Interestingly, travel distances are much increased due to the provision of a purpose built foam filled multi level pvc covered maze, rope bridge and so on.

The original units may be compliant and have fire certs but I very much doubt that the use of this equipment was considered (BTW fire certs are still required in Ireland).

I appreciate this equipment is supposed to limit fire spread when new but I wonder?

[John Webb]

Hi - I was involved in looking at the fire hazards of these indoor play areas shortly before taking my early retirement from the Fire Research Station in 1997. Most operators were found to be aware of the fire safety problems, and RoSPA and others published a guide that year to safety and fire safety.

The materials used should be fire retardent, and any damage, such as cuts in the surface, repaired as soon as possible.
Ignition sources should be minimised - by lighting being placed outside the play area, for example.
Cooking areas for refreshments etc should be fire-seperated from the play area.
Staff should be trained in evacuation of the site - it is, for obvious reasons, usual to evacuate 'top down' and slides and the like can be used to speed up evacuation. There should be sufficient staff in the play area to carry out an evacuation. ADF to give an early alarm is also a good idea.
The other major management need is to make very clear that parents/carers meet up with their children at the outside rendevous point rather than trying to find each other inside the building. (Sometimes known as overcoming the 'Summerland' effect, where parents tried to go against the majority flow of the public leaving the building to try and reach their children on other floors of this large leisure centre when it caught fire in 1973.) A few of the very large installations give the kids a wrist-band which can be located by sensors and can be used as a check that all are out if an evacuation takes place.

I have not been involved with these units since retirement and do not know therefore how the RR(FS)O has been implemented with respect to these facilities!

[BLEVE]

Cheers John,
Am aware of your pedigree and take your advice accordingly.

I think my biggest fear is these places are not appropriately considered wrt fire safety pariculary in Ireland. i.e. fire cert deals with premises only and we do not have RR(FS)O. So there is a good chance no risk assessment has been carried out.

[kurnal]

Hi Bleve It would have been interesting to ask the staff a few friendly questions about fire procedures.

[BLEVE]

Hi K,
 May well do that but somehow, I dread the reply from 3 teenagers though

[BLEVE]

But seriously, if it goes wrong it has the potential for serious loss of life, I reckon 40 plus under 4 years of age and 60 plus 5-10 ish

[Clevelandfire 3]

I have not been involved with these units since retirement and do not know therefore how the RR(FS)O has been implemented with respect to these facilities!

Thats spot on John, nothing much changed since the advent of the RRO. The wristband thing is a new one on me. Its a good idea in bigger adventure indoor play areas. I  agree and echo the importance of marshalling parents. Its understandable their little darlings will be their first priority but sometimes during an evac they can be more of a hindrance than a help.

[John Webb]

The one I visited with wrist-bands was the very large one in Lakeside, West Thurrock. The computer system was in a protected office at the head of a protected staircase so that even if the play area was on fire the records of wristband movements was still accessible. Checking my notes, I see that adults as well as children were given wristbands as the adults waiting/eating area is in the middle of the play area there but accessed on the level.

The 'play area' systems that most concern me are what we termed 'USA' style, made up of smaller tubes and connecting units which children can move through only one or two at a time. Admittedly not usually built into large arrays, nevertheless it is very difficult for an adult to actually pass through such a system to check it's clear.

The RoSpa/Institute of Leisure and Amenity Managemnet/National Playing Fields Association book is "Indoor Adventure Play Areas - a Code of Practice" written by N Balmforth and published in 1995. Curiously it isn't listed in a 1998/99 RoSPA catalogue.

[Fishy]

Link to some recent research on this - available FOC...

http://www.chilternfire.co.uk/case-studies/view/ps3-a-quantified-fire-risk-assessment-model-for-designing-indoor-play-areas

[Dinnertime Dave]

The main problems in my opinion are -

The provision of an open kitchen selling hot food and drinks.
Unprotected space heaters adjacent to ball pits allowing plastic balls to be wedged against them.

controlling the ignition sources has to be the priority.

The newer generation of designs i have seen have had an escape route built in at scary corner.   

[CivvyFSO]

I read an interesting¹ tale about a fire officer (in Wales I think) who, upon finding one of these, instigated a drill with the staff. he took a football, placed it in a random¹ position in the framework, and then during a drill recorded the amount of time it took to retrieve the ball. Owing to the time it took staff to retrieve the ball, a prohibition notice was immediately¹ placed on the use of the equipment. Basically the staff were having to travel all the way through the equipment, in a long 'U' shape. The problem was minimised by the creation of exits from 'scary corner'.

I have dealt with one myself, and the standard found at the time was a real worry. Had I visited in todays "hang 'em high" climate I am sure they would have been prosecuted, quite deservedly so too IMO.

We also need to remember that fire retardant does not mean fire proof, as much of the research has shown, with the vertical surfaces leading to rapid fire spread.

My personal opinion is that these places are a very high risk unless the management/training/design of equipment is first class. Which is hardly ever the case. I also believe that consideration should be given to silencing that

The Chiltern Fire document is definitely worth a look, with some good advice for anyone looking at these things.

^{1: Not really.}