Bounce House Pre-Use Inspection Record

Fill in the header, work down the sheet, and note anything you find in Section 9. Tick a box only for something you actually looked at. Bracketed fields are blanks, and the numbers come from the manufacturer’s label for that unit, not from this sheet.

This template is general information, not legal advice. What a document like this can and cannot do varies by state, so have a local attorney review your final version before you use it.

1. What this record is

Attorney review recommended

This sheet records what you looked at and what you found. It does not certify that a unit is safe, and filling it in is not an inspection by a qualified inspector. If anything on it gives you pause, stop and resolve it before the unit is used. The judgment is yours, and this sheet only records that you made it.

HAVE YOUR ATTORNEY OR INSURER CONFIRM WHAT THIS SHEET DOES NOT COVER. Some states, some venues, and some insurance policies require a formal inspection by a trained or licensed inspector on their own schedule, and require records to be kept for a set period. A self-completed record does not satisfy that requirement where it applies.

Unit: [name / ID]. Manufacturer: [make]. Serial or asset number: [number].

Date: [date]. Time started: [time].

Recorded by: [name]. Booking reference: [number]. Site: [address].

2. Shop check: before it goes on the truck

[ ] Unit is dry and was stored dry. Note any smell of mildew: [note].

[ ] Seams and stitching walked end to end; no separation, no pulled thread lines.

[ ] Fabric checked for tears, thin spots, and abrasion, including the slide surface and the landing area.

[ ] Previous repairs and patches still sound and still bonded at the edges.

[ ] Netting and mesh intact; no holes a child could get a limb through.

[ ] Every anchor point and D-ring present, sound, and stitched flat. Count them: [count] of [count on the label].

[ ] Zippers, deflation flaps, and tie-off straps present and working.

[ ] Blower housing, impeller, and inlet clear of debris.

[ ] Blower cord and any extension cords checked along their whole length for nicks, exposed conductor, bent or missing ground pin, and heat damage at the plug.

[ ] Stakes, sandbags, and straps counted and loaded: [count] stakes, [count] bags.

[ ] Written safety rules sign packed.

3. Site walk: before anything comes off the truck

[ ] Access path walked; gate or doorway measured at [__] inches, wide enough for this unit.

[ ] Setup area measured against the unit’s footprint plus the clearance the manufacturer specifies: [dimensions].

[ ] Surface identified: [grass · concrete · asphalt · indoor · other]. Anchoring method for that surface confirmed: [stakes · sandbags · other].

[ ] Ground cleared of rocks, sticks, glass, pet waste, and sprinkler heads.

[ ] Slope assessed. Note the grade and whether it is acceptable for this unit: [note].

[ ] Ground condition noted. Saturated, soft, or frozen ground will not hold a stake: [note].

[ ] Overhead checked for branches, wires, eaves, and basketball hoops.

[ ] Clearance kept from fences, walls, pools, fire pits, grills, and parked cars: [note distances].

[ ] Underground utilities considered before staking; call the local locate service where required.

[ ] Weather for the rental window checked and noted: [forecast, and where it came from].

4. Anchoring

[ ] Anchoring follows the manufacturer’s instructions for THIS unit, for count, placement, and angle: [count] anchors required, [count] installed.

[ ] On soft ground: stakes driven to the depth the manufacturer specifies, [__] inches, at the angle specified, fully seated, with no exposed hazard above grade.

[ ] On hard surfaces: ballast used at the weight the manufacturer specifies, [__] per anchor point, secured so it cannot shift.

[ ] Every anchor point on the unit is tied off, none skipped because it was awkward to reach.

[ ] Straps tensioned evenly; unit sits square and is not pulled out of shape.

[ ] Anchor hardware and stake tops covered or marked so nobody trips on them.

5. Blower and power

[ ] Blower on firm, level ground, clear of the walkway, with its inlet unobstructed.

[ ] Blower tube secured to the unit and tied off; deflation flaps closed.

[ ] Outlet is grounded, and protected by a GFCI where one is required or available.

[ ] One dedicated circuit per blower; no daisy-chained extension cords and no household power strips.

[ ] Cord run routed away from foot traffic and secured or covered where it crosses a path.

[ ] Cord length within the manufacturer’s stated limit for this blower. A long, thin cord starves a blower.

[ ] Generator, if used: sited outdoors, well clear of the unit and of any doorway, fueled, and stable.

[ ] Unit inflated fully and holds pressure; walls firm, no soft corner, no audible leak.

6. Walk-around before the first rider

[ ] Interior walked; no tool, stake, stone, or packaging left inside.

[ ] Entry step and landing area firm and clear.

[ ] Netting closed and secured; no gap at the entrance.

[ ] Slide, if fitted: surface intact, landing clear, water off unless the unit is rated wet.

[ ] Safety rules sign posted where riders and supervising adults will actually read it.

[ ] Rider limit and weight limit from the manufacturer’s label written on the sign: [riders] riders, [weight].

[ ] Rules walked through with the responsible adult, and their name recorded: [name].

[ ] Emergency shutdown explained: what to do if the blower stops or the power goes out.

[ ] Operator contact number given to the responsible adult: [phone].

7. During the rental: what to watch and when to stop

Give this section to whoever is supervising, or keep it if your attendant stays on site.

[ ] Wind watched through the rental. Stop use and deflate at the manufacturer’s stated maximum operating wind speed for this unit. Many manufacturers commonly cite a limit in the range of roughly 15 to 25 mph, but the figure that governs is the one on YOUR unit’s label: [limit].

[ ] Stop use immediately for lightning, storms, or heavy rain. Do not wait for the wind.

[ ] Blower running continuously; anyone exits at once if it stops or the unit starts to soften.

[ ] Rider count and size sorting held to the posted limits.

[ ] Anchors and straps re-checked periodically, and after any gust: [times checked].

[ ] Any incident, near miss, or first aid recorded in Section 9 while it is fresh, not from memory that evening.

8. Teardown

[ ] Unit empty and confirmed empty before the blower is switched off.

[ ] Interior swept; any damage, stain, or wear found during the rental noted in Section 9.

[ ] Unit cleaned and disinfected per your process before it is rolled: [process used].

[ ] Unit dry before it is folded, or flagged to be opened and dried at the shop: [dry · needs drying].

[ ] Every stake, bag, strap, and cord recovered. Count them back: [count] stakes, [count] bags.

[ ] Site left as found; stake holes closed.

[ ] Photos taken of the unit at teardown: [count].

Time finished: [time].

9. Findings, and what you did about them

Write down what you found even when you fixed it on the spot. A finding with a resolution beside it is a record; a finding nobody wrote down is the one that repeats.

Finding: [what you saw]. Where: [unit / site]. Action taken: [what you did]. Unit used after? [yes · no]. Initials: [__]

Taken out of service: [unit] on [date], for [reason]. Returned to service on [date] by [name], after [what was done].

10. Recorded by

I completed the items ticked above and recorded what I found. This record does not certify that any unit is safe, and it is not an inspection by a qualified inspector.

Name (print): ______________________

Signature: ______________________ Date: __________ Time: __________