1. Content
1. Context
1.1 The Director General of Education has authority, pursuant to section 233 of the School Education Act 1999, to issue instructions to persons performing functions in the Department of Education.
1.2 The tragic loss of life which occurred when an inflatable bouncy castle and inflatable balls were lifted into the air by the wind in Tasmania in December 2021 has demonstrated that amusement structures and devices such as these can pose a significant danger. Tasmanian authorities are currently investigating the incident. In the meantime, it is necessary to impose a ban on the use of inflatable amusement structures until the outcome of the investigation is known. This Instruction will be reviewed when the investigation has concluded.
2. Instruction
2.1 This Instruction comes into effect at the beginning of Term 3, on 18 July 2022, and will remain in place until repealed by the Director General.
2.2 This Instruction applies to all staff at government schools in Western Australia.
2.3 Staff at government schools may not:
2.3.1 use inflatable amusement structures outdoors on school premises; or
2.3.2 allow other parties to use inflatable amusement structures outdoors on school premises.
3. Definitions
3.1 An ‘inflatable amusement structure’ for the purposes of this instruction is a flexible structure that provides entertainment or amusement involving physical interaction and relies on a continuous supply of air pressure to maintain its shape. Examples of inflatable amusement structures include bouncy castles, some water slides and zorb balls. This does not include inflatable amusement structures used for display purposes that do not involve physical interaction.
3.2 A ‘zorb ball’ is a large, inflatable, flexible plastic sphere that a person can climb into, sometimes with their legs exposed.
CEO Instruction: interim ban on the outdoor use of inflatable structures and banning of zorb balls