At the moment, there is a lot of fuss about the safety standards of trampoline parks. But which requirements do you have to meet as an operator? When your trampoline park is built according to the American/English standards, do you or do you not comply with the requirements of the ‘Warenwetbesluit Attractie- en Speeltoestellen (WAS)’? And if so, what does this mean? This blog will answer your questions.
International standard
When it comes to trampoline parks, safety always comes first for us. At Sidijk, we actively contribute to this. For example, together with colleagues in the sector, we take part in several standardisation committees in the Netherlands and internationally. We recently had a meeting in Frankfurt on the development of a uniform international ISO standard. We sat down with experts from all over the world.
A technical recommendation for the Netherlands
Parallel to this standards process, we have worked within the Dutch committee on a Netherlands Technical Agreement (NTA). The NTA does not have the status of a NEN standard, but is a recommendation. It can serve as a basis for certification. In any case, it is a document that demonstrates that the sector is actively working on the safety of trampoline parks and how we view their safety.
Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority
We find this sound important. Certainly now that the NVWA has stated that trampoline parks fall under the WAS and are therefore classified as playground equipment. This creates a unique situation compared to the rest of the world. For instance, it is not clear whether ‘meeting the ISO standard’ will be enough to also meet the WAS.
The purpose of the WAS is to guarantee the safety of children playing. But the law was not drafted with trampoline parks in mind. Because of this, it is not always clear what the requirements are to get a trampoline park approved under the WAS. This is mainly due to the lack of clarity regarding operational safety requirements. The WAS also contains other technical requirements, for example in the field of entrapment danger.
We help you find a WAS-proof solution
Ultimately, this means that the necessary modifications are needed to get a trampoline park approved. These are not drastic adjustments, but they are important in order to comply with the WAS certificate. Of course, we at Sidijk do everything in our power to help you obtain this certificate. For example, by coming up with a WAS-proof solution for nets and grommets.
To conclude. Whichever standard we follow, safety is and remains our primary concern. From our Quality & Safety department, we will continue to follow the developments and share our knowledge. Do you have any questions about the WAS, the inspection of trampoline parks and the related standards? We will be happy to help you.
Niels Nieuwland
Quality & Safety Officer
