Information & Advice for the foam party operator
Health and Safety - The Machines [1]
There are many issues with the safe use of foam machines in a public place - a nightclub being such a place. Some issues are a legal requirement and some are just common sense. Here are some (but not necessarily all) of the most important ones:
Ensure your equipment (foam machines and pumps) are PAT tested at least annually in order to comply with the regulations for portable electrical appliances. This test ensures the integrity of the insulation and the earth protection of the appliance and will reduce the risk of electric shock - this is a legal requirement.
If flying a machine above the audience then only approved and certified suspension cables and connectors should be used and connected to the manufacturer installed flying points. Before flying any piece of equipment, documentation should be obtained from the venue that the points onto which you are attaching your suspension cables are capable of supporting the intended load. In other words, will the thing your hanging the machine on hold the machines weight? If this breaks and your machine falls injuring people you will be responsible for this unless you can prove that the suspension point was approved for the load, i.e. a piece of paper from the venue saying so.
If suspending a machine above an audience, ensure that it can not be reached by people standing on tip-toe! The public will try to touch the machine and even swing from it with potentially disastrous consequences.
Do not allow the general public to use the machines.