A Washington state woman is lobbying to change a designed to improve the safety of amusement rides in that state.
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/39889487.html
The interesting thing about this particular incident involves machine guarding or guarding of moving parts of a machine.
Machine guarding has been around as an OSHA regulation for many years. We see it all the time at and at home. The powers tools we have at home or the drill press or grinding device at work. Federal Safety Regulators realized years ago that moving parts of machinery can and will cause damage, amputation, death and even scalping.
Amusement rides are notoriously know for being self regulated and having a patchwork of state and local regulation and very little federal oversight. This is not the first scalping incident on either a go-kart of amusement ride. I'm sure it will not be the last.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Monday, February 02, 2009
Bounce House Safety - How not to do it
These are actual pictures of a single Inflatable Bounce House that was set up in Richmond, Virginia on January 31, 2009. Just a few of the thing that seem to be wrong are:
1. Only three of the four corners are secured by weight. Each corner is required to have 75 pounds.
2. The bounce house is set up in the street with No Barricades to prevent contact with automobiles or other vehicles.
3. It is located too close to utility lines.
4. The blower is not protect from accidental contact
5. There was no current 2009 inspection sticker displayed.
6. The attendant was not watching the participants.
I could go on and on. I consider the operation to be lacking. It could have been done better.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The LA Times is Reporting
The death of Brandon Zucker.
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-brandonzucker27-2009jan27,0,603793.story
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-brandonzucker27-2009jan27,0,603793.story
Friday, January 02, 2009
inflatable bounce house safety
DOCS WEIGH IN ON INFLATABLE BOUNCER SAFETY
A recent study by the Children’s Hospital in
Of the injuries being treated 2/3 of them involved the upper extremities with the most common body part injured being the elbow and humerus. A third of the injuries involved the lower extremities. Of the injuries the most common was a simple fracture.
43% of those families reached during the survey said the injuries occurred on a rented device in their backyard. Of the families contacted, adult supervision was absent in almost half of the incidents. The average age of the children in the device at the time of injury was 5.4. Over half of the incidents involved children of mixed ages. The most common types of injuries involved a collision of two or more children and a child falling out of the device.
The study concluded that inflatable bouncers can cause serious orthopedic injuries. The entire study can be found at the
Since 2001 the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s report and subsequent Safety Bulletin the industry has known injuries are increasing on inflatable bounce devices. Basically there is no or very limited oversight in regulating bounce house safety. The industry does have a set of consensus standards in conjunction with the American Society for Test & Materials F-24 Committee. However these are basic guidelines that are a good start and could use improving. The two most reported causes of injuries on inflatable devices are improper set-up and unattended devices.
Oversight at the local level is the best solution. Proper licensing, insuring, permitting and inspection by the local authority is the best way to go. Additional safeguards would be compliance with applicable industry consensus standards that involve all aspects of inflatable operation, ensuring a trained and competent operator (some devices require 2 or more operators) is present during set-up, operation and take-down and a national reporting system or clearing house for inflatable incidents.
For Parents, Do Not assume you can safely attend your child while using an inflatable. Insist as industry standard do, that a trained operator is present at each device. Make sure the devices you rent or patronize are properly insured, licensed and inspected. Your Homeowner’s insurance policy does not cover you. Research the company you are going to do business with, you and your child’s safety may depend on it. The majority of inflatable company owners want your business as this industry has sky rocketed the past few years and they have a large investment in your fun filled experience. FYI, they may operate out of their home or warehouse district. Some even offer pick up service at a cheaper rate. If they are professional they will insist on handling the set up, operation, take down and provide a professionally trained attendant.
Ken Martin
KRM Consulting
Resources:
http://www.saferparks.org
http://www.cpsc.gov
http://aapgrandrounds.aappublications.org/
http://www.rideaccidents.com
http://www.astm.org/COMMIT/COMMITTEE/F24.htm
http://www.sioto.org/
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Safe Fun In The Summer Ride Safely
HOW TO HELP ENSURE YOUR SAFETY ON AMUSEMENT RIDES
Summer fun almost always means a trip to an amusement park, carnival or fair.
tips and tricks, to make your visit an enjoyable one.
The first thing to remember is
Clothes should fit, be cool and comfortable. No baggy or
Secure long hair and other loose items.
Be sure to use plenty of sunscreen.
Don’t start on any empty stomach and be sure you are well hydrated. Water or sports
drinks
If you are under a physicians’ care for any medical condition(s) you should
When you enter the ride area, pick a meeting place in case of an emergency or someone
gets separated from your group. A location near the Main Entrance/Office or First Aid
Station is best.
Cell phones, two-way radios and pagers are good ways to stay in touch.
Before you eat or drink anything remember to wash your hands.
Always be aware of the weather. It only takes
If there are children, be
If there is ever a problem, remember to tell someone. Management wants and expects you
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Death of child on Washington State Inflatable Amusement Ride
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 18, 2007
For More Information Contact:
Ken Martin 804-342-1808
http://www.krmgroup.com
INFLATABLE AMUSEMENT RIDE SAFETY
***NOTE***
Ken Martin of KRM Consulting is a Richmond, VA based Safety Consultant who specializes in Amusement Rides and Devices. He is also trained and certified by the
Friday, November 23, 2007
New Safer Parks Editorial
A very timely piece consider the Thanksgiving eve incident in Arkansas involving a child and an Orbiter.
http://www.saferparks.org/about_saferparks/editorials/congress_child_safety.php
Sharing Information for Safer Amusement Ride Thrills Text-only version
About | Contact | Site Map | Help | Links Donate to Saferparks
Congress To Modernize CPSC, Strengthen Child Safety
Home > About Saferparks > Editorials
For Parents For Kids Safety Regulation Database
Editorial by Kathy Fackler - November 23, 2007
Four leaders of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce have introduced a bi-partisan bill designed to overhaul consumer protection standards and implement major changes at the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Saferparks applauds Representatives Dingell, Barton, Rush and Stearns for moving children’s safety to the top of the Committee’s agenda. Rep. Barton stressed that children should not be “sickened by their playthings” and partisan politics should not get in the way of good policy. I heartily agree.
Children should not be killed or maimed by thrill rides, either, yet this happens every year. While the Commerce Committee is enacting stronger child safety protections for toys, I urge the Committee to remove the loophole that leaves amusement park rides exempt from all federal safety oversight.
Children are at highest risk for amusement ride injury. Half of all ride-related accidents and three quarters of falls and ejections involve children under 13.
Only 27 state governments have safety officials authorized and trained to investigate amusement ride accidents, and many of the existing state programs lack the engineering expertise needed to deal with accidents on complex rides. Investigation of serious accidents, including fatalities, is often left up to the park or the park’s insurer – the two entities with the most to gain from suppressing the evidence.
No central agency is empowered and funded to ensure that lessons learned in one park or one state are systematically shared nationwide across all segments of the industry.
Accidents happen everywhere, even at amusement parks. No business niche or brand name is immune. In June of this year, 13-year-old Kaitlyn Lassiter had both legs severed in a gruesome accident at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, when a cable snapped on a drop tower ride. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture employs several ride inspectors, but their authority to investigate has been superseded by a judge involved in the civil suit. State officials cannot examine the cable until the court dispute over cable testing is resolved. Five months after the accident, the state still hasn’t released any technical information on the incident, such as the age of the cable or the ride’s maintenance history. Meanwhile, similar drop towers are in operation in other states, some regulated and some not. There isn’t any agency to coordinate a coherent response or ensure that critical information is discovered and shared.
If this girl’s legs had been severed in a lawnmower accident or an ATV accident, the CPSC would have investigated. If she were an employee of Six Flags, instead of a paying customer, OSHA would have investigated. In 2006, two cables snapped on a carnival drop ride in New York. The children on board that ride were much luckier than Kaitlyn, suffering only minor injuries, yet the CPSC was authorized to investigate that less-serious accident because it didn’t happen in an amusement park. What is so special about amusement park companies that they should be exempted from such basic public safety policy?
The 1981 loophole exempting permanent parks from compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Act created an artificial division in public safety policy for amusement rides, and families like the Lassiters are clearly paying the price. A partial hash of state and local codes cannot replace what’s missing. There is no public safety authority to track hazard patterns on amusement park rides, set national standards to protect the safety of children, or ensure that information on defects discovered in a ride in one state are shared with state or local regulators in every state.
I respectfully ask the members Congress, while they are reforming our child safety laws, to examine the consequences of shielding the amusement park industry from federal safety oversight. The millions of children who visit U.S. amusement parks every year deserve safe thrills every bit as much as they deserve safe toys.
How Can You Help?
If you believe that U.S. product safety policy should cover children's amusement rides as well as children's toys, call or write your representative and the committee leadership. Ask them to remove the loophole exempting amusement park rides from federal safety oversight. Here are links to contact information:
Find your representative
Representative John Dingell, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Representative Bobby Rush, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
Representative Joe Barton, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Note: Congressman Barton represents Texas, one of the 23 states without a government ride inspection or accident investigation program. In 2003, the Texas legislature passed a law protecting manufacturers from lawsuits in cases where a patron is killed or injured by any thrill ride that has been in operation longer than 15 years.
Representative Cliff Stearns, Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection. Note: Congressman Stearns represents Florida, where theme park rides are exempt from both state and federal safety oversight.
The Facts About Amusement Ride Safety
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 100,000 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to amusement rides, inflatable amusement devices, and waterslides between 1997 and 2004.
60,000 injuries were related to use of amusement rides.
20,000 injuries involved inflatables. The annual injury count tripled from 1997 to 2004.
20,000 injuries were related to use of public waterslides.
Children are at highest risk of amusement ride injury.
Half of all accidents and 3/4 of all falls and ejections involve children under 13.
Restraints and bracing points in many rides approved for children are designed to fit adult bodies and can leave small riders vulnerable to falls or forceful ejection.
Amusement park rides are NOT subject to federal safety regulations. Only 27 state governments have safety officials authorized and trained to investigate ride accidents.
State and local government regulatory programs, where they exist, keep track of individual rides and the way they're operated within a specific jurisdiction. The better state programs audit and supplement industry’s safety measures through independent inspections of the machinery and safety records.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) looks at safety problems on carnival rides, go-karts, and inflatables through a wider lens.
The CPSC can track problems that occur on multiple rides in different states, establish uniform safety standards, negotiate hazard mitigation plans with manufacturers, and broadly disseminate urgent safety information to industry and consumers nationwide.
No public safety agency is empowered to perform those critical duties for rides operated at U.S. amusement parks.
Saferparks is a public 501(c)(3) charity. Your tax-deductible donation will support Saferparks' public service mission to prevent amusement ride injuries through research, information sharing, and advocacy.
http://www.saferparks.org/about_saferparks/editorials/congress_child_safety.php
Sharing Information for Safer Amusement Ride Thrills Text-only version
About | Contact | Site Map | Help | Links Donate to Saferparks
Congress To Modernize CPSC, Strengthen Child Safety
Home > About Saferparks > Editorials
For Parents For Kids Safety Regulation Database
Editorial by Kathy Fackler - November 23, 2007
Four leaders of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce have introduced a bi-partisan bill designed to overhaul consumer protection standards and implement major changes at the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Saferparks applauds Representatives Dingell, Barton, Rush and Stearns for moving children’s safety to the top of the Committee’s agenda. Rep. Barton stressed that children should not be “sickened by their playthings” and partisan politics should not get in the way of good policy. I heartily agree.
Children should not be killed or maimed by thrill rides, either, yet this happens every year. While the Commerce Committee is enacting stronger child safety protections for toys, I urge the Committee to remove the loophole that leaves amusement park rides exempt from all federal safety oversight.
Children are at highest risk for amusement ride injury. Half of all ride-related accidents and three quarters of falls and ejections involve children under 13.
Only 27 state governments have safety officials authorized and trained to investigate amusement ride accidents, and many of the existing state programs lack the engineering expertise needed to deal with accidents on complex rides. Investigation of serious accidents, including fatalities, is often left up to the park or the park’s insurer – the two entities with the most to gain from suppressing the evidence.
No central agency is empowered and funded to ensure that lessons learned in one park or one state are systematically shared nationwide across all segments of the industry.
Accidents happen everywhere, even at amusement parks. No business niche or brand name is immune. In June of this year, 13-year-old Kaitlyn Lassiter had both legs severed in a gruesome accident at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, when a cable snapped on a drop tower ride. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture employs several ride inspectors, but their authority to investigate has been superseded by a judge involved in the civil suit. State officials cannot examine the cable until the court dispute over cable testing is resolved. Five months after the accident, the state still hasn’t released any technical information on the incident, such as the age of the cable or the ride’s maintenance history. Meanwhile, similar drop towers are in operation in other states, some regulated and some not. There isn’t any agency to coordinate a coherent response or ensure that critical information is discovered and shared.
If this girl’s legs had been severed in a lawnmower accident or an ATV accident, the CPSC would have investigated. If she were an employee of Six Flags, instead of a paying customer, OSHA would have investigated. In 2006, two cables snapped on a carnival drop ride in New York. The children on board that ride were much luckier than Kaitlyn, suffering only minor injuries, yet the CPSC was authorized to investigate that less-serious accident because it didn’t happen in an amusement park. What is so special about amusement park companies that they should be exempted from such basic public safety policy?
The 1981 loophole exempting permanent parks from compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Act created an artificial division in public safety policy for amusement rides, and families like the Lassiters are clearly paying the price. A partial hash of state and local codes cannot replace what’s missing. There is no public safety authority to track hazard patterns on amusement park rides, set national standards to protect the safety of children, or ensure that information on defects discovered in a ride in one state are shared with state or local regulators in every state.
I respectfully ask the members Congress, while they are reforming our child safety laws, to examine the consequences of shielding the amusement park industry from federal safety oversight. The millions of children who visit U.S. amusement parks every year deserve safe thrills every bit as much as they deserve safe toys.
How Can You Help?
If you believe that U.S. product safety policy should cover children's amusement rides as well as children's toys, call or write your representative and the committee leadership. Ask them to remove the loophole exempting amusement park rides from federal safety oversight. Here are links to contact information:
Find your representative
Representative John Dingell, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Representative Bobby Rush, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
Representative Joe Barton, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Note: Congressman Barton represents Texas, one of the 23 states without a government ride inspection or accident investigation program. In 2003, the Texas legislature passed a law protecting manufacturers from lawsuits in cases where a patron is killed or injured by any thrill ride that has been in operation longer than 15 years.
Representative Cliff Stearns, Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection. Note: Congressman Stearns represents Florida, where theme park rides are exempt from both state and federal safety oversight.
The Facts About Amusement Ride Safety
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 100,000 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to amusement rides, inflatable amusement devices, and waterslides between 1997 and 2004.
60,000 injuries were related to use of amusement rides.
20,000 injuries involved inflatables. The annual injury count tripled from 1997 to 2004.
20,000 injuries were related to use of public waterslides.
Children are at highest risk of amusement ride injury.
Half of all accidents and 3/4 of all falls and ejections involve children under 13.
Restraints and bracing points in many rides approved for children are designed to fit adult bodies and can leave small riders vulnerable to falls or forceful ejection.
Amusement park rides are NOT subject to federal safety regulations. Only 27 state governments have safety officials authorized and trained to investigate ride accidents.
State and local government regulatory programs, where they exist, keep track of individual rides and the way they're operated within a specific jurisdiction. The better state programs audit and supplement industry’s safety measures through independent inspections of the machinery and safety records.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) looks at safety problems on carnival rides, go-karts, and inflatables through a wider lens.
The CPSC can track problems that occur on multiple rides in different states, establish uniform safety standards, negotiate hazard mitigation plans with manufacturers, and broadly disseminate urgent safety information to industry and consumers nationwide.
No public safety agency is empowered to perform those critical duties for rides operated at U.S. amusement parks.
Saferparks is a public 501(c)(3) charity. Your tax-deductible donation will support Saferparks' public service mission to prevent amusement ride injuries through research, information sharing, and advocacy.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Massachusetts shuts down all Sizzler Amusement Rides
http://www.eyewitnessnewstv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6947921
State orders amusement ride shut down
Associated Press - August 17, 2007 4:24 PM ET
BOSTON (AP) - The Massachusetts Department of Public Safety orders an immediate halt to the operation of all Sizzler amusement park rides in the state.
The move follows a bulletin from the ride's manufacturer that seat belts should be installed to improve safety.
A 38-year-old man was killed in 2004 when a Sizzler broke apart during a church fair in Shrewsbury.
At the time, state public safety officials determined the accident was caused by loose and undersized nuts and bolts used on the seat.
Wisdom Industries, which makes the Sizzler, says they issued the latest service bulletin in response to "incidents of patrons coming out of their seats."
Massachusetts public safety officials say Sizzler rides in Massachusetts can not return to service until the seat belts are installed.
State orders amusement ride shut down
Associated Press - August 17, 2007 4:24 PM ET
BOSTON (AP) - The Massachusetts Department of Public Safety orders an immediate halt to the operation of all Sizzler amusement park rides in the state.
The move follows a bulletin from the ride's manufacturer that seat belts should be installed to improve safety.
A 38-year-old man was killed in 2004 when a Sizzler broke apart during a church fair in Shrewsbury.
At the time, state public safety officials determined the accident was caused by loose and undersized nuts and bolts used on the seat.
Wisdom Industries, which makes the Sizzler, says they issued the latest service bulletin in response to "incidents of patrons coming out of their seats."
Massachusetts public safety officials say Sizzler rides in Massachusetts can not return to service until the seat belts are installed.
Friday, July 06, 2007
How To Ride Safely
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 4, 2007
For More Information Contact:
http://www.krmgroup.com
HOW TO HELP ENSURE YOUR SAFETY ON AMUSEMENT RIDES
Summer fun almost always means a trip to an amusement park or fair. Ken Martin, an
amusement ride safety consultant in Richmond, Virginia offers his advice. Here are
some tips and tricks, to make your visit an enjoyable one. The first thing to
remember is to dress appropriately. Proper footwear is must. No bare feet, sandals or
clogs. A good walking shoe or athletic shoe is recommended. Clothes should fit, be
cool and comfortable. No baggy or loose fitting clothes. Secure long hair and other
loose items. Be sure to use plenty of sunscreen.
Skin types vary so pick the one right for you. A hat to protect you from the sun is a
good idea as well. Don’t start on any empty stomach and be sure you are well
hydrated. Water or sports drinks are the best. If you are under a physicians’ care
for any medical condition(s) you should consultant with them before you ride.
When you enter the ride area, pick a meeting place in case of an emergency or someone
gets separated from your group. A location near the Main Entrance/Office or First Aid
Station is best. Cell phones, two-way radios and pagers are good ways to stay in
touch.
But remember some ride rules may not let you take them on the rides. If you do,
remember to keep the device secure, as it can become a missile if it gets thrown
around. Of course you could always leave it with a non-rider. Before you eat or drink
anything remember to wash your hands. Germs can be plentiful in an outdoor
environment with machinery, animals and fowl.
Remember, hand sanitizer is only a temporary fix. Always be aware of the weather. It
only takes a few minutes for a storm to appear. In the event of lightning, a building
or automobile may provide adequate shelter. Never stand in an open field, near or
under a tree or next to an amusement ride.
If there is a map, make sure everyone in your group gets one. If there are children,
be sure each one has an adult or a responsible and mature person with them. Some
rides have special requirements and someone who knows the child must be willing to
act and be responsible for the child. Parks, Carnivals and Fairs are not a baby
sitting service. Never force a child to get on a ride. Their time will come. To be
sure if the ride is right for you, watch it, listen to it and observe the people on
it. If it makes a strange noise, ask about it. If it looks bad such as rust or bad
paint, ask. If you see other people getting sick or dizzy as they ride or get off
and that happens easily to you, you might want to pass that particular ride. If
something just does not look or feel right, avoid that ride. Pay attention to all
SAFETY RULES. They are there for a reason.
Check your own restraint, if there is a problem, speak up. Keep your hands and feet
inside the ride at all times. Do not stand up or try to rock the carrier/seat of any
ride. Remain seated until the Operator tells you can exit. Remember that you are the
final inspector of the ride.
If there is ever a problem, remember to tell someone. Management wants and expects
you to have a good time. Whether it is the Carnival Owner, Fair Manager or a Police
Officer, if you don’t bring a problem to their attention, it could hurt someone.
Everyone wants you to have a good time. So remember to use “common sense” and ask if
you have a question.
July 4, 2007
For More Information Contact:
http://www.krmgroup.com
HOW TO HELP ENSURE YOUR SAFETY ON AMUSEMENT RIDES
Summer fun almost always means a trip to an amusement park or fair. Ken Martin, an
amusement ride safety consultant in Richmond, Virginia offers his advice. Here are
some tips and tricks, to make your visit an enjoyable one. The first thing to
remember is to dress appropriately. Proper footwear is must. No bare feet, sandals or
clogs. A good walking shoe or athletic shoe is recommended. Clothes should fit, be
cool and comfortable. No baggy or loose fitting clothes. Secure long hair and other
loose items. Be sure to use plenty of sunscreen.
Skin types vary so pick the one right for you. A hat to protect you from the sun is a
good idea as well. Don’t start on any empty stomach and be sure you are well
hydrated. Water or sports drinks are the best. If you are under a physicians’ care
for any medical condition(s) you should consultant with them before you ride.
When you enter the ride area, pick a meeting place in case of an emergency or someone
gets separated from your group. A location near the Main Entrance/Office or First Aid
Station is best. Cell phones, two-way radios and pagers are good ways to stay in
touch.
But remember some ride rules may not let you take them on the rides. If you do,
remember to keep the device secure, as it can become a missile if it gets thrown
around. Of course you could always leave it with a non-rider. Before you eat or drink
anything remember to wash your hands. Germs can be plentiful in an outdoor
environment with machinery, animals and fowl.
Remember, hand sanitizer is only a temporary fix. Always be aware of the weather. It
only takes a few minutes for a storm to appear. In the event of lightning, a building
or automobile may provide adequate shelter. Never stand in an open field, near or
under a tree or next to an amusement ride.
If there is a map, make sure everyone in your group gets one. If there are children,
be sure each one has an adult or a responsible and mature person with them. Some
rides have special requirements and someone who knows the child must be willing to
act and be responsible for the child. Parks, Carnivals and Fairs are not a baby
sitting service. Never force a child to get on a ride. Their time will come. To be
sure if the ride is right for you, watch it, listen to it and observe the people on
it. If it makes a strange noise, ask about it. If it looks bad such as rust or bad
paint, ask. If you see other people getting sick or dizzy as they ride or get off
and that happens easily to you, you might want to pass that particular ride. If
something just does not look or feel right, avoid that ride. Pay attention to all
SAFETY RULES. They are there for a reason.
Check your own restraint, if there is a problem, speak up. Keep your hands and feet
inside the ride at all times. Do not stand up or try to rock the carrier/seat of any
ride. Remain seated until the Operator tells you can exit. Remember that you are the
final inspector of the ride.
If there is ever a problem, remember to tell someone. Management wants and expects
you to have a good time. Whether it is the Carnival Owner, Fair Manager or a Police
Officer, if you don’t bring a problem to their attention, it could hurt someone.
Everyone wants you to have a good time. So remember to use “common sense” and ask if
you have a question.
Amusement Ride Safety Editorial
July 3, 2007
Amusement Ride Safety Editorial
by Ken Martin, Amusement Ride Safety Consultant
As a child and teenager I always looked forward to summer, it was my favorite time of the year. Swimming, camping and going to the amusement park with my family. I always knew there is a right way and a wrong way to do things. Perhaps then I did not even realize what the word safety stood for or the destiny that life was preparing me for.
Now summer has an entirely different effect on me. Just when I think I have seen or heard it all, something occurs that has me wondering how that could have happened. I am speaking of incidents involving amusement rides, some resulting in death and all too often serious injuries.
The amusement ride industry is self regulated. There is no one agency, government or law that applies across the board. In addition there are no record keeping requirements that will account for incidents or even near misses involving amusement rides. This self regulation is further complicated by a few states that adopt these industry standards into law and then attempt to use them as an enforcement tool.
This self regulation is conducted through the American Society of Testing and Materials F-24 Committee on Amusement Rides and Devices. The 400 or so of us that serve as members of this committee, meet several times a year and many more times by phone and email. We are the backbone of amusement ride safety. Why is that? There is nothing else. That is the way the amusement ride industry wants it. Minimal records, minimal training, minimal information all add up to Bad Safety.
One may ask, why minimal records? Years ago in California, then a park called Marriott’s Great America had an incident involving the death of a teenager on a roller coaster. In those days the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) had oversight of fixed sight and portable amusement rides. The CPSC came in and conducted an investigation. Strangely enough the “records” had been removed. As a result of the CPSC investigation and subsequent retrieval of the records, a heavy fine was given to the amusement park. Shortly thereafter the amusement park industry successfully lobbied the United States Congress and CPSC oversight was removed fixed sight amusement rides. Portable rides still fall under the CPSC jurisdiction. No differences in the rides, except portable rides go from town to town.
To further complicate the issue, amusement park industry has started voluntary collections of incident numbers from their member park members that chose to participate. No information is collected fixed parks that do not participate in this particular trade association for fixed parks. The association for portable amusement rides does not collect incident statistics from its members. Neither association records or collects near miss information.
So we have no government agency that records or collects incident information on a nationwide basis. The fixed site amusement ride industry at best tracks only the tip of the iceberg. There is no formal or informal information sharing of incidents, statistics or data. Ride Manufacturers may and most of the time will share mechanical information that pertains to ride operation. On occasion the CPSC will get involved and issue safety information on portable rides, remember they have no oversight of fixed park rides, even though they are the same type of amusement rides.
What does happen when someone is killed or seriously injured or a near miss occurs? The amusement ride industry will start by saying how many billion of rides are given each year. So millions of people ride amusement rides. That is nothing new. They will also talk about bogus percentage released by the CPSC. The CPSC said they never released any percentage statistics. Their previous reports have been all best guesses. I have always wondered where this 80-20-5 percent thing came from. Injuries are 80 percent patron, 20 percent and 5 percent mechanical in nature. Of course this is what happens when the fault appears to lean toward the industry.
Patron related causes are another interesting issue. The industry is quick to point out the patron did something wrong. I think they forget that sometimes a rider may not fit the ride, or the attendant did not check the restraint, failed to properly instruct the rider or the ride was having some problems that were not properly checked out.
The incidents so far this year appear to be pointing out some of the weaknesses in an already less than adequate system. Perhaps one day our legislatures will repair these problems.
Ken Martin, Amusement Ride Safety Consultant
KRM Consulting
Richmond, Virginia USA
Amusement Ride Safety Editorial
by Ken Martin, Amusement Ride Safety Consultant
As a child and teenager I always looked forward to summer, it was my favorite time of the year. Swimming, camping and going to the amusement park with my family. I always knew there is a right way and a wrong way to do things. Perhaps then I did not even realize what the word safety stood for or the destiny that life was preparing me for.
Now summer has an entirely different effect on me. Just when I think I have seen or heard it all, something occurs that has me wondering how that could have happened. I am speaking of incidents involving amusement rides, some resulting in death and all too often serious injuries.
The amusement ride industry is self regulated. There is no one agency, government or law that applies across the board. In addition there are no record keeping requirements that will account for incidents or even near misses involving amusement rides. This self regulation is further complicated by a few states that adopt these industry standards into law and then attempt to use them as an enforcement tool.
This self regulation is conducted through the American Society of Testing and Materials F-24 Committee on Amusement Rides and Devices. The 400 or so of us that serve as members of this committee, meet several times a year and many more times by phone and email. We are the backbone of amusement ride safety. Why is that? There is nothing else. That is the way the amusement ride industry wants it. Minimal records, minimal training, minimal information all add up to Bad Safety.
One may ask, why minimal records? Years ago in California, then a park called Marriott’s Great America had an incident involving the death of a teenager on a roller coaster. In those days the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) had oversight of fixed sight and portable amusement rides. The CPSC came in and conducted an investigation. Strangely enough the “records” had been removed. As a result of the CPSC investigation and subsequent retrieval of the records, a heavy fine was given to the amusement park. Shortly thereafter the amusement park industry successfully lobbied the United States Congress and CPSC oversight was removed fixed sight amusement rides. Portable rides still fall under the CPSC jurisdiction. No differences in the rides, except portable rides go from town to town.
To further complicate the issue, amusement park industry has started voluntary collections of incident numbers from their member park members that chose to participate. No information is collected fixed parks that do not participate in this particular trade association for fixed parks. The association for portable amusement rides does not collect incident statistics from its members. Neither association records or collects near miss information.
So we have no government agency that records or collects incident information on a nationwide basis. The fixed site amusement ride industry at best tracks only the tip of the iceberg. There is no formal or informal information sharing of incidents, statistics or data. Ride Manufacturers may and most of the time will share mechanical information that pertains to ride operation. On occasion the CPSC will get involved and issue safety information on portable rides, remember they have no oversight of fixed park rides, even though they are the same type of amusement rides.
What does happen when someone is killed or seriously injured or a near miss occurs? The amusement ride industry will start by saying how many billion of rides are given each year. So millions of people ride amusement rides. That is nothing new. They will also talk about bogus percentage released by the CPSC. The CPSC said they never released any percentage statistics. Their previous reports have been all best guesses. I have always wondered where this 80-20-5 percent thing came from. Injuries are 80 percent patron, 20 percent and 5 percent mechanical in nature. Of course this is what happens when the fault appears to lean toward the industry.
Patron related causes are another interesting issue. The industry is quick to point out the patron did something wrong. I think they forget that sometimes a rider may not fit the ride, or the attendant did not check the restraint, failed to properly instruct the rider or the ride was having some problems that were not properly checked out.
The incidents so far this year appear to be pointing out some of the weaknesses in an already less than adequate system. Perhaps one day our legislatures will repair these problems.
Ken Martin, Amusement Ride Safety Consultant
KRM Consulting
Richmond, Virginia USA
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Safer Parks
Here is a link to an informative web site. www.saferparks.org
I particularly like the editorial on Ride Related Human Error.
I particularly like the editorial on Ride Related Human Error.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
One Reason Why Amusement Parks Should Be Regulated
One Reason Why Amusement Parks Should Be Regulated
On March 29, 1980 thirteen year old Kyle Foss died in an unfortunate incident on
a roller coaster ride, one of the newer attractions at a Santa Clara, CA amusement park. During the investigation the CPSC learned that park officials spirited some fifteen cartons of records out of the park in an attempt to conceal them from investigators. The CPSC learned of the deception through what started out as a series of anonymous telephone calls from a former park employee who asserted that they used his automobile to remove the records from the park premises. It took several weeks of effort on the part of the CPSC’s investigative team to convince the caller that they really needed a sworn statement describing what the caller saw. The investigative team got their sworn statement.
On March 29, 1980 thirteen year old Kyle Foss died in an unfortunate incident on
a roller coaster ride, one of the newer attractions at a Santa Clara, CA amusement park. During the investigation the CPSC learned that park officials spirited some fifteen cartons of records out of the park in an attempt to conceal them from investigators. The CPSC learned of the deception through what started out as a series of anonymous telephone calls from a former park employee who asserted that they used his automobile to remove the records from the park premises. It took several weeks of effort on the part of the CPSC’s investigative team to convince the caller that they really needed a sworn statement describing what the caller saw. The investigative team got their sworn statement.
When confronted with that affidavit, corporate officials yielded the records.
Examination of the records showed that the park had experienced earlier difficulties with
the ride, some scenarios similar to that which resulted in the Foss death. Park officials never reported the incidents to the CPSC as required by section 15 of the Consumer Product Safety Act.
Further examination of the records yielded a staff memo that informed their employees that the park was obligated, under the law, to report such incidents to CPSC as potential substantial product hazards. Confronted with what the CPSC found in their records the company agreed to a $70,000 civil penalty for failure to report under the Consumer Product Safety Act. The CPSC issued the closing news release on January 27, 1981. Make a note of this date.
Shortly thereafter, a strange thing happened. The United States Congress thought it might revisit the definition of "consumer product" in the CPSA. They did by removing the fixed rides in theme parks from the definition of "consumer product." The net result was that the CPSC no longer had authority to inspect parks, examine their records or investigate incidents.
On August 13, 1981 CPSC lost jurisdiction over these rides. By even stranger coincidence, the chief lobbyist for the industry was the same company official (by then former company official) who penned the staff memo informing employees that their company was obligated under the law to report such incidents to the CPSC as potential substantial product hazards. More important was the argument that the industry used to convince Congress that federal oversight of the industry was not necessary. Industry argued that local officials inspected the rides and therefore federal presence was redundant and therefore unnecessary.
To the extent that what industry said was true it was true. County and local officials inspected the rides in the same manner as they would inspect habitable dwellings and commercial real estate. Their inspection authority ended with their preoccupancy approval of the structure, for all intents and purposes focusing on compliance with applicable building codes. Little or nothing in these inspections addressed operation safety or continued structural integrity. I am of the opinion the amusement ride industry misled the Congress, at best, and outright lied, at worst.
Kyle Foss died because park management failed to comply with reporting requirements that may well have prevented his death. What excuse are we going to have when the next one dies? This industry is self-insured, self inspected and self regulated. Self-inspected and self-regulated in corporate America are oxymorons.
This is clearly a case of the fox guarding the proverbial hen house. The industry will say they have all sorts of self-inspection programs and arguments that they are regulated and inspected by local authorities and industry associations. Do not be fooled. Don’t believe such arguments. Inspections should be mandatory and unannounced and address more than compliance with building codes.
The purpose of government is to do for the people that which they cannot reasonably be expected to do for themselves. Since the people cannot assure, for themselves, that amusement park rides and attractions are safe then the government should do that for them.
Have things really changed sine March 29, 1980?
Sunday, August 29, 2004
Amusement Park Advertising
Recently a young child was injured on a kiddie ride at a Virginia Theme Park. It was reported that the child crawled out of the car in which she was riding. I know the people who run this Park. I also know that they would not deliberately do anything thing to hurt someone.
Why the child climbed out may be a mystery. One thing for sure, on the Park's web site for this particular ride, shows a young girl sticking her hands up into the air. What that picture says to me is the Park wants you to stick your hands up. That is a clear violation of Park rules. One of the first rules on any amusement ride is to keep ALL body parts within the container you are riding in.
Some critics will blame the parents. But how could you? This is a kiddie ride. No parents are allowed. Does the Park and the Manufacturer of the ride, not have a responsibility to secure the patrons?
Why the child climbed out may be a mystery. One thing for sure, on the Park's web site for this particular ride, shows a young girl sticking her hands up into the air. What that picture says to me is the Park wants you to stick your hands up. That is a clear violation of Park rules. One of the first rules on any amusement ride is to keep ALL body parts within the container you are riding in.
Some critics will blame the parents. But how could you? This is a kiddie ride. No parents are allowed. Does the Park and the Manufacturer of the ride, not have a responsibility to secure the patrons?
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Inflatable/Bounce Safety
On Friday July 30 another Titanic Slide incident happened in Washington State. Here is the news link to the story, http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/04/08/01/loc_slide001.cfm . More information on other incidents involving amusement rides can be found at www.rideaccidents.com .
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