Extra checks on the safety of fairground and theme park rides will take place this summer after a string of incidents.
Britain’s workplace regulator the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will carry out 100 inspections of various rides following incidents in London, Barrow, Cardiff, Hull and Barnsley. The HSE inspection campaign looks to promote the safe use of certain rides.
The HSE inspector said: “When there is a failure or incorrect operation of a ride it can result in catastrophic consequences. HSE recognises that recent incidents, including the prosecution of operators following a fatal incident in March 2016 involving inflatable devices, have raised public awareness of the potential for injury and harm to users of such devices when they are not set up, maintained and operated in-line with manufacturer guidance or good practice standards. HSE’s overall strategy is to promote the safe use of fairground rides and inflatable devices and in doing so reduce the risk of such catastrophic incidents to as low as is reasonably practicable.”
Starting on 24 April, HSE will carry out 100 targeted inspections of specific fairground rides with the programme set to finish by September 2023. The inspection programme comes as HSE continues to build upon intervention work undertaken in previous years to address emerging safety issues in the fairground industry.
The rides being targeted are Round Ups, Crazy Frogs, Twists, high speed rides and Star Flyers used at travelling fairground and theme park sites. Each of the rides will be inspected to ensure that they are safe for workers and passengers to use, and are being correctly maintained and operated.
For any further advice, phone us on 01691 688723 or email us at info@mbo.ltd and we will be happy to assist you.
Source of information: HSE: Information about health and safety at work