Extra checks on 100 fairground & theme park rides after incidents

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced it will carry out 100 inspections on various rides after incidents in Cardiff, London, Barrow, Hull and Barnsley.

HSE inspector David Kivlin 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.”

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.

HSE has decided to focus on these particular rides following a number of incidents at different fairgrounds and theme parks. Several of these incidents are now being investigated by HSE.

Should HSE inspectors from the National Fairground Inspection Team (NFIT) identify any ongoing risk of serious personal injury then enforcement action will be taken according to HSE’s Enforcement Management Model.

There are a range of enforcement options available to HSE, including providing information face-to-face or in writing, serving Improvement and Prohibition Notices as well as prosecution. Inspectors will also be looking to help ride owners and operators understand the risk involved with these rides.