Text-only version
Saferparks Report on Falls and Ejections - Last update July 2006
Table of Contents:
Overview
Data Sources
Summary of Findings
Whirling/Spinning Rides
Kiddie Rides
Coasters
Other Ride Types
Industry Standards for Restraints
Summary of Findings (continued)
Relative Weight of Falls/Ejections by Ride Type
The next graph shows the relative weight of fall/ejection accidents within the larger scope of all accident records for that ride type. Falls account for almost one quarter of the accidents reported on kiddie rides. By contrast, falls and ejection account for only 1% of coaster accident/injury reports.
Equipment Failure and Operational Failure
The red segments indicate the percentage of reports for that ride ride type which noted equipment or operational failures as causal factors. Note that many of the accident descriptions in regulatory records provided to Saferparks lack the level of detail and/or independent verification necessary to code this information reliably. Equipment and operational failures may have played a causal role in more of these accidents than is indicated in the preceding graph. Equipment failure includes cases where a lap bar opened during the ride cycle, but does not include cases where patrons unlatched belts or unhooked chains (i.e., kiddie ride and swing ride patterns).
Saferparks chose not to code notations of simple operator inattention as operational failures because operator inattention is not a primary trigger for falls/ejections from amusement rides, nor is close visual attention by the operator a reliable method of preventing such accidents. For every accident record noting operator inattention as a causal factor (i.e., the operator didn't respond quickly enough when the child began to fall), there was a matching case where the operator did everything he/she could and the child fell out anyway.
In order to be effective, intervention needs to occur long before a child gets into a dangerous position on a moving machine. Ride operators should remain alert while on the job, but studies show that humans have limited capacity for vigilance, and may not respond smartly and quickly when something unexpected and dangerous occurs in real time. Amusement rides should be designed in such a way that they can be safely operated by inexperienced, minimally-trained workers and safely used by inexperienced, untrained children and adults.
Restraint Status
The following graph shows available information on the status of the patron's restraint before, during, and after the fall or ejection. Most regulatory records do not include this information. "None provided" means that no restraints were provided on the ride (e.g., teacups, water rides). "Stayed latched" means that the patron came out from under or over a latched restraint. "Patron unlatched" means that the patron unlatched the restraint before falling. "No check by the operator" means the report noted that the ride operator failed to check the restraint prior to starting the ride and the patron fell because the restraint was unsecured. "Came open" means the report noted that the restraint came open during the ride cycle.
