The UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a revised version of its HSG175 document Fairgrounds and Amusement Parks: Guidance on safe practice. The HSE has worked closely with the Fairgrounds and amusement parks Joint Advisory Committee (FJAC) to improve safety standards.
The publication incorporates improvements made over several years in the industry’s practices and deals with the safety of employers, employees and the general public using amusement equipment. It also provides advice on controlling risks, site layout and safe systems of work, plus guidance on ride design, manufacture, installation, operation, maintenance and inspection.
“I am very pleased that HSE and the fairground and amusement park trade associations have worked together to revise HSG175,” said HSE’s Barry Baker, launching the publication at the recent LIW trade show in Birmingham, joined by Richard Barnes of ADIPS, the Amusement Device Inspections Procedure Scheme.
“The new edition builds on improvements in industry practices over several years and provides information that will be of use to designers, manufacturers, organisers, controllers and attendants, and the inspection bodies who examine the rides.”
Baker added that the safety record of the industry is good and has improved significantly since 2000, with a fall in reported major accidents from over 600 in 2001 to under 300 in 2006. “Sadly, there are still occasional serious and sometimes fatal accidents, but I believe that the continued development of ADIPS, along with the use of the new guidance, will allow the industry to manage health and safety, promote public confidence and continue to drive down accident figures.”
The new guidance is available from trade associations making up the Amusement Device Safety Council (ADSC), including BALPPA, as well as on order from bookshops.
