Regulations seek to ensure even the scary rides are safe

By Rusty Murry

Nevada Daily Mail

The death of a four year-old boy Monday, June 13, on a Walt Disney World ride known as "Mission: Space" could mean that ride safety will be on the minds of many local residents and fair-goers. With Bushwhacker Days in full swing, everyone wants another safe, enjoyable festival, and that includes the rides.

Our community has a long history of safety during our annual celebration. A spokesperson for the Nevada Fire Department reports that a search of records going back to 1975 revealed that there has not been a single accident or incident serious enough to warrant calling fire department personnel to the scene. This seems to be the rule rather than the exception.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commision has jurisdiction over mobile rides, like those used by Miller Spectacular Shows but not over fixed rides like those at Six Flags or Worlds of Fun.

The commission's latest Amusement Ride-Related In-juries and Deaths Update, dated September 2004, reports a 2003 injury total of 3,000 non-occupational injuries. This is also the source and figure used by the Outdoor Amusement Business Association, the North American trade association for the outdoor amusement industry, when they compile statistics on ride safety.

A statistics link on their home page, www.oaba.org, also says the number of rides given in an average year could easily exceed 300 million riders. The math is easy to do, but their report estimates that there were 10 ride-related injuries per one million rides given. The same report places the number of ride related, non-occupational fatalities at 10 for the years 1987 thru 2003. The math there isn't so simple, but it's easy to see that mobile rides are generally safe, especially when compared to other mobile forms of fun. For example when compared to recreational use of ATVs, amusement rides are a very safe form of outdoor fun. The Consumer Product Safety Commission posted a report on the number of injuries and deaths resulting from ATV use during the same time frame as covered in the rides report.

ATV injuries for 2003 totaled 125,500. In 2002 they added up to 113,900 and in 2001 still up there at 110,100. That seems like a large amount of injuries, but the number of deaths is even more alarming. From 1987 to 2003, the same period where there were 10 amusement ride related deaths, there were 4,971 ATV related deaths.

On a state level, Chapter 316 of the Missouri Revised Statutes covers shows, circuses, amusement buildings, and festivals. The task of reviewing and suggesting revisions to the Amusement Ride Safety Act is the responsibility of the nine member Amusement Ride Safety Board. The board's findings and or recomendations concerning safety issues are reported to the state fire marshall at the Missouri Division of Fire Safety and the Amusement Ride Safety Unit of that agency administers the Amusement Ride Safety Act.

The unit is charged with permit processes, law changes, spot safety inspections, hiring qualified ride inspectors, tracking accident numbers, and keeping adequate, up to date records among other things. If you have any questions regarding ride safety in Missouri you can contact the Missouri Division of Fire Safety, Amusement Ride Safety Unit at P.O. Box844 Jefferson City, Missouri 65102 or (573)751-2930 or on the Internet at www.mdfs.state.mo.us.