Queensland Government set to enforce tough safety rules for amusement rides

August 2, 2018

New regulations governing the safety of amuesement rides will come into force in Queensland before the end of the year, in a further crackdown following four fatalities at Dreamworld in October 2016.

Queensland Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said the Amusement Device Working Group, including industry representatives, would be given the draft Health and Safety (Amusement Devices - Public Safety) Amendment Regulation as part of ongoing consultation.

The proposed changes include mandatory training for ride operators, mandatory major inspections of all amusement and theme park rides, a requirement for major theme parks to develop an integrated safety management system and additional record-keeping through detailed log books for rides.

Minister Grace said training for each ride would be different and based on manufacturer's specifications, commenting “operating a merry-go-round might be different to operating a much more complex ride with different safety requirements.”

Minister Grace said she would also like to see the development of a code of practice to set details about training, adding “maybe the operators maybe identified, a trained operator, so when a parent puts their child on a ride they know the person that is there is a trained operator, it could be something hanging from their neck, something they're wearing.”

The draft reforms will be passed to the Queensland Coroner and come into force before the end of the year, Minister Grace told a budget estimates hearing on Thursday.

She also advised that recommendations from the inquest into the Dreamworld deaths would alos be taken into account, stating "if there are any further recommendations that come from the inquest we will ensure that we will incorporate those.”

The regulations will also apply to transportable rides as well as those fixed permanently in parks.

Workplace health and safety officers are preparing for a full audit of all 34 rides at Brisbane's Ekka show, which starts on 20^th August, followed by an audit of all of Queensland’s amusement and theme parks.

The inquest into the Dreamworld fatalities is due to resume in October.

Image: In 2014, a 20-year-old carnival worker was killed while dismantling this fairground ride at Collingwood Park State School, west of Brisbane.

30th July 2018 - Ride fatalities aftermath continues to drive down Dreamworld’s value

1st July 2018 - Coronial inquest claims Dreamworld Chief Executive

30th June 2018 - Ardent Leisure issues statement of apology over Dreamworld deaths

26th June 2018 - Inquest hears that Dreamworld cut back maintenance in months before 2016 ride fatalities

21st October 2017 - Queensland Police say no staff should be prosecuted over 2016 Dreamworld deaths

16th October 2017 - Queensland Parliament passes industrial manslaughter laws in wake of Dreamworld fatalities

30th September 2017 - Queensland Government considering legal action over Dreamworld deaths

15th July 2017 - Ekka launches new initiatives in 140th year

16th April 2017 - Consulting engineer rebuts Australian Women’s Weekly ride safety ‘investigation’

29th October 2016 - Queensland Government to undertake ‘safety blitz’ on theme parks

8th July 2016 - Ekka free to ban safety inspection company being prosecuted over Royal Adelaide Show ride death

25th October 2015 - Weekend incidents put focus on fairground ride safety

7th August 2015 - Amusement ride operators to undergo Ekka safety audits

11th December 2014 - Carnival ride worker crushed to death in Queensland

15th August 2012 - Without volunteers agricultural shows ‘will cease to exist’

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