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NT WorkSafe has charged a Darwin amusement ride operator with four breaches of the Northern Territory's Work Health and Safety (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2011, over the 2019 Freds Pass Show ride incident where two people were injured.

As advised in an NT WorkSafe press release, in 2019, Tyrone Troy Taylor supplied and operated the show rides for the sideshow alley at the Fred’s Pass Show. On Saturday 18th May, one of the tension arms on the Octopus ride broke, causing the sweep arm to buckle and the attached to a gondola to crash to the ground injuring both passengers.

A NT WorkSafe investigation found the Octopus Ride had a number of defects on the sweep arms and tension rods compromising the structural integrity of the ride. The investigation also found the ride’s brakes were compromised due to lack of maintenance and repair.

NT WorkSafe will allege that the Octopus Ride required regular maintenance and a safe system of work to ensure the safety of workers operating the ride, passengers and nearby bystanders.

NT WorkSafe will further allege that supplying and operating the Octopus Ride with the defects identified in the NT WorkSafe investigation was inherently dangerous and put the workers, passengers and other people near the ride at risk of death or serious injury.

Taylor faces two charges under section 32 of the Act for failing to ensure the health and safety of his two workers who operated the ride at the time of the incident, as per section 19(1) of the Act.

Taylor faces a further two charges under section 32 of the Act for failing to ensure the health and safety of the two injured passengers, as per section 19(2) of the Act.

If found guilty of all four charges, Taylor faces a combined maximum penalty of $1.2 million.

The matter is listed for mention in the Darwin Local Court on 24th June 2021.

Image: The aftermath of the 2019 Freds Pass Show ride incident. Credit: ABC.

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