Many families who visit Orlando amusement parks do so to escape the realities of everyday life. Most of them expect to have an enjoyable experience while they’re here. In recent years, many stories have made the news about visitors getting injured at Florida theme parks. If you think that the dangers that customers face are scary, then you may find it disconcerting to learn that workers are even more at risk of getting hurt.
Most every amusement park is required to have an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) in place. They’re also required to make sure that their employees are aware of it.
It’s in this document that parks are required to list any potential workplace hazards. They’re also expected to detail how they plan to manage them. It should spell out who’s responsible for park safety, which employee to whom concerns should be reported and whom should address those concerns.
Some of the more serious injury risks that amusement park workers face are being struck by, being dragged or run over by ride cars. These can cause serious injuries or even death. An employee can eliminate potential hazards and reduce their risk of getting hurt by isolating power to certain portions of a ride via lockout procedures.
Amusement park workers should be instructed how far of a distance that they should keep from moving rides. If blind spots exist, mirrors or cameras should be installed to increase visibility. Any potential issues that may be hazardous to workers or the general public should also be labeled. Workers should also be encouraged to speak up if they have safety concerns or if they’re unsure how to operate a ride.
Theme park visitors have to meet certain height requirements to get onto particular rides. Some safety analysts note that workers at these tourist attractions should also have to meet the same criteria as well. Employees entrusted to operate rides should be mature enough that they can do so with a high degree of discretion.
Park visitors and workers at the parks frequently get injured in the same manner. Those who are in charge fail to perform regular maintenance on their equipment, to adequately train their staff and to clearly designate potential hazards that exist. A workers’ compensation attorney can help you in holding wrongdoers responsible for your injuries when you’re hurt on the job.
