Queensland Government investigates dozens of incidents
November 24, 2007 01:00am
Article from: The Courier-Mail
* FOI documents reveal freak accidents
* Theme park staff, entertainers hurt
* Incident reports censored or withheld
A TIGER escaped from its enclosure, a dugong attacked a diver and a terrified child was left dangling from an amusement ride in a series of bizarre mishaps at Gold Coast theme parks.
A Dreamworld attendant was made to stand in the hot sun for four hours straight with no breaks or shade.
The incidents were among dozens investigated by the Queensland government and include an explosion at Movie World in which three men were badly burned, one losing an eye.
Workplace health and safety documents obtained under Freedom of Information also revealed another serious skiing accident during a stunt at Sea World last year.
Out-of-control jet ski slams into audience
A man, believed to be Liam Alrich, suffered a shocking leg injury when he was rammed against a "safety wall" erected after an out-of-control jet ski slammed into the audience hurting four people seated in the stadium in 2002.
Nearly all accident victims in recent years were employees of theme parks.
Gold Coast trick rider Sarah Nicholas, 20, whose act included standing on a horse and riding blindfolded, suffered head injuries in a fall at the Australian Outback Spectacular.
She left to pursue a nursing career but told me she is still a trick rider part-time.
"It's fun," she said.
Workplace health and safety officers expressed anger after finding a young log ride attendant at Dreamworld was made to "stand in the hot sun for four hours straight with no breaks or shade".
"The dingo had better protection than the worker," investigator Ray Billiet reported.
Dreamworld then changed its work practices and erected shades.
Incident reports censored or withheld
Not all the reports into workplace health and safety were released. Several were censored or withheld because their release was not deemed to be in the public interest.
These included a five-page report on a log ride "incident" at Dreamworld, a report on ride seatbelts at Dreamworld, and a report on a "horse colliding with a pedestrian" at Australian Outback Spectacular.
An investigation into a lifeguard rescue at Wet 'n' Wild also was withheld.
Other incidents include a near-fatal carbon monoxide poisoning at Wet 'n' Wild and a complaint by a worker that he suffered an electric shock from an automatic teller machine at Dreamworld.
Theme park bosses said incidents involving members of the public were rare.
And Minister for Workplace Safety John Mickel said there had been no adverse findings against the safety of amusement rides.
However there were complaints that an attendant laughed when a terrified child was left dangling from Dreamworld's Reef Diver spinning ride.
The child's mother complained the velcro strap holding the boy came loose.
However it is believed the boy was still safely secured inside a metal cage.
Celebrity dugong rams scuba diver
At Sea World earlier this year a scuba diver suffered neck injuries when he was rammed by Pig, the 250kg celebrity dugong raised at Sea World after he was found orphaned at Ingham in 1998.
At Dreamworld, operator error was blamed in part for a series of collisions on the log ride with cabins known as capsules bumping into each other. There were no reports of injury.
Dreamworld was also cited last year for allowing combustible debris and vegetation to build up around its dangerous goods storage area.
And it was criticised for an incomplete safety management system for the storage of dangerous goods.
Movie World answered a complaint that a worker had been harassed and another complaint of broken asbestos sheeting being found lying near the Lethal Weapon ride.
In March last year investigators reported that a warehouse assistant was rushed to hospital after being exposed to elevated levels of carbon monoxide at Wet 'n' Wild.
The worker became unwell while operating an LPG-powered forklift in a coldroom for about 50 minutes. The theme park has since switched to electric-powered forklifts.
Mr Mickel said: "Workplace Health and Safety Queensland has built a co-operative and positive relationship with the theme parks over many years which has led to a high level of compliance with safety regulations and adoption of industry best practice."
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