Green Lantern incident at MW

[Levithian]

They build test tracks because they have to confirm that designs computer models have simulated perform as expected. Not the other way around is the point I made, the computer simulations have replaced testing as the primary analysis. Especially in the case of a newly manufactured component. Yes, with real world testing you can test it to complete destruction without having to worry about loss of life if the part caused a catastrophic failure, but they are only testing the component to support the data they already have from models.

Have you seen them testing before with all the equipment? It's pretty crazy, all sorts of monitoring devices, strain gauges, stress gauges, load cells, accelerometers, inclinometers. It captures so much data you can compare something as simple as running the guide wheels a little loose, or even the difference in newly packed/replaced vs previously run bearings.

FYI. Codes of practice aren't legislation, they are guidelines outlining things health and safety compliancing and issues. You can have a ton of codes that aren't even approved by work safe but are adopted by industry, which basically gives them no power to be acted against. It's the ACT's that hold all the power.

Australia is one of these countries that are a victim of their own development and prosperity. We don't have the money to ensure that everything that comes into the country is tested to comply with our relevant laws and safety standards. It's the primary reason we suddenly hear about things like crayons containing asbestos when they have been on the shelf and sold for years. Instead, what we tend to do is if the item being imported has been tested (and you supply these documents) by a relevant agency or body in the country of manufacture, we use their testing results and assume everything was done correctly. It's often not until someone has an issue with a product that the ACCC is called in to investigate claims.

It has caused quite a bit of issue recently with the auto industry because the chinese crash tests are not at all like the australian ones. The amount of deformation encountered while still passing their tests is shocking. So we have a bunch of chinese produced vehicles like great walls, chery and tata's running around with reported high levels/marks of safety, when in fact, some didn't even pass an equivalent australian test.

It's quite alarming because you can sometimes find little oversights like this buried in things like free trade agreements australia has with other countries. We are essentially signing our high levels of safety away to foreign countries in the interest of making more money

Edited October 22, 2015 by Levithian

[rappa]

Pretty much what he said above. 

Youll find with most test tracks for coasters (like the batman example) are built really so that people can ride and test how the ride 'feels.'

There's a great quote from a VP from Arrow in a really old documentary that says "you can build a ride that's expensive, and looks great and sounds great. But if it doesn't feel good no one will want to ride it, and no one will want to put it in their park"

Their first suspended coaster prototypes are a primary example of this. 

[LaurenHope]

I was at MW yesterday and they were running 3 cars, one with dummies in the front, another at the back and the last one had no dummies.

[Jay Jay The Jet Plane]

ride was getting tested at 2pm today

[mba2012]

The state government confirmed this morning that there was a failure in a bolt joint. News article accompanied by victims upset that the ride is reopening. http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/investigations-into-movie-worlds-green-lantern-ride-accident-found-a-bolted-joint-failed/story-fnj94idh-1227587472944

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

would likely have plummeted to the ground if two bolts had not miraculously held.

...like thousands of other bolts that somehow miraculously hold every day.

However, the State Government has cleared the theme park to rebuild the ride before a final decision on negligence is reached.

One woman, who survived the incident, told of her horror at the prospect others would be using the ride

“I noticed they have been doing test runs on it recently and I’m assuming they are planning on reopening it again sometime soon,” she said.

“I’m pretty upset by the thought of it being open to the public again.”

I think 'surviving the incident' is inflammatory. she did... but then i survived the trip to work this morning.

What part of 'the state government cleared the park to rebuild the ride' didn't she understand?

“Any breaches of Movie World’s obligations under the WHS Act 2011 will be detailed in the investigation report which is currently being finalised.

“If this action involves legal proceedings, alleged offences under the WHS Act 2011 will be detailed in court documents.

“The bolted joint that failed has been redesigned by the ride manufacturer.

“In addition, a specialist ride engineering consultant was engaged independently by Movie World to verify the safety of the new design.”

So that answers a few questions:

1. there will be a written report
2. the cause was a bolted joint - which has been redesigned (which suggests there may not be much fault in the hands of the park)
3. The park is not simply trusting the manufacturer, but having the new design thoroughly independently tested.

How anyone can whine that the park is planning to reopen a multi million dollar attraction that hasn't killed anyone, hasn't injured anyone, after a thorough investigation, independent testing and verification (and as has been said before - the lawyers and insurance companies for VRTP, S&S would clearly be satisfied) is beyond me.

 

Wonderful cutting edge journalism from the GC Bullet-in-the-head.

[MacPark]

These are just people who are rubbing their hands together thinking of a compo payout. Wait for the "i cant sleep properly and its ruined my life" crap to start coming out.

The rides been cleared, fixed and is being rigorously tested again. Give the people a lifetime pass to say sorry and move on.

Edited October 29, 2015 by MacPark

[joz]

It's a sloppy article to be sure, but the irony is it seems to downplay how close it was to ending in tragedy.  It implies that of 3 bolts, 1 failed and 2 worked.  The photos would seem to suggest this is slightly missing what actually happened.  The fact they still go on about riders being 'trapped' also suggests to me that the bulletin doesn't quite grasp the seriousness of the incident.

 

That said, I'll be confident to line up when the ride reopens.  From past experience I know how that company treats safety and mitigation of risk, I know that they wouldn't reopen the ride if they weren't totally sure it was safe to do so.

[westical]

I think 'surviving the incident' is inflammatory. she did... but then i survived the trip to work this morning.

 

Your bus wasn't half hanging off the Story Bridge this morning. 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

surviving an incident is being hit by a bus and rushed to hospital, intensive care for 6 months and walking again.

surviving an incident is surfing at main beach and being yanked under by a great white, a great slash down your leg, punching it in the nose and swimming to shore.

surviving an incident is riding a rollercoaster car that derails, tumbles two storeys onto the ground, fracturing your cervical spine and spending 8 weeks in traction

Yes - the event could have been MUCH worse. We ALL appreciate just how close to tragedy this incident came - but it didn't - and at worst - these people survived a little sunburn, dehydration and stress. Surviving the incident? please.

[New display name]

I think they did survive an incident.  I have a friend that works at the local fire brigade and they still talk about it how lucky the people where.  It was a full derailment saved by luck.  That is a major incident.  Just because it didn’t end up on the ground, well some parts did” does not stop it from being a major incident and they did survive it.  Even the dictionary agrees with me.  (An instance of something happening; an event or occurrence) which happened and they survived. Nothing in there saying you have to be hit by a bus to be an incident.

 

I think I understand what you are saying.  On Alexb scale of "survive an incident" it did not rate very high.  I think AlexB would like at least a bloody nose. lol   

 

Edited October 30, 2015 by skeetafly

[Reanimated35]

Maybe someone pooped their pants. Does that rate it a little higher?

[downunder196]

The ride had a brief appearance on 7 News earlier tonight after their story on the new Soundstage at the studios. They said the ride has been under hundreds of hours of testing and they hope to have it open again soon. The website says before Christmas. Whilst the snippet on the news was only tiny and went into little to no detail they said Movie World confirmed that the accident occurred due to a fault in the design of the wheels and not a maintenance issue. I know we've pretty much established that already but it's out there for the GP now.

[iwerks]

It will be good to have the ride back. 

I wonder how Thrillseekernomore feels about the reopening.

[westical]

Plenty of info at http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/bolt-joint-failed-on-movie-worlds-green-lantern-ride-inspectors-20151030-gkmuhb.html

ETA for reopening is 2 weeks.

[themagician]

Looking forward to riding it once again 

[Theme Park Girl]

Official update & confirmation!!! 

[themagician]

^

The website says before Christmas. Whilst the snippet on the news was only tiny and went into little to no detail they said Movie World confirmed that the accident occurred due to a fault in the design of the wheels and not a maintenance issue. I know we've pretty much established that already but it's out there for the GP now.

[Levithian]

The article quotes someone from fairwork? that said the report would only be made available if an issue of negligence was raised and movieworld was taken to court over it (in which case, the report would be included in documents filed). Also mentioned they didn't think it was the right course and they didn't have anything to answer for. Seems it was pretty close to what I said, unless the government deems there is a case of negligence to answer for and movieworld are taken to task, it looks like we won't actually get a look at the report into the failure.

If that doesn't happen, best we could hope to have happen is it's leaked or maybe someone tries to apply for the report under freedom of information act.

[mba2012]

maybe someone tries to apply for the report under freedom of information act.

You could try that, but I'd imagine something like this would happen.

 

[themagician]

The GL logo was lit up last night and all of today as well, something I haven't seen in a while 

[Levithian]

You could try that, but I'd imagine something like this would happen.

 

Hahaha. Any excuse will do in order to keep the information private. You tend to get snowballed when its stuff relating to matters of parliament/cabinet. But when it's from other government agencies we are actually paying for out of our taxes, you seem to have a bit better luck getting what is requested.

The whole cost thing though is completely absurd as the government already has a publications department where you can request technical documents, standards, codes of practice, etc. They print it out for you and bind it, you pay for it and pick up or they can post it out. Could do the same thing for anything that comes through a government body really.

[Reanimated35]

While it would be nice to see the report and see what happened, I'm just happy they're able to open it again and don't have to modify it in a big way or close it down for good. 

[MaxxTheMonster]

The GL logo was lit up last night and all of today as well, something I haven't seen in a while 

On all day yesterday and pressure cleaning of the concrete exit path and station was happening.

[mba2012]

I drove past movie world today and saw a person riding on green lantern. Definitely wasn't a dummy. So obviously they think it's safe enough for people so hopefully it'll be opening soon.