Amusement Ride and Device Inspection to ISO 17842 and EN 13814
Amusement ride and device safety inspection: structure, mechanics, restraints and controls, NDT and functional testing, before and in service.
Amusement rides carry the public, operate continuously through the season and fail in ways that are immediately visible. itmad provides amusement ride and device safety inspection covering the structure, the mechanisms that move it, the systems that stop it and the restraints that hold people in place, each of which degrades on a different timescale, with NDT and functional testing before entry into service and in service. itmad operates across the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
Rides and attractions covered
Theme park rides and attractions; water parks, slides and adventure pools; fairground and travelling rides; family entertainment centre equipment; go-kart tracks and circuits; zip lines and adventure courses; inflatable play equipment; soft play and playground equipment; observation wheels and towers; and temporary event structures.
Scope of inspection
The structural examination covers the load-bearing structure, connections, foundations and supports for cracking, corrosion, distortion and previous repair, with NDT of critical welds and components where the condition or standard requires it. The mechanical examination covers drive systems, bearings, shafts, gearboxes, wheels, tracks and guides, and the wear limits that the manufacturer sets for each. Hydraulic and pneumatic systems, meaning cylinders, valves, hoses, accumulators and pressure relief devices, are checked for holding capability under load and for behaviour on loss of pressure.
Passenger restraint systems are examined for locking, redundancy and the behaviour of secondary retention if the primary fails, since they are the system with the least tolerance for degradation. Service and emergency braking are tested for performance, including stopping from operating speed and holding on a gradient. Electrical and control systems are examined, including control logic, interlocks, position sensing, limit devices and the safety-related parts of the control system, and so are the backup and emergency systems: standby power, emergency evacuation arrangements and the means of returning passengers to a safe position when the ride stops mid-cycle.
Functional testing then verifies ride movement, clearances and envelope, interlocking, pressure relief, brake performance, speed and acceleration against the design values.
Before entry into service
Before a ride enters service, itmad reviews the design documentation and static calculations, verifies manufacturing and construction against the design, and reviews welding procedures, welder qualifications and material certification. Installation is verified against the manufacturer's requirements, the operation, maintenance and inspection manuals supplied with the ride are reviewed, and commissioning and acceptance testing is carried out.
In service
Periodic examination takes place at the interval that the manufacturer, the standard or the governing authority sets, with additional inspection after relocation, major repair, modification or any incident. Travelling and temporary rides are inspected after each erection, because the assembly is new each time, however many times it has been done before.
Standards applied
The standards are ISO 17842 parts 1, 2 and 3 on the safety of amusement rides and devices, covering design and manufacture, operation and use, and inspection; EN 13814 on fairground and amusement park machinery and structures; and the ASTM F24 series where the ride was designed or is operated to American practice. The manufacturer's inspection, maintenance and operation manuals govern the ride-specific limits that no general standard can set, and the requirements of the authority having jurisdiction over the venue apply as well.
How itmad works
itmad conducts amusement ride inspection in accordance with the principles of ISO/IEC 17020: inspectors work to documented procedures, findings are recorded against objective criteria drawn from the applicable standard and the manufacturer's documentation, and impartiality is maintained throughout. itmad does not design, manufacture, supply, operate or repair the rides it inspects. Where a venue's governing authority requires inspection by a body holding a specific approval, the client should say so at enquiry stage, and itmad will confirm what applies before any work is commissioned.
What the client receives
A report that identifies the ride by manufacturer, model, serial number and location, with findings recorded system by system and photographic evidence. Defects are classified by severity, distinguishing what stops the ride from what must be monitored, and NDT reports are included where non-destructive examination was carried out. The report gives functional test results against the design values, an assessment against the applicable standard and the manufacturer's requirements, the next inspection due date, and an updated ride register where itmad holds it.
Frequently asked questions
What does an amusement ride inspection cover?
The structure, the mechanisms that move it, the systems that stop it and the restraints that hold people in place. It also covers electrical controls, backup and emergency systems, NDT of critical components and functional testing against design values.
Why are restraints a particular focus?
They are the system with the least tolerance for degradation. itmad examines their locking, their redundancy and the behaviour of secondary retention if the primary fails.
Which standards apply?
ISO 17842 parts 1, 2 and 3, EN 13814, and the ASTM F24 series where the ride was designed or is operated to American practice. The manufacturer's manuals and the requirements of the authority having jurisdiction apply as well.
What is reviewed before a ride enters service?
Design documentation and static calculations, manufacturing and construction against the design, welding procedures and material certification, installation against the manufacturer's requirements, and the manuals supplied with the ride. Commissioning and acceptance testing follow.
How often is a ride inspected in service?
At the interval that the manufacturer, the standard or the governing authority sets, and after relocation, major repair, modification or any incident. Travelling and temporary rides are inspected after each erection.
Does itmad design or repair the rides it inspects?
No. itmad does not design, manufacture, supply, operate or repair them, and works in accordance with the principles of ISO/IEC 17020 to maintain impartiality.