What comes to your mind when you think about an amusement park? Fun, excitement, speed, and more, right? Even when all the rides are fun, what makes these rides fun is the amount of safety they can give to people who are enjoying them. As the UAE is transitioning to one of the prominent sites for tourism and entertainment, the amusement parks also have a fair share of the spotlight. With the growing number of tourists, isn’t it necessary to give importance to the safety standards and protocols?
In this blog, we will discuss the amusement ride safety standards in the UAE and the importance of complying with these regulations in the UAE.
Why are Safety Standards Important?
Several rides function in an amusement park. These rides are solely depending on the speed, elevation, and freefall. As much as these are adrenaline-generated rides, they require high caution to make them safe. Along with the large crowds, it is difficult to manage the amusement park functions. There is also the factor that the rides and equipment used in these parks possess complex machinery, vulnerable to costly damage.
- Safeguarding the Visitors: The safety standards are necessary to ensure the safety of the visitors who are coming to enjoy the rides in the amusement parks. As amusement parks are always prone to accidents and dangers, it is important to have met the safety standards to be prepared from the side of the amusement park. This is not just to protect the visitors but also to protect the staff working in the amusement park.
- Legal Obligations: Safety aside, without meeting the safety standards, there will be legal complications in the functioning of the theme park. There are heavy fines for non-compliance, unexpected shutdowns, or worse, accidents. Without proper certificates, the compensation for any accidents will fall heavily on your finances.
- Reputation and Trust: For any business to succeed, the primary consideration is the trust it has among customers. The visitors that come to your amusement park should have the confidence to enjoy the rides and enjoy themselves. The compliance certificate will help you gain the trust of your visitors.
UAE’s Commitment to Standard
UAE’s standards are globally recognized in many sectors. There are mandatory amusement ride regulations in the UAE that amusement parks must comply with to ensure public safety.vThe multi-layered system provided by the country includes local authorities, international standards, and certifications like ISO 45001, giving importance to occupational health and safety management systems.
- Dubai Municipality Safety Guidelines: Through the health and safety department, Dubai has given many guidelines regarding safety in amusement parks as Technical Guidelines for Safety in Events and Play Areas (DM-H&SD-GU02-SEPA). This ensures that the amusement parks, soft play areas, and other outdoor mobile attractions are complied with minimum safety. The guidelines include:
- Design and structural safety
- Installation procedures
- Maintenance schedules
- Emergency preparedness
- Qualified personnel requirements
Without complying with these requirements, the operators will not receive operational clearance from the authorities.
- Emirates International Accreditation Center (EIAC) and Third-Party Inspection: Regular inspections should be carried out by third-party service provided accredited by EIAC to verify safety compliances. Load stress testing, visual and operational safety tests, and documentation audits are performed by the inspection bodies. All rides need “fit-for-use” certification before it is permitted to operate.
- ISO 45001: Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems: This is a global safety standard, and in the case of amusement parks, these standards ensure that the operators and maintenance providers can
- Identify the potential hazards in advance
- Implement appropriate risk mitigation strategies
- Involve all the staff in safety management
- Monitor and improve safety constantly.
UAE also has incorporated international standards like the European Committee for Standardization to set a global benchmark for safe amusement parks by catering towards mechanical safety, design integrity, and functional quality.
Levels of Inspection for Amusement Parks
There are majorly four levels in the inspection of amusement ride safety standards in UAE.
- Level One: This is the initial approval level where the designs of the rides are reviewed and inspected. This has to be done even when an already existing ride is getting modified.
- Level Two: In the second level of inspection, all amusement rides, including complex, vertical movement, and pendulum rides with an acceleration of more than 3G, are verified and checked.
- Level Three: The third level focuses on amusement rides that have an acceleration of less than 3G.
- Level Four: In the final stage, small rides like water attraction, fixed rope, inflatable, mobile climbing, trampoline, slides, and so on are inspected.
The Anatomy of Safety: Key Components and Protocols
There are many ways to ensure the safety of the rides and visitors in an amusement park.
- With advanced technologies, the designs of the rides are finalized with various simulations to accommodate the operational stress. Unexpected failures could be managed by incorporating safety features like redundant systems.
- It is important to install the rides by experienced and quality technicians and engineers. Adherence to the safety guidelines and protocols is to be taken into consideration. Also, regular maintenance should be conducted to identify and repair any potential issues.
- Safety devices, including safety belts, safety bars, and emergency stop buttons, are mandatory in the parks. These are to help the passengers in case of emergency.
- All staff should undergo proper training regarding safety and how to react in case of an emergency or accident. The operational and maintenance staff also should undergo training related to the sudden and urgent maintenance of the equipment in the park.
- Amusement parks are supposed to have an extensive emergency plan, including evacuation procedures and responses to medical emergencies, making them prepared for unforeseen circumstances.
TEXEL’s Role in Upholding Safety Standards
Being one of the service providers prioritizing the amusement park safety rules in Dubai, Texel will be giving your amusement park a new life. With expert and experienced technicians, Texel’s regular maintenance will help you identify faulty equipment before it causes an accident. With certifications like ISO 9001:2015, our commitment to quality and safety is never compromised. Texel will ensure that your amusement parks are adhering to safety standards and that all your installations are according to international standards.
To Conclude
The safety standards for amusement parks in UAE are of international standards, and they are monitored by the authorities without any flow. Non-compliance with these safety standards will cause fatal accidents and hefty fines for the amusement parks. With regular maintenance under the experienced technicians and engineers would help the amusement park operators identify devices with potential issues and rectify the issues at the earliest. Texel, giving importance to safety and quality, is the right choice for your amusement park to ensure it complies with the amusement ride regulations in the UAE.
FAQ
- What are the safety standards that the UAE follows for amusement parks?
UAE follows a combination of local and international safety guidelines for amusement parks. There are regulations provided by the local authorities like the Dubai Municipality. The global standards like ISO 45001 are also followed by the UAE amusement parks.
- How many levels are there for a standard safety inspection?
There are four levels for a standard safety inspection. The primary level verifies the design and structure of the rides. The second level reviews the rides with acceleration greater than 3G. The third is for the rides with acceleration less than 3G, and the final is for the other simple rides, like the water-based rides.
- Is it dangerous to operate a ride without ‘fit for use’ certification from EIAC?
The inspection bodies with the accreditation of EIAC verify the load stress testing, visual and operational safety tests, and documentation audits. Without the ‘fit for use’ certification from these inspection bodies, it is dangerous to operate a ride.
- Does Texel offer inspection and maintenance services for outdoor amusement parks?
Yes, Texel offers installation, inspection, and maintenance services for both indoor and outdoor amusement parks.