FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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May 10, 1984 |
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Release # 84-031 |
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CPSC Announces Corrective Action Plan
For Popular "Enterprise" Amusement Park Ride
Washington, D. C. -- After a thorough investigation of an accident involving
the "Enterprise" amusement ride, on October 17, 1983, at the Texas State Fair in
Dallas, in which one rider died and at least three persons were hospitalized, the
U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced an interim corrective action
plan for mobile "Enterprise" rides operating in the United States.
The vote was 3 to 1 to accept the corrective action plan. Commissioners
Stuart M. Statler, Terrence M. Scanlon and Saundra Brown Armstrong voted for the plan.
CPSC Chairman Nancy Harvey Steorts dissented (dissent attached).
The Enterprise ride is one of the most popular amusement rides in this country.
The incident in Texas occurred when one car of the Enterprise separated from the
sweep arm of the ride and fell onto the midway of the Fair. The ride was operated
by Continental Park Attractions and manufactured by Heinr, Wilhelm Huss & Company of
West Germany.
The corrective action, which is to be implemented by Huss Trading Corporation
in conjunction with owners of 6 similar mobile Enterprise rides operating in the
United States, would include upgrading key structural components of the rides to bring
them up to the latest manufacturing design.
The plan will require intensive inspections--on a daily, monthly, and annual
basis-- by ride owners and operators, in an effort to detect early-on the presence
of significant structural damage or other problems affecting the Enterprise ride so
as to avert similar tragedies in the future.
The voluntary plan with the CPSC covers only mobile Enterprise rides (those
transported from site to site) since the CPSC has no jurisdiction over rides
permanently fixed to a site. However, the CPSC intends to provide information on
this corrective action plan to all identified Huss Enterprise ride owners in this
country in an effort to ensure total ride safety.
Additionally, State officials will be requested to assist in the monitoring of the
interim plan for the Enterprise. Presently 23 States regulate the operation of
amusement rides in some manner or another.
The Commission is continuing its investigation of the Dallas incident. Meanwhile, it will monitor inspections by the owners and take additional action where
warranted.
The investigation to date has led to inspections of most of the mobile Huss
Enterprise rides and uncovered a number of examples of structural and other cracks,
inadequate re-welds, missing turn buckles, loose screws and incomplete inspections.
While not admitting the need for corrective action, the distributor of the ride,
the Huss Trading Corporation of America, has agreed to work with the Commission in
implementing the plan developed in cooperation with the Commission and the following
mobile ride owners, Conklin Shows, West Palm Beach, Florida; Continental Park
Attractions, East Karminsdale, New York; Foley and Burke Combined Shows, Redwood City,
California; FunTastic Rides, Portland, Oregon; Klaesan Brothers, Ft. Pierce, Florida;
Murphy Brothers Expo, Tulsa, Oklahoma; and James E. Strates Shows, Orlando, Florida.
In addition to the seven mobile units, there are 12 stationary Enterprise sites
in the following locations: Brooklyn, New York; Sandusky, Ohio; Aurora, Ohio;
Hershey, Pennsylvania; West Mifflin, Pennsylvania; Seattle, Washington; Wildwood,
New Jersey; Haines City, Florida; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Warwick Neck, Rhode
Island; Shakopee, Minnesota; and Kansas City, Missouri.
Further information on this corrective action plan can be obtained by calling
the CPSC toll-free Hotline at 800-638-CPSC. The teletypewriter number for the hearing
impaired is 800-638-8270.
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Dissenting Opinion
Chairman Nancy Harvey Steorts
Corrective Action Plan
Enterprise Amusement Park Ride
May 9, 1984 |
I have voted against the interim corrective action plan for the
Enterprise Amusement Park Ride because I believe that it does not
provide sufficient safeguards for the American Consumer. I am
particularly concerned that there is no secondary safety back-up system
nor an adequate warning system to alert the operator in the event of a
structural failure.
The staff investigation yielded four potential defects: 1)
inadequate car strength and/or bearing block holders strength; 2)
inadequate safety instructions for owners and operators; 3) inadequate
notice of weight limit of passengers; and 4) inadequate inspection and
maintenance. Three of these four defects are rectified by the plan
approved by the Commission.
The most important potential defect, structural integrity, in my
opinion, has not been adquately addressed by the corrective action plan.
The tragic death and injuries that occurred at the Dallas State
Fair last Fall were a direct result of a structural failure. At this
point it is not known whether this structual failure was the result of
poor operation, maintenance or a design defect. The plan does include a
requirement that certain stress points be made stronger but this does
not satisfy my concern.
I believe that the manufacturer should add a back-up safety system
and a warning system to address the risk of structural failure. In this
era of technological advancement, I feel such a system can be developed
and would thus provide adequate safety for the consumer.
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