FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 1999
Release # 99-083
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Company Phone Number: (503) 694-2803
CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: Ken Giles, (301) 504-7052
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CPSC, Reverchon Industries Announce Repair Program for Himalaya
Amusement Rides
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC), Reverchon Industries, of Samois, France, and Reverchon
USA, of Wilsonville, Ore., are offering new inspection and maintenance
procedures and secondary restraints for approximately 25 Himalaya
amusement rides operating in the U.S.
CPSC has received reports of five incidents involving the Himalaya ride
resulting in two deaths and three injuries. This repair program is the result of
a CPSC investigation of these incidents. Most recently, one rider was killed
and two others seriously injured when they were ejected from the ride in
Austin, Texas, on March 19, 1998. The component failures appear to be the
result of poor maintenance and inspection procedures. These rides should be
properly inspected and maintained according to the manufacturer's
specifications or serious injury and death to riders can occur.
Reverchon is offering ride owners and state safety officials current
inspection and maintenance guidelines, and a free tolerance gauge which
measures wear on the lap bar latch. Ride operators also must install a speed
control device and a secondary lap bar latching device. For more information,
owners and state safety officials can contact Reverchon in the USA at (503)
694-2803 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PST Monday through Friday or Reverchon
in France at 011-331-6074-9400.
CPSC is working with state regulators to ensure that these safety repairs
and inspections are carried out. In addition to this repair program, CPSC has
issued three safety alerts to states for inspection of the Himalaya rides. While
CPSC has jurisdiction over the mobile rides that move from place to place,
states and local communities are responsible for inspections and oversight.
While most states currently have some mandatory regulations or inspection
program to ensure ride safety, the following states have no regulations and do
not require that rides be inspected for safety: Alabama, Kansas, Missouri,
Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Vermont. The following
states have insurance company or other private inspections, but do not require
inspections by state or local regulators: Arizona, Minnesota, Mississippi, New
Mexico, Tennessee and Texas.
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