Who ensures ziplines and amusement park rides in B.C. are safe?

An outsized number of incident reports are connected to one type of amusement park ride in particular.

Published Aug 31, 2024  •  Last updated 0 minutes ago  •  4 minute read

A picture from a Technical Safety B.C. report shows a woman clinging to a zipline after her harness became detached. The terrifying ride over a ravine near Radium Hot Springs in June 2023 lasted 12 to 14 seconds. (Note: Her face is blacked out in the report). Photo by Technical Safety B.C. /Government of B.C.

It’s the stuff of nightmares.

An amusement park ride that starts spinning too fast. A shoulder restraint that unlocks on a roller-coaster. A zipline harness that detaches over a ravine.

All three scenarios have happened in B.C. in the last 10 years, although none led to serious injuries.

Technical Safety B.C. oversees the safety of roller-coasters, ziplines, bouncy castles, bumper cars and waterslides — and investigates when things goes awry.

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Incidents are rare, said Ryan Hazlett, leader of incident investigations, and B.C. should be proud of its safety system.

It’s unusual to be sprayed by oil on a pendulum ride at the fair, or caught in a miniature train derailment, two of the dozen or so incidents detailed on the organization’s website.

“There’s a culture of continuous improvement,” he said.

There have been several injuries over the years, including a broken clavicle on a bobsled ride, a kick to the head when a wave rider dipped low over bystanders and a finger severed by a zipline.

In fact, ziplines are the subject of several incident reports.

Hazlett said that isn’t a coincidence. It “speaks to the proactive nature of the industry” in trying to improve safety. Not every event merits a report, and those that do, typically contain lessons that can be learned and shared to prevent future issues.

Last August, a zipline rider suffered a leg injury resulting in severe bleeding when they careened into a metal staircase on a course near Whistler. The wheeled staircase was used to help riders get off the zipline at the end of the ride, but hadn’t been moved out of the way.

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A guide at the bottom of the zipline gave the all clear — “10-4 to fly” — and a guide at top sent the rider down. “Once riders are launched there is no mechanical ability for the rider to slow or stop their descent,” noted the incident report, which was completed in December. The guide noticed the staircase too late to prevent the crash, and the rider struck it travelling 60 to 80 km/h.

It wasn’t the only mishap involving a zipline last year. In June, at a zipline near Radium Hot Springs, a rider zipped over a ravine holding on for life after her harness became detached.

“The patron relied only on their grip to stop them from dropping as they completed the zipline,” said the incident report, which concluded the rider’s harness likely detached from the line because a threaded coupling hadn’t been properly tightened with a wrench at the start of the tour. The guide who was tightening the harnesses also missed another rider in the same group, but that person’s harness stayed connected.

The person’s terrifying ride lasted about 12 to 14 seconds, noted the report: “After the incident they did not continue the tour.”

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The case involving the severed finger happened in July 2021 on Vancouver Island, when a zipline rider took their hand off the brake handle and reached up to the cable to try to slow themselves down. Their hand was run over by a trolley wheel.

And in August 2016, an anchor bolt failed on a zipline in Victoria, causing the cable to let go. A rider fell several metres to the ground, while another person who was holding onto the zipline cable at the loading area was thrown from the deck to the ground.

One suffered a broken wrist and back injury, while the other sustained a concussion.

Hazlett said, however, that amusement park riders should feel confident. Of the hundreds of thousands of rides people go on across B.C. every year, only a handful have proved dangerous. In 2023, there were 17 incidents that led to 14 injuries. That number is typical for a year.

“Amusement rides are safe. Operators do care,” he said.

Technical Safety B.C., an independent self-funded organization that monitors the installation and operation of technical systems in B.C. including gas, electrical and amusement devices, ensures operators meet B.C. safety standards and codes.

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As part of their operating permit, amusement parks must report any safety incidents to Technical Safety B.C. and submit to inspections. If there is an incident, safety officers investigate and work with the operator to ensure compliance. Following an incident, they must shut down until they get permission to resume operations.

Technical Safety B.C. has the ability to levy fines or suspend operations if they’re unsafe.

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