Everyone loves spending time at a fairground, and we all have fond memories of special moments in fairgrounds, from eating the ubiquitous and oh-so-familiar candy floss and popcorn to playing games such as a ball in the bucket and ring toss and, of course, riding those thrilling rides and attractions such as tilt-a-whirls and the Ferris wheel and more. But if you have planned or are in the midst of planning a funfair or fairground event, there's no denying that fairground safety is a primary concern. You not only want your participants and guests to enjoy it – you also want to ensure that they stay safe and are safe at all times when they are partaking in games and taking rides. So how can you make sure that everyone stays safe at your funfair event? Here are the top measures you can take to enhance safety at your funfair.
When you are looking for a funfair hire specialist who can supply you with the funfair or fairground rides you need, see if you can do an inspection of the machines. First of all, are they properly stored? Do the rides and machines look well-maintained, or do they look dirty and worse, decrepit? Do they look like they have missing parts or components, and do they look well-presented and solid? Good fairground rides for hire specialists should be able to maintain their rides in the best way; even a good look at the surface (the paint) on the rides will tell you whether or not they are fit to use.
If the fairground ride specialist can provide you with operators, this is all well and good. It’s often a standard that they can supply you with operators who will run the rides for your event. But take a look at their attendants as well. If you can, try to do an ocular inspection of an event where they have their rides; do the attendants look like they know what they are doing, and are they doing it efficiently? Are the operators and attendants mindful of checking various restraints, and are they paying close attention to what is happening while the machines are running?
When you are at your event, be very strict about restrictions on height. Some people will try to cheat the limits on height, and this can be very dangerous indeed. Bear in mind that the restrictions are in place because the ride's seats can only hold individuals of a particular size. If a rider is too small or even too big or too thin, they can be ejected from the ride and machine, resulting in an accident. During your event, assign someone to keep a close eye on each ride as well, especially thrill rides where height limitations are imposed.
An organised and efficient funfair or fairground will be run by someone who belongs to or is a member of a trade organisation or association like the SGGB or Showman's Guild of Great Britain or the BALPPA, or British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers, and Attractions. This means that all their rides will be adequately tested, and they will also have a certificate for each ride, proving that it is safe and works well. Don't forget to ask for these certificates; they should be on-hand as proof that the rides are safe.
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