CODE OF PRACTICE FOR Amusement Rides

30 Pages·2003·0.35 MB·English

CODE OF PRACTICE

FOR

Amusement Rides
CODE OF PRACTICE

FOR

AMUSEMENT RIDES

Electrical and Mechanical Services Department
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
2003 Edition
Table of Contents

Page
Foreword ii

1 General
1.1 Scope 1
1.2 Definitions 1
1.3 Process and Submission 1

2 Design Requirements
2.1 Risk Assessment 6
2.2 Design Loading 6
2.3 Stress Analysis and Related Issues 7 Simplified
2.4 Stability 9 2.6&2.7omitted
2.5 Harness and Locking Devices 9 2.9 Omitted
2.6 Braking System 11
2.7 Lifting System 11 2.12&2.13 omit

3 General Specification for Materials, Installation and Facilities
3.1 Suspended Gondola 13
3.2 Wire Ropes, Shackles and Pulleys 13
3.3 Hydraulic System 14
3.4 Pneumatic System 14
3.5 Electrical Requirements 14
3.6 Ride Control Equipment 16
3.7 Lightning Protection 17
3.8 Steam and Gas Propelled Equipment 17
3.9 Fire Protection 18
3.10 Propulsion System and Associated Protection Mechanism 18 (3.10+3.11)
3.11 Vehicle Body 18
3.12 Safety Clearance and Envelope 19
3.13 Passenger Gates 20
3.14 Maintenance Access 20
3.15 Fences and Barriers 20
3.16 Evacuation Facilities 20 3.18 omitted
3.17 Welding 21

4 Testing and Inspection Related Matters
4.1 Full Load Test 22
4.2 Test for Unbalanced Load 22
4.3 Test for Electrical Installation 22
4.4 Tests for Hydraulic and Pneumatic System 23
4.5 Non-Destructive Testing 23 New para.
4.6 Certification and Documentation of Test Record 24 4.6+4.7

Figure 1 (Sequence of Events and Key Milestones for a Typical Licensing Process under ARSO) 25

Reference 26

Enquiry 26

- i -
Foreword

This Code of Practice is issued by virtue of Section 49 of the Amusement Rides (Safety)
Ordinance, Cap.449. Unless the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services (the Director)
states otherwise, this Code is applicable to the design, construction, installation and testing
of the amusement rides under the purview of the Ordinance.

As regards the engineering design and the operation of the amusement ride, this code
intends to provide a reasonable standard and sets out the general requirements for design
and operation of the rides for the safety of the public. The ride owner and practitioner in
the trade shall take necessary steps to ensure relevant requirements stipulated in this Code
are complied with, or in special circumstances where departure is deemed necessary for
safety reasons, the design shall be in compliance with other appropriate international
standards, specifications and guidelines such as HSE 175, DIN 4112, ASTM F-24 and AS
3533 with prior approval by the Director.

Apart from the general requirements laid down in various sections of this Code, the more
specific and detailed requirements for individual category of amusement rides or some
special operations would be issued in form of technical guidelines which shall also be
observed by the relevant personnel. Meanwhile, there are 10 modules of technical
guidelines, namely

Module 1 Bungee Jumping (Bungee Cord)
Module 2 Fairground Karting
Module 3 Coin-operated Amusement Rides
Module 4 Tethered Balloons
Module 5 Aquatic Amusement Rides
Module 6 Ferris Wheels
Module 7 Carousels
Module 8 Roller Coasters
Module 9 Trains
Module 10 Inflatable Structures

It shall be noted that these technical guidelines may need updates with emerging
technology and experience. Therefore, it is expected that these documents will be reviewed
from time to time and new modules for other special subjects will also be added where
situation warrants. Any person to whom it may concern shall contact the General
Legislation Division of Electrical & Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) to obtain the
latest requirements on the above subjects.

- ii -
1 General

1.1 Scope

This Code specifies the safety requirements for design, construction, installation and testing
of amusement rides to be operated for use by members of the public in Hong Kong. It
covers the general design requirements, specification of the materials and related
equipment, provisions of redundancy and emergency arrangement, as well as testing and
commissioning of the amusement rides.

1.2 Definitions

In addition to those interpretations stated in section 2 of the Ordinance, the following
definitions will also be used in this Code:

COMPETENT PERSON, QUALIFIED PERSON, OWNER, SURVEYOR
The statutory personnel defined under the Amusement Rides (Safety) (Operation and
Maintenance) Regulation.

REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER (RPE)
The registered professional engineer, within the meaning of the Engineers Registration
Ordinance (Cap. 409), who is qualified to practice in a particular engineering discipline in Hong
Kong.

SAFETY FACTOR
Safety factor is the ratio of the ultimate breaking load of a component against the maximum
allowable load which may be imposed on that component.

SAFETY-CRITICAL COMPONENT OR SYSTEM
A component or system whose failure will result in uncontrolled operation or movement of the
ride or failure of the restraint system, or where there is a real risk of failure leading to injury.

1.3 Process and Submission

The aim of this Section is to elaborate on the current approach of regulatory control on the
safety of amusement rides within the ambit of the Amusement Rides (Safety) Ordinance,
Cap. 449 (the Ordinance), and to provide a practical guidance on the licensing
requirements for the amusement ride owner or his agent/organizer or any person, who
wishes to operate any amusement ride or organize any fairground activity for use by
members of the public in Hong Kong.

For the purpose of illustrating the application of the Ordinance, the operation of any
powered-driven device, which could render any form of movement to its patrons who are
members of the general public and riding on it for amusement purposes, are regulated
under the Ordinance for which Electrical & Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) is the
regulating authority.

However, it should be borne in mind that the guidance hereunder only outlines the
requirements within the context of the Ordinance and is not exhaustive. For other issues
related to the operation of the rides or the fairground activity, for instance, associated
building works for installation of the rides, necessary fire service installation, and specific
requirements on admission of the general public to the premises for entertainment, etc,
which fall within the regulatory regime of other ordinances in force in Hong Kong, the ride
owner or his agent/organizer should also seek to consult the relevant authorities and
comply with all the specific statutory requirements.

- 1 -
1.3.1 Licensing Process for Amusement Rides
To illustrate the licensing process of amusement rides, a flow chart showing the sequence
of events and the key milestones of the process from the design submission to the
operational stage is given in Figure 1. In brief, the licensing process can be divided into
three stages, namely:-

(a) Stage 1: Design Approval
Before commencement of any installation work on site, the ride owner is required to
demonstrate, with proper supporting documents, the adequacy of the engineering
design as well as the design approach in addressing the possible safety-related issues
during the ride operation. A design document, which contains sufficient details of the
mechanical, electrical and structural design, safety specification and operating
instruction, shall be submitted to the Director. As regards the materials to be included in
the design document, a list of the typical information to be accompanied with FORM 1 of
the ride application is given below : -

(1) General
• Particulars of manufacturer, ride model, unique serial number and date of
manufacture.
• Motive power and rating.
• Duration of a normal ride cycle.
• Maximum number of passengers, number of passenger carrying units and
maximum weight to be carried on the ride.
• Location map of the proposed amusement ride.

(2) Description of Construction and Operation
• Total weight of amusement ride, foundation and anchorage requirement.
• Description of ride motion with the data of maximum speed, maximum
acceleration and deceleration.
• Description of ride components and drive system from motive power source to
passenger seats.
• The principle of the ride control system together with a comprehensive list of
safety devices or sub-systems which may be operational in normal use or
exceptional cases. The list shall include the purpose and function of these
devices as well as the details of possibilities of inspection.
• Signaling and communication equipment.
• Means of braking and stopping.
• Passenger containment system including restraints, safety devices and
redundancy provisions.
• Outline description on the key ride operational issues including the functional
and operating procedures, the setting of the safety gear, operation of controls,
calibration and adjustment of the overload sensing device, etc.
• Outline description on the passenger flow and crowd control issues. Detailed
description of guest loading and unloading processes as well as the duties of
individual operators during the normal and emergency situations.

(3) Drawings
• Layout plan showing dimensions of amusement ride and all round clearance
from nearby objects, especially the safety envelope along the ride path.
• Plan showing the passenger queuing and control arrangement, the positions
of the control consoles, signs, chief operator and other operatives.
• Mechanical assembly drawings of the ride including the drawings of ride track,
lifting and swiveling mechanism, bearings and support, vehicle, grab device,
locking and safety systems, buffers, devices for prevention of roll-back,
derailment and overturning, etc..
• Drawings and schematic of other ride related facilities including electrical

- 2 -
supply, show set elements, pneumatic and hydraulic system, CCTV, PA system.
• The complete ride control design and wiring diagrams including details of
interface, intrusion detection, overload sensing device, alarm, and other safety
protection system. The specifications of sensor and field control equipment.

(4) Design Calculation
• Design calculation and stress analysis of amusement ride including the
properties, design strength and safety factors of materials to be used.
• Design and calculation of all safety-critical mechanical parts including safety
devices, overspeed governor, driving machine and its brake, and wire rope
suspension, etc.
• Design calculations made using computer systems shall include details of the
software (author and version number of the software) and a clearly identifiable
list of inputs and outputs with explanatory notes. For calculations involving
finite element analysis, system plots with a list of the conditions assumed shall
be provided.
• Overall risk assessment and other design tools for the safety critical parts like
fault tree analysis, failure mode and effect analysis.

(5) Others
• An outline of the warning notice (in Chinese and English) to the riders in
respect of the prohibited behaviours and restrictions on physique of patrons.
• A workable rescue plan for evacuation of passengers under different scenarios
by the operator within a reasonable time. Such plan shall include the details of
rescue equipment/facilities to be provided within or in the vicinity of the
attraction and the plan for mobilization of the staff for rescue operation.
• Quality assurance documentation if available.
• Previous inspection certificate or approval issued by other government
agencies or authorities within the amusement ride industry.
• Method and programme of installation and dismantling.
• Fire Safety.
• Insurance policy and the extent of coverage provided.

For ride with structure higher than 5m or where the circumstance warrants, the owner
shall appoint a Registered Professional Engineer (RPE) in structural discipline to verify
whether the structural design is sound and the calculations are correct such that it can
safely carry all the static and dynamic loads under the designed operating conditions.

Also for high-rise or special indoor ride where the rescue operation might require the
assistance of Fire Services Department (FSD) in disastrous or emergency situations, the
owner shall consult FSD on the provision of the rescue facilities including the
requirements of emergency vehicular access.

(b) Stage 2: Permit to Use and Operate
After the ride installation has been completed and before being opened for use by the
public for amusement purposes, the ride owner shall arrange and demonstrate the
following to the satisfaction of the Director.

(1) Provision of Operational, Maintenance and Emergency Manual
Manuals with sufficient details covering all the daily operation and maintenance
issues to be carried out by the crew, as well as procedures for handling emergency
situations must be in place.

(2) Ride Examination by Surveyor
All construction/installation procedures shall be in conformance with the design
and/or manufacturer’s recommendation. To this effect, especially for those
complicated or highly dynamic rides, the ride owner shall make necessary

- 3 -
arrangement for the Surveyor to witness and certify all the crucial procedures during
the construction, testing and commissioning stages as deemed required for drawing
up a conclusion as to the integrity of the ride in the Surveyor’s report. Such
pre-inspections are particularly necessary in circumstances involving works or tasks
which could not be carried out again later on (For example, some safety-critical
components may become inaccessible for examination after the ride installation is
fully completed). In all cases, it should be the judgment of the Surveyor to decide the
level of checking and supervision required during the construction stage.

Upon completion of all physical construction/installation, Testing and Commissioning
(T&C) works, the Surveyor shall carry out a detailed examination and finally compile a
Surveyor Report certifying the integrity of the ride and its fitness for public use.

The detailed examination shall include, but not limited to
(cid:122) An assessment of conformity of the ride operation to the design document
including the overall ride operational sequence, individual mechanical, electrical,
hydraulic and pneumatic assembly performance.
(cid:122) Testing of all safety-critical components, stability of the ride, safety envelopes,
and all the relevant functional and performance tests laid down in Section 4 of
this Code or any other tests deemed necessary by the nature of the ride.

Where any part of the examination, for instance the NDT (Non-destructive testing) on
the structural works, is carried out by a recognized body other than the Surveyor
nominated by the ride owner, all findings supplied by the other party appended to
the Surveyor Report shall be scrutinized and endorsed by the Surveyor so as to ensure
the procedures are appropriate and the findings are correct.

(3) Ride Inspection by EMSD
Based on the installation programme given in the design submission, EMSD
inspectors may carry out surveillance visits to site from time to time during the
construction stage. Nevertheless, a final inspection with EMSD inspectors on the ride
must be arranged upon completion of all installation and T&C works.

(4) Competent Person
Before opening the ride to the public, the ride owner shall nominate one of his
employees, who has appropriate technical background and relevant experience, to
apply for approval as the Competent Person of the ride. During the operational
phase, such person shall be the key person responsible for the management and safe
operation of the ride. In this respect, an assessment which comprises a written test
and a site test, will be conducted to ascertain whether the applicant has possessed a
sound engineering knowledge and an understanding on the details of the
construction, operation and maintenance of the ride given in the above-mentioned
Design Document and the three Manuals mentioned in 1.3.1(b)(1) above.

(5) Rescue Drill
Also, upon completion of the installation and T&C works, a rescue drill shall be
performed by the operational crew to demonstrate, in the presence of EMSD
inspectors, the adequacy of the rescue arrangement. For high-rise or special
mechanical ride, where FSD may be called on to assist in emergency situations, a
rescue drill in collaboration with FSD must be arranged.

(c) Stage 3: Annual In-service Examination
The licensing processes on “Design Approval” before construction and “Permit to Use
and Operate” upon completion of installation of any amusement ride are required on a
“one-off” basis. Renewal or re-submission is not necessary until such time that a major
alteration involving modifications on the safety-critical elements is required. In all
circumstances, the ride owner is obliged to maintain the ride in a safe condition and
appoint a Surveyor to carry out detailed in-service examination once a year.

- 4 -
1.3.2 Additional Requirements for the Temporary Rides of Carnivals
Basically, all the foregoing licensing requirements are applicable for amusement ride, which
is either designed as a fixed structure or temporary ride (mobile ride with built-in features
to facilitate quick assembly and dismantling work). Whenever a temporary ride is brought
back into service from a decommissioned state, the same application process for the
“Permit to Use” shall be required before it can be operated for public use in a new
location. Similarly, the Competent Person who was previously appointed and permitted in
overseeing the operation and maintenance of the ride shall confirm in writing to undertake
the duties of Competent Person for that ride in the new location/event. The requirement of
annual examination by a Surveyor may be waived if the operational period, which has been
declared in the application for “Permit to Use & Operate”, is less than 12 months.
Nevertheless, the ride owner is still obliged to maintain the ride in a safe condition in
accordance with Maintenance Manual even if it is in a decommissioned state or has not
been in use for a long time. For mobile ride which is intended to have intermittent
operation in Hong Kong and in other countries, every time when the ride is put up in Hong
Kong, the application shall be accompanied by an overseas pre-inspection scheme as
outlined below as an initial screening.

When a ride owner or event organizer wishes to bring in a non-brand-new mobile ride
which has been used for a period of time in other countries, a pre-inspection, before
shipment to Hong Kong, by an independent inspection body (not necessarily a Surveyor) in
that country certifying the latest ride conditions as regard to structural integrity, E&M
safety and adequacy of routine maintenance shall be made so as to substantiate the
application for “Permit to Use and Operate”. Nevertheless, it shall be noted that all other
requirements such as Design Approval and ride examination by Surveyor upon completion
of the works in Hong Kong are still required for this kind of overseas mobile ride.

For large-scale carnival, the ride owner or event organizer shall also observe and comply
with the following requirements:-

(a) A master layout plan showing the positions of various temporary rides and other
attractions, the crowd control measures and the emergency vehicular accesses to
individual mechanical rides shall be submitted for acceptance by EMSD and relevant
government departments.

(b) The actual ground conditions of the site and its fitness for supporting these mechanical
rides, the anchorage requirements for putting up the ride, the adequacy of footing,
designed soil pressure and the provisions against lateral sliding shall be reviewed by a
Registered Professional Engineer (in structural discipline) prior to the commencement of
any ride installation work.

(c) The design of the overall temporary power supply and earthing system shall be
submitted for approval by the Director.

1.3.3 Major Alteration
Major Alteration refers to modification of any safety-critical components or system changes
involving loading (e.g. changes in seating arrangement), speed, operating range (e.g.
height), safety envelope, major load-bearing structure, drive mechanism, control
mechanism (e.g. brakes, shock absorbers, speed limiters), software, passenger harness and
protection system.

Ride owner shall not carry out any major alteration to an amusement ride without the prior
approval of the Director. When the modification is completed, the owner shall arrange a
detailed examination on the ride by a Surveyor and apply for the permission from the
Director for re-opening the ride for public use. Basically, similar procedures as required for
licensing of a new amusement ride shall be followed.

- 5 -
1.3.4 Kiddie Rides
By definition, kiddie rides are amusement rides with power rating less than 1.1kW, for
children under the age of 12 and with total carrying capacity not exceeding 100kg.

As compared with other amusement rides, a simpler regulatory approach has been
adopted for kiddie rides in which the above-mentioned requirement for Design Approval
and Competent Person are not mandatory. In short, the licensing process and regulation
of kiddie rides include : -

(a) “Permit to Use & Operate”
This involves a pre-operation examination on the ride by independent statutory
personnel who may be either a Qualified Person or Surveyor registered under the
Ordinance. Similar to other amusement rides, the Surveyor or Qualified Person is
required to compile a report certifying the fitness of the kiddie ride for public use.

(b) Examination at six-month interval
Similar to the requirements for other amusement rides, the kiddie ride owner shall
appoint a Qualified Person or Surveyor to examine the kiddie ride once every six
months.

2 Design Requirements

2.1 Risk Assessment AS2.2 but
relevant BS to be
checked further.

In the design of amusement rides, the following steps are required to be followed : -

(a) Identification of hazards in association with the use of the rides, with due consideration

given to the aspects of height, velocity and acceleration;

where velocity is the maximum speed attained by the patron;

height is the maximum elevation of the patron on the ride; AS2.1
acceleration is the maximum acceleration attained by the patron.

Hazard and
(b) carrying out an assessment to determine the risks associated with such identified Operability
Studies (HAZOP
hazards; and
studies) to IEC
(c) design and implementing measures to either eliminate or minimize the identified risks. 61882

Recommendatio
Risk analysis shall be conducted in accordance with EN 1050 and prEN 954-1; otherwise, n by DIN
(paragraph3.2.1.
the methodology and process of risk assessment should be documented properly. 2) is adopted

For safety critical engineering design, where single point failure or double point failures
involving sensitive equipment or undetectable failures might happen and lead to injury,
further detailed assessment by fault tree analysis and/or failure mode and effect analysis
should be carried out.

2.2 Design Loading AS2.3

Paragraphs 2.2.1 to 2.2.5 hereunder set out various modes of loading that shall be taken
into account in performing design calculation and stress analysis of the amusement ride.
Where departure from the below-stated design consideration is necessary for special
applications involving uncommon ride operation or other reasons, a set of appropriate and
proven design procedures shall be followed with the details of calculation documented on
how to determine the design loading.

- 6 -