Section 334.22. Passenger-carrying devices.

 

(1)   General. All passenger-carrying devices shall be designed, assembled, operated and maintained in accordance with recognized safe practices.

(2)   Protection from lacerations, abrasions and punctures. Interior and exterior parts of all passenger-carrying devices with which a passenger may come into contact shall be free of abrasives and splinters, sharp edges and corners, protruding studs, bolts, screws and other hazardous projections.

(3)   Protection from impact injuries. Padding or other means to minimize injury due to passenger impact resulting from the action of the amusement ride shall be provided in accordance with recognized safe practice.

(4)   Loading and unloading.

(a) Securely attached grab bars, steps and similar devices that facilitate safe entrance and exit shall be provided in accordance with recognized safe practice.

(b) When provided, required or recommended by the manufacturer, positive locks to stabilize passenger-carrying devices shall be utilized to load and unload passengers.

(c) Entrances and exits shall be oriented to direct passengers to safe locations.

(d) Where a stirrup allows mounting on only one side of a merry-go-round figure, the stirrup shall be located toward the center of the amusement ride platform.

(5)   Restraint and support.

(a) Securely attached restraining and support devices, such as but not limited to seat belts, lap bars, footrests and headrests, shall be provided in accordance with recognized safe practice.

(b) Seat belts, lap bars and similar means of restraint shall have connections or latches which cannot be readily or inadvertently released by the passenger.

(c) Chair swings shall be provided with crotch straps, or equivalent means of restraint for the passengers shall be provided in accordance with recognized safe practice.

(d) Restraining devices shall be replaced or repaired when worn or damaged to impair their function. Replacements for restraining devices shall be of equal or greater dimension, strength and padding.

(e) The passenger-carrying devices of amusement rides, such as but not limited to dark rides and miniature train cars, shall be provided with means to prevent passengers from standing if the distance from the floor of the device to an overhead object, such as a doorway, is less than 6 feet 8 inches.

(f) Where seat belts are provided for passenger-carrying devices of amusement rides, the belts shall be of a type acceptable to the manufacturer.

(5m)   Attachment.

(a) Except as provided in par. (b) , the field attachment or connection of a passenger by an operator for a ride that elevates passengers off the ground, and necessitates passengers to don harnesses, shall utilize redundant means of attachment or connection or department approved equivalency on the primary attachment point between the passenger and the ride. Where carabiners are used to accomplish the primary attachment or connection, at least two locking hardened steel carabiners with a minimum breaking strength of at least 6,000 pounds each shall be utilized.

(b) The provisions of par. (a) do not apply to bungee jumping operations, bungee trampolines, or rock climbing operations.

(6)   Minimum height.

(a) If passenger-carrying devices of amusement rides require passengers to be a minimum height, this minimum height shall be posted at the ride entrance.

(b) Passengers shall abide by the posted height limitations required by passenger-carrying devices of amusement rides.

History: Cr. Register, February, 1992, No. 434 , eff. 3-1-92; emerg. cr. (5m), eff. 8-13-07; CR 07-086 : cr. (5m) Register February 2008 No. 626 , eff. 3-1-08; CR 08-054 : r. and recr. (4) (b), cr. (4) (d), (5) (f) and (6) (b), renum. (6) to be (6) (a) Register December 2008 No. 636 , eff. 1-1-09.