Personal Injury Solicitors

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has successfully prosecuted the owner of a fairground ride, after two teenage boys were seriously injured in an incident involving the ride in July 2012.

Conor Baker and Danny Keogh, both aged 16 at the time, were seriously injured when they were riding on the Mega Bounce Frog at Abbey Park in Leicester.

The HSE investigation found that the ride was poorly maintained – and a clip and pin securing the car to its operating arm had fallen out.

The ride had 14 cars, with each attached to a radial arm at two locations by retaining pins secured in position by a clip pushed into a drilled hole at the end of the pin.
A fairground attendant working on the ride on behalf of Mr Roberts on the day of the incident had checked the presence of the clips at 10.30am and 1pm, but did not consider their condition or performance, the investigators found.

Following the incident, one of the retaining pins and clips for the car the boys were in was found on the deck of the ride.

The HSE discovered the clip was damaged and had little grip on the pin, which had been tapered. The clip itself was pushed into a hole that had been drilled off-centre, with the result that it failed to grip the side of the pin.

The HSE investigation also found a second tapered pin on the ride which had an off-centre hole, as well as two defective seatbelts.

A prohibition notice was served preventing further use of the ride until it was made safe and the owner of the ride was later identified by the HSE as William Norman Roberts, of Bag Lane in Atherton, Manchester.

Witnesses to the incident said they saw the two injured boys thrown about as the car tipped up.

Danny Keogh was hurled out of the ride and Conor Baker’s head and body were thrown in line with the protective barrier around the ride, which hit and injured him as the ride continued to turn.

Danny Keogh was treated in intensive care following extensive surgery for a collapsed lung, broken arm and deep wounds to his side. He required 88 staples during surgery, as well as stitches in his tongue and chin. Mr Keogh also suffered damage to his teeth.

Conor Baker was treated for a broken nose, broken teeth, lacerations to his face and a blunt trauma to the head, which was described as “significant”.

On Friday, 23 May at Leicester Magistrates’ Court, William Norman Roberts, 36, admitted breaching Regulation 5(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £6,500 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Neil Ward said:

“The public rightly expects rides to be safe. The safety-critical defects identified on this machine were very troubling.

“The inconsistencies in the pin ends were obvious – and the pins and clips were safety-critical components that should have been thoroughly checked on a daily basis.”

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For expert legal advice on no win no fee compensation claims for Accidents in Public Places, contact Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors on 020 7923 4020.