# Traveling Carnivals



## ICE (Jun 24, 2012)

I must inspect several carnivals each year.

I don't like inspecting carnivals.

Last week, I encountered a carnival that was a bit difficult.

This ride spins at one revolution per 2.6 seconds.

You should meet the people that assembled the machine.

The restraints apparently passed a recent state OSHA inspection as did all of the rides at this carnival.



























The operator wasn't able to replace the restraints so faulty restraints were removed and the position disabled.  A corresponding position was removed on the opposite side of the ride to maintain balance.  With all the possible juggling of the safe restraints that were available, 10 positions were disabled.


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## ICE (Jun 24, 2012)

This little gem is the Mind Winder.

It is a "kiddie ride".

This thing hits >15 RPM.

The basket is >45 degrees.

They ran it too fast and it shut itself off.

The placard mounted to the machine says 15 RPM.  I stood back and thought that this is just wrong.  It was scary to be near the thing at full speed.   The weight of the tubs and passengers spinning around what I think is an inadequate machine bothered me so I called the state OSHA carnival office and found out that 10 is the max RPM.











The correction read " The maximum RPM of 10 can be exceeded.  Do not operate without a device that shall limit the maximum RPM to 10.  Said device shall be hardware that shall require the use of a tool to remove."

The correction was written 1:30 PM On Friday.  The state inspector was open to anything that got the job done.  I left at 6:00 PM and nothing had been done or proposed.

The tin cover over the start/stop switch is the result of a correction.  There had been a Plexiglas cover and the correction said to restore the UL listed cover or replace the switch enclosure.  When I saw this they said "What?  You said to replace the cover".


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## ICE (Jun 24, 2012)

There are about a dozen of these boxes high up on the ferris wheel.

Held together with tape.  The taped cable at the right is emblematic of the entire carnival.  There is enough neglected maintenance to keep them busy for a long time.






Been on fire.






Later on I came upon the repair in progress.






The kids don't know any better ..... better if they had a safety harness.






After I observed the machine operate, I spotted another problem but I decided that the risk of the repair outweighed the risk of the problem.


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## ICE (Jun 24, 2012)

The slide isn't regulated by the state or any other agency because it is not a mechanical device.  Then why am I here and what am I supposed to do?  The last time I was in a training class on carnivals was never.






Could someone remind me to check the legs on the next slide that I come across.






You want to light up the slide to enhance the experience.


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## ICE (Jun 24, 2012)

The problem.






They thought that white paint is a remarkable improvement on clear Plexiglas.


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## ICE (Jun 24, 2012)

The ride is a Dragon Wagon.






Every car has sharp edges just waiting to give some little kid stitches.






Years ago I saw a 20/20 report on a Florida girl that was sitting in the car ahead of the motor car.  Her long hair was caught up in the mechanism and she was permanently, entirely scalped.  And how about that power cord.


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## ICE (Jun 24, 2012)

30 minutes before opening time, the slide landing pad was inflated.






It pushed the fence against the ride next to it.  The operator had no clue until I told him.






The Dizzy Dragon was drug 12 feet across the parking lot with a truck.






Now the midway is reduced to 10 feet.

This was the worst carnival I have inspected.  And absolutely, far and away, the worst group of people running a carnival.....ever.

The first day was two and a half hours of inspection but there was no power to operate the rides.  I arrived at noon the second day and they hadn't begun working on corrections.

Especially surprising is that nobody had any knowledge of what a C# meant other than pointing out that it is on the state sticker.  They didn't know that the C# shall be permanently affixed to the ride as in punched or written with a welder.  None were found over two days.

The state told me that, as always, there is supposed to be a big *** permanent C#.  The state inspector also told me that he wouldn't classify the infraction as a safety issue and withhold the ride from service for that alone.

Pardon me for saying so but the state inspector doesn't seem to get too excited about much.  When I told him that the Mind Winder was running at 150% he was pretty much nonplussed.  It was "Oh, well they shouldn't be doing that."


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## ICE (Jun 24, 2012)

Everywhere you look, there is a problem with the electrical.

Or is it that I am the problem?

After all, these rides have been all over California and used with the blessing of the State and countless loco jurisdictions.


























There are a dozen examples of this on this one ride.  There are many taped splices.






Shirley you will notice the open air conductors located on the back of the panels and powering the lights.

You may wonder why a fitting coming apart is any more dangerous than those open air conductors.

Anywhere that there are open conductors serving lights, the lights and wires are attached to a non-conductive panel.  Every bit of the rest of the machine is metal.

The open air conductors were in good condition.  The cords and cables suffer damage because the motion of the machine tosses them about and they are damaged during ride assembly and transport.  As one of the pictures shows, the cords do get wound up in the machine occasionally.


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## ICE (Jun 24, 2012)

The Dragon Wagon rides these rails like a maglev without the magnet.






The state says that a "competent welder" is required for welding done on carnival rides.  That means that my buddy David can do it because I reckon he's a pretty fair welder.

This example is a failed rail repair that has multiple cracks.






I required a certified welder and they did come back looking like new.

Examples of competent welding per the state.






In years past I have required that welding be done over.






The state is a little too loose with the rules when it comes to placing children at risk.

In the end, there were many problems that should have been addressed that weren't.  Much of my time was wasted tracking down the guy in charge. They waited until the last few hours to start fixing things.  They treated it like they were going to operate with whatever is available at 5:00 PM on Friday whether I have approved a ride or not. I red tagged four rides with qualifiers attached.  The instruction states "Do not operate without" blah blah blah.  Do they honor that?  I hope so but I'm not going to drive 52 miles to find out.

Next year I will be on vacation when the carnival comes to town.  And every year after that.  Ya that's the ticket.


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## chris kennedy (Jun 24, 2012)

How many rolls of black tape does it take to put on a carnival???:shock:


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## Darren Emery (Jun 25, 2012)

I think I would drive the 52 miles - or camp out there.  I can't imagine sleeping well after seeing that, and knowing my name is on an inspection report.


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## kyhowey (Jun 25, 2012)

Our electrical inspector is the only person who looks at these carnivals.  I don't think I'll ever let my kids go to any traveling carnival again.  Plus the people are just creepy.


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## High Desert (Jun 25, 2012)

kyhowey said:
			
		

> Our electrical inspector is the only person who looks at these carnivals.  I don't think I'll ever let my kids go to any traveling carnival again.  Plus the people are just creepy.


Hey, I come from a long line of "Carny Folk." Actually I don't. I have a story to tell about getting into a rukus with carny people when I was in my early 20's. Don't give them any crap because you'll have thirty or so of them on you in a second.


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## Frank (Jun 25, 2012)

ICE said:
			
		

> Everywhere you look, there is a problem with the electrical. Or is it that I am the problem?
> 
> After all, these rides have been all over California and used with the blessing of the State and countless loco jurisdictions.
> 
> .


I would not count on the other jurisdictions not having had the same heartburn you did over these rides--next week you will be the loco jurisdiction that let them operate last week---even if you red tagged it and said get that junk outta here.

Certificates do get moved and altered.


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## steveray (Jun 25, 2012)

We get a couple a year here, we inspect them with guys from the local and State FM office (who also happen to be State Troopers) we do find a fair bit of electrical stuff, (which is all our AHJ is supposed to be looking for), but we give another set of eyes to the Troopers, and occasionaly find some broken welds...

I think they have most of the locals whipped into shape to the point that they know they are getting shut down if something is not right, so the only mistakes we find are honest ones...Not that that is an excuse...


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## ICE (Jun 25, 2012)

Frank said:
			
		

> I would not count on the other jurisdictions not having had the same heartburn you did over these rides--next week you will be the loco jurisdiction that let them operate last week---even if you red tagged it and said get that junk outta here.Certificates do get moved and altered.


Frank,

The other jurisdictions that have allowed the carnival to happen despite the condition of the equipment are a disappointment.  It certainly doesn't take a trained eye to spot many of the defects.  If an inspector looks, he will find.  At every venue the jurisdiction either looked and did nothing or didn't look.

I found out today that the carnival owner called my supervisor to complain that I ran the Mind Winder at full throttle.  He said that while the ride was running I pushed the throttle to the top speed.  I am never inside the fence when a ride is operating.  I mentioned in an earlier post that the Mind Winder shut itself off when I had the operator take it to full speed to check the maximum RPM.  I am guessing that something broke and the operator told his boss that I did it.

I had a feeling that there would be complaints.  This carnival was held at a church.  The guy in charge for the church seemed to be on the up and up so I figured he would take my red tags serious.  Then again, who knows.

I put this thread together with my supervisor in mind.


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## ICE (Jun 25, 2012)

steveray said:
			
		

> we do find a fair bit of electrical stuff, (which is all our AHJ is supposed to be looking for)


Nobody has told me what I'm supposed to be looking for.  That's OK, I think I figured it out.


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## Pcinspector1 (Jun 26, 2012)

I think the ICC now has a new code idea, the ITCC International Traveling Carnival Code! With photo's for the novice

Thanks ICE, Great work!

pc1


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## Pcinspector1 (Jun 26, 2012)

Also see NEC, Article 525

pc1


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## BSSTG (Jun 27, 2012)

Carnivals. Don't like em. Don't like anybody that does like em.

BS


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## Keystone (Jun 27, 2012)

Carnivals out of our purvue but one of the local popo (east coast) along with state enforcement pulled over a traveling carival after they crossed a bridge with a 3 ton weight limit due to ongoing construction including about 6 big orange warning signs with a scenic detour. One carnie decided to press on and was slapped with a $33,000.00 dollar fine as soon as he crossed the bridge, opps. Anyone looking to be a driver for the carnival?


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## mtlogcabin (Jun 27, 2012)

ICE said:
			
		

> Nobody has told me what I'm supposed to be looking for. That's OK, I think I figured it out.


Ask your boss to provide the training

https://www.oaba.org/education/educational-programs/


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## FM William Burns (Jun 27, 2012)

We just do the food servers for hood suppression, emergency access, securing propane & storage, ramping of cables and approvals from state ride inspectors and county electrical.


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