Aug03GovtReport

Information and statistics on fixed-site amusement ride safety in the United States were published in the June/July issue of the National Safety Council (NSC) publication Injury Insights. IAAPA members received copies of this issue, which is also available on the IAAPA web site.

Included in the publication are initial results from IAAPA’s nationwide incident reporting system, summaries of recent scientific studies focusing on industry safety, and a discussion of how design practices are helping the industry produce safer rides. “The amusement industry has brought together numerous key safety documents in one place, and we are pleased to publish this information and make it available to all who are interested,” says Alan C. McMillan, NSC president.

IAAPA President Clark Robinson says, “A great deal has happened in the world of amusement ride safety throughout the past few years, and we feel that it’s the right time to bring all this material together so that, from a variety of angles, anyone can see how the industry’s safety record compares with other recreational activities. A well-known and well-respected organization like the National Safety Council is a perfect partner for this endeavor, so we feel very fortunate that they were interested in publishing this information.”

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has annually collected fixed-site amusement ride injury statistics based upon its National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). This method uses data from more than 100 of an estimated 5,000 U.S. hospital emergency rooms. To gain an additional perspective, IAAPA developed a voluntary incident reporting system for its U.S. member facilities. Data was collected for the 2001-02 period and has been augmented by further independent statistical analysis to provide an annual injury estimate for the overall fixed-amusement ride sector in the U.S. The result, detailed in the feature article of Injury Insights, is an estimated average of 2,486 injuries per year among the more than 300 million people attending amusement facilities with fixed-rides annually.

The publication also includes summaries of four recent independent scientific studies that analyzed the issue of amusement ride G forces. Each of the studies ultimately reached the same conclusion: rotational accelerations experienced by the head during rides pose no risk of brain injury to the general public. Also included in the publication are articles discussing the design principles and technological advances that underpin ride safety, and a list of safety tips for amusement park visitors.

The NSC is a not-for-profit, nongovernmental, international public service organization dedicated to protecting life and promoting health. Founded in 1913, and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1953, the NSC comprises more than 37,500 member organizations, including businesses, labor organizations, schools, public agencies, private groups, and individuals.

Structural Funds in the European Tourism Sector

The European Commission is hoping to publicize and encourage the use of structural funds in the tourism and commerce sectors through the release of a series of publications.

A few months ago, the European Commission published the results of the study, Making the Best Use of Structural Funds in the Sectors of Commerce and Tourism, which was finalized in March 2003. The study is available online: http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/services/tourism/studies/structuralfunds/index.htm.

The study aims at taking stock of the actions that benefit these two sectors to determine the obstacles to a greater use of the Structural Funds, and to make proposals for improvement.

There is an explanation on the web site of how small and medium-sized businesses, intermediary/representative organizations and local and regional public administrations in each of the 15 EU member states can obtain financial support for a huge range of projects and initiatives in the tourism and commerce sectors.

One of the Structural Funds, for example, is referred to as “Objective 1.” This fund is designed to give regions with lagging development the opportunity to catch up. Some 50 regions, home to 83 million people (22 percent of the European Union’s population), are concerned and they receive
€ 136 billion, which amounts to 70 percent of the funding available.

They are encouraging business-to-business partnerships, public-private co-operation, and networking to improve the integration of the different services involved in the tourism chain. If you are interested in the possibilities in your country/region, visit the web site to view the study.