Fairground-ride scare inevitable owing to low gearbox oil levels

摘要

A lack of oil in the gearbox of a mechanism on a fairground ride was instrumental in causing the passenger car to collapse, trapping 22 people in the process. All the passengers on the ride at Skegness Pleasure Beach - many of them children -had to be rescued by the fire service in the incident on 30 August 2011. Seven passengers were taken to hospital with various bruising, whiplash, and neck and shoulder strains. Skegness Magistrates' Court heard that the Surf Rider attraction was fully loaded and in operation when the passenger-car levelling mechanism failed, causing the car to fall to the ground. The HSE investigated the incident the following day and found a gearbox for the mechanism had failed because of a lack of oil. A bearing in the gearbox became so hot that it seized and jammed the levelling mechanism. As a result, several other components failed and resulted in the passenger car operating at an angle to the main arm, instead of remaining horizontal throughout the ride.