Whenever we walk through our facilities there is knowledge that the amusement industry is a very safe form of entertainment. This is not by accident. We all work hard to eliminate potential hazards and reduce the risks that may be found. But as diligent as we are, sometimes the simplest things could cause a problem. How your visitors perceive your venue can be directly linked to how safe they believe your park is. Ride decorations and theme props require inspection and maintenance to assure a safe experience for both your employees and your guests. The bottom line is that you want to provide safe and enjoyable entertainment.
Where to Start
Safety begins at the design stage. Whether you are installing a new ride or attraction or rehabilitating an old one, all phases of a project must begin with safety in mind. This will have great significance when designing a new attraction or area. You want your project to be pleasing to the senses. Some of the things that need to be considered are other rides or attractions in an area, color schemes, landscaping, and the overall environment. If you are renovating an existing ride or attraction, you don't want it to jump out and visually assault everybody who sees it. Once you have determined what will be done, develop plans for how to do it safely. Don't forsake anything because of initial price considerations; you may end up with a much greater financial exposure later. Don't wait until an incident happens to implement safety criteria. Since you have already decided to add a new ride or an attraction, don't forget the displays, props, signs, and lighting. When it is for the safety of everyone involved, an initial investment, though it increases the budget, is most often a practical solution. There are four major facets to a project: the concept or design, the construction, the operation, and the maintenance. Think through all aspects of your endeavor with safety as the common denominator. When beginning a new undertaking, try to appoint one responsible person with project accountability. From the start, this responsibility must include knowledge of, and interest in, safety procedures, along with good communication skills and a concentration on the details. This person must manage all requirements to define, evaluate, and prevent accidents, as well as have safety and inspection programs in place for everything from site development to the final cleanup. The manufacturer must also be fully involved with safety concerns throughout the process. Communicate with them about your expectations. Production, lights, controls, fiberglass, plastic, padding, paint, and installation should all be considered.
Going to Rehab
When you perform a rehab internally, you will most likely be doing more of the aesthetics type of work in-house, meaning your electricians, builders, painters, and outside contractors will have more responsibility. In this case, they are just as important as the original manufacturer. Whenever possible, try not to do your major rehabilitations in season. Delays in materials, contractors, or the weather can change even the most diligent planning. Strive to keep the guest inconvenience to a minimum. If your construction is being done in season and around areas visible to the public, it is very important to keep the site clean and free of debris. Any construction that is being done is a source of aesthetics you must be in control of, especially when it could produce a negative guest experience. This goes for audible aesthetics, also. If your crew is yelling or using foul language with each other behind the plywood walls, everybody will hear it. Extension cords should not be run where people could slip, trip, or fall over them. Ladders should never be left unattended where guests might climb on them. Tools are dangerous in the wrong hands, regardless if it is guests or untrained employees. Building materials need to be kept neat and organized and away from your patrons. This is particularly important in regions where heavy thunderstorms can develop quickly.
Maintaining Appearances
Once your ride or attraction is opened to the public, your guests will perceive how you treat safety from the aesthetics of how your facility is maintained. From the moment they enter your parking lot or encounter their first employee, a constant message is being sent your patrons. They will see everything and will continually be drawing conclusions. Housekeeping and maintenance are very important aspects of aesthetics. Keeping food service areas and restrooms clean is just the beginning. Signs, fencing, rides, and buildings that are in need of paint or repair; trash in or around rides and queue lines; and spare or junk parts behind the scenes are all examples of visual messages being received by guests that contribute to aesthetic judgment. All areas should always be kept neat and clean, regardless of whether your guests see them or not. Employees will respond to requests for an orderly and clean area when the areas they spend their time, out of guest view, are kept in the same condition. Insurance and loss-prevention personnel will be encouraged by these orderly areas. When more than one ride is under repair at a time, patrons may begin to question the safety of your park. While paying full attention to safety, get your ride or attraction back into operation as soon as possible. Guests who frequent your facility may often wonder why a given ride hasn't been in service since the last time they were at your park. The next time these patrons return, they may be reluctant to put their child on that ride, perceiving it to be unsafe. Their confidence in your safety may be compromised and your reputation may become tarnished strictly through perception, regardless of the facts concerning downtime and other maintenance issues.
Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs
Signage is a very important aspect of aesthetics. When signs are properly planned and designed, they will not detract from your attraction. Signage is an integral piece of the total guest experience, not just standard warning signs explaining risks or height requirements for all of your attractions, but also for fire extinguishers, first aid areas, and emergency exits. Make your signs pleasing to the eye and easy to read. A handwritten sign stating that a ride is closed for repairs may not be the exact message you want to communicate to your guests when a simple computer-generated placard saying, "Sorry this ride is temporarily out of service. Thank you for your patience," may be more acceptable to the guest, who you must always realize is the reason for producing the sign in the first place.
Bells, Whistles
Are your bells, buzzers, lights, and restraints in good repair? Are your rides clean? Do devices that allow your customers to have some control of their ride function properly? If the answer to any of these questions is less than an enthusiastic "Yes!" your ride may be leading your guests to perceive that everything is less than okay on that ride. For example if the padding is ripped or torn or your restraint belts are beginning to wear, are they still safe? Often, repairs must be made when an item appears to be less than adequate, rather than when it actually reaches the calculated wear limits. If you have bells that children ring (such as in boats or fire engines), are the pull ropes in good repair or is the bell just for decoration? Although a ride may be perfectly safe, if just the buzzers (children operated) are not working, concerned parents may not want to put their child on it. Aesthetics and safety go hand in hand. People want their children to be able to interact with the ride. Always keep the customer-controlled devices in good repair; it gives the patron a more confident feeling. There was a study done in the 1960s by the New York Police Department that yielded the Broken Window Theory: In a housing project if a window is broken and goes without repair, more windows will get broken. This will lead to higher instances of crime or neglect. This same idea can be applied to the amusement industry. When people see a poorly maintained amusement facility, they will begin to care less about their surroundings and take an "I don't care" attitude. The reverse is also true. When an area or a ride is clean and well maintained, whether with fresh paint, beautiful landscaping and walking surfaces, or clean restrooms, both your guests and your employees will begin to treat your facility with more respect. Graffiti is one of the best examples of how the Broken Window Theory works. If you have names or comments on a wall, others will add their thoughts or "tags" also. Soon you have a wall covered with useless messages, foul remarks, and unsightly paint scrawls. This is why it is important to eliminate graffiti as soon as possible. There are paints available that are resistant to markers. Keeping on top of vandalism will greatly improve aesthetics.
Staying on Top of the Little Things
Fresh paint goes a long way. Not just on rides or attractions, but also on buildings, fencing, signs, and restrooms. When inspectors see peeling or faded paint or large amounts of grease on your rides, they will begin to question if there are other areas that may not be maintained safely. Grease and oil are unsightly, and your patrons certainly do not want to take any home as a souvenir. Keep your rides as clean as possible and fix maintenance defects. Do not simply paint over them. The unplanned result will present an image that is not in the best interest of our industry. Flowers, trees, and gardens should be pruned and free of trash and dead or low-hanging branches. The more flowers there are, the calmer your guests will be, due to the innate soothing effects flowers have. Overflowing garbage cans will create problems with flies, bees, roaches, mice, and rats, and will give cause for your guests to question the concern you have for their health and safety. Creeping bugs may not cause a direct safety problem, but the sight of a roach scurrying through food service will definitely leave a bad taste in your clients' mouths, no pun intended. Bees and wasps may create their own problem, as some guests and employees may have allergic reactions to stings. If bees and wasps are a problem, investigate ways to ward them off. There are many options that don't have to involve an exterminator or harmful pesticides. When your employees take a few extra seconds to pick up trash or secure a gate that may be open, your guests will take notice. Set a good example yourself and be willing to continually encourage your employees to develop behavior that you want them to display. When your staff is out of uniform, eating, or smoking at their ride, they are not giving the customer-and the ride-their full attention. This may make your customers feel less important than you desire. Although guests often create problems on their own, employees must never bend the rules, no matter how much the customer complains. All employees need to enforce height requirements and any other established rules, for everybody's safety. The patrons will soon understand the behavior you expect at your facility. Employees should not yell from ride to ride, as it distracts other operators and may annoy your visitors. Of course, if there is an emergency, such as fire, patron safety, ride shutdown, or evacuation, your procedures must always ensure that you don't unnecessarily alarm people. A rushing crowd could cause a potentially more dangerous situations.
A Never-ending Plan
Safety is everybody's job, no matter what their title is, and
no matter what type of facility they work in. It is a job for
everyone to be involved in, both the small group of employees
providing direction to other employees, and the patrons who want
to be made to feel safe while they enjoy your park. Good safety
results are achieved when everyone looks out for others around
them. Vigilance toward promoting a significant safety program
is never ending, if you expect to obtain meaningful results. You
must never become complacent when it comes to safety issues, and,
most important, you must not become overconfident with the good
results of last year or the year before that. Aesthetics play
a major role when you plan, develop, produce, test, inspect, and
maintain your attractions and facilities. Always keep safety in
mind. Keep your facility neat, clean, freshly painted, and operated
in a pleasing manner. When you pay close attention to all details
and follow proven employee procedures, you will set yourself up
to provide a safe, enjoyable, and aesthetically pleasing experience
for your guests.