Ride operator injured on the job at local fair

On behalf of Jeffrey Frederick of Frederick & Hagle posted in Industrial Workers’ Accidents on Thursday, July 28, 2016.

What was intended to be a fun event for an Illinois community turned tragic recently. A carnival worker was injured on the job a piece of equipment from a fair ride fell on him, causing serious injuries. None of the attendees at the fair were involved in the accident, as the ride was undergoing maintenance at the time.

The ride involved in the accident — Speed — operates by spinning riders around in the air. As the ride was serviced by other workers, the ride’s operator was standing nearby. Without warning, a piece of the ride dropped, striking the operator.

Emergency responders were able to safely transport the injured worker to an area hospital, where he was stabilized. One of the witnesses to the accident reported that a significant amount of blood was visible on the platform of the ride after the accident and expressed his discomfort at riding another fair ride in the future. However, an official who has spent 25 years with the area’s fair noted that, to his knowledge, this was the first incident of a ride operator being injured.

Local fairs and carnivals in Illinois can be incredibly fun for visitors, but it typically takes an significant amount of coordination between employers, ride operators and other workers to maintain an acceptable safety level. While being injured on the job is not necessarily an indication that safety protocols were violated, it can still result in long-term health problems and complicated medical bills. Workers’ compensation benefits are intended to help victims address these costs as well as lost wages while they focus on the best recovery possible.

Source: journalstandard.com, “Stephenson County Fair carnival worker injured, in stable condition“, Susan Vela, July 11, 2016