FEATURE | THEME PARKS
incidents at Florida theme parks. Recent cases include the sad death of a man in Universal’s new Epic Universe theme park, in September 2025. Five others, who had ridden on the same rollercoaster, have filed lawsuits alleging “severe and permanent” injuries. Two months later, a worker at Walt Disney
World was hit by a runaway fake boulder during the Indiana Jones Runaway State Spectacular. The staff member, who was trying to stop the 400lb prop from rolling into seated spectators, ended up with fractured vertebrae and a head injury. While cases like this are certainly rare, any non-
zero number is too many, and accidents tend to grab headlines – with obvious implications for the theme park’s bottom line. For a crane company, that means taking a proactive approach to hazard management, showing the park they’re fully aligned with its safety culture. “Safety is at the forefront of everything we do,” says Ring. “Our local branch teams start every morning with a toolbox talk where they discuss a safety topic each day. And on a jobsite, every member of our team is always thinking safety- first. Our entire team is trained to identify hazards,
think beyond the task at hand and speak up with informed solutions. This approach challenges the traditional vendor-client model and enables decisive, collaborative action that goes beyond being just a service provider.” He adds that CraneTech delivers proactive,
results-driven planning for overhead lifting systems in ride and show environments. All its services are executed with safe, efficient response times and minimal operational disruption. This helps attractions remain reliable, on schedule and safe for guests.
“Our industry-leading services are custom-
tailored and include engineered electrical and mechanical solutions, custom lifting devices, critical structural repairs, engineering support and specialised inspections and studies,” says Ring. “We also develop prescriptive safety, maintenance and inspection programmes that meet or exceed OEM and regulatory requirements, reducing the risk of unplanned peak-season failures.”
Up to standard
Unsurprisingly, a big part of the job involves understanding the relevant regulations and safety
standards. In the US, these are defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which sets the standards for safe and healthy workplaces. There are a few key regulations that are particularly relevant for theme parks. First is the General Duty Clause, applicable to all workplaces, which mandates that workplaces be free from recognised hazards. Most theme parks support this clause through clear safety signage for guests and personnel. Meanwhile, the standards specific to theme parks are covered under 29 CFR 1910. “Specific standards under 29 CFR 1910.212
address the safe design, construction and maintenance of amusement rides to help prevent accidents – an area where CraneTech serves as a valuable partner,” says Ring. “In addition, OSHA’s lockout/tagout and fall protection regulations ensure our technicians can work in full coordination with park staff while maintaining the highest safety standards.” Another relevant section is 29 CFR 1910.179, which covers the requirements for design, application, inspection and service of overhead and gantry cranes. For instance, it specifies that
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