Australia - 4 people dead on Dreamworld's Thunder River Rapids ride, Gold Coast, 2016

Dreamworld safety audit: Inspectors issue seven improvement notices after fatal accident

'Seven improvement notices have been issued to Dreamworld by Workplace Health and Safety officers, with the Gold Coast theme park saying none related to the safety of visitors despite the recent deadly ride malfunction.

However, in a statement Dreamworld said it was also issued with several "prohibition" notices relating to its BuzzSaw ride, specifying concerns with the safety harness anchor points and an error regarding the "maintenance safety chain".'

'Two notices issued related to Dreamworld's adjoining facility, WhiteWater World.'

'Dreamworld outlined the improvement notices in a statement released late yesterday:

  • Green Room Waterslide — the "Emergency Stop" button's colour is faded and the label contains the manufacturer's ride name not WhiteWater World's name.
  • WhiteWater World is required to submit a Chemical Register to notify WHSQ of storage of hazardous chemicals.
  • The Flowrider ride requires an updated chemical log book.
  • Staff working on the Flowrider are required to use upgraded Personal Protective Equipment (respiratory masks) when adding pool chemicals and should be trained in how to use the new masks.
  • A Flowrider plastic mat connection contained a sharp edge and was a potential scratch hazard. Dreamworld has repaired this.
  • Dreamworld requires durable tags for all electrical equipment/tools ("tag and test" tags).
  • A maintenance staff member working on the Escape from Madagascar ride did not comply with "work at heights" requirements.'
 
The Queensland government ordered all Gold Coast theme parks be inspected by Workplace Health and Safety after four tourists were killed on the Thunder River Rapids ride at Dreamworld in October.

After finishing their safety sweep of 24 rides, inspectors hit Dreamworld with eight breach notices, while neighbouring WhiteWater World - also owned by Ardent Leisure - was given two breach notices for its 10 waterslides.

The breach notices are another embarrassing set back for Ardent Leisure given its competitor Movie World, owned by Village Roadshow Theme Parks, last week passed a full audit of its 16 rides with no breaches.

AND:

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland issued three prohibition notices to Dreamworld which are given after an inspector believes there could be a "serious risk to the health and safety of a person from an immediate or imminent exposure to a hazard".

Read more: http://www.afr.com/news/politics/dr...-safety-notices-20161124-gsx98w#ixzz4Qz2E0a7z

Craig Davidson seems to be downplaying the seriousness of the notices Ardent received from WHSQ ....paperwork, etc, etc, etc .....
 
[FONT=&amp]Dreamworld is expected to reopen in time for Christmas after a safety audit gave the Gold Coast theme park the all-clear.

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[FONT=&amp]Inspectors have issued seven improvement and three prohibition notices to the theme park, but none of them relate to guest safety.

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[FONT=&quot]WHSQ defines prohibition notices as requiring immediate action, and may be issued if an inspector “reasonably believes that an activity is occurring, or may occur, at a workplace that involves or will involve a serious risk to the health or safety of a person from an immediate or imminent exposure to a hazard”.[/FONT][FONT=&amp]


Ms Grace expects the theme park will reopen its doors before Christmas, but an exact date remains unknown.

The Thunder River Rapids ride has been decommissioned.

[FONT=&amp]The Dreamworld ride which claimed the lives of four people last month is to be demolished
[/FONT]
http://www.newshub.co.nz/world/dreamworld-may-reopen-by-christmas-after-safety-audit-2016112612

Concerns have been raised with the maintenance of the safety harness anchor points and the safety chain on Dreamworld's BuzzSaw Ride following an inspection by Workplace Health and Safety QLD (WHSQ).

[/FONT]
The BuzzSaw requires an additional inter-lock gate for the operator’s control booth to restrict operator access to the ride platform during ride operation. The new operator booth gate has been installed and will be subject to WHSQ approval.

http://www.medianet.com.au/releases/119273/[FONT=&amp]

Thomas added that in the future the affected families “would be invited to help create a fitting and permanent memorial to their loved ones.”

[/FONT]
rigorous multi-tiered review is being conducted by:
- Dreamworld’s internal safety, engineering, operational and maintenance teams;
- Leading Australian amusement ride engineers, Pitt & Sherry; and
- An international theme park safety expert.

[FONT=&amp]

It's estimated the closure of Dreamworld has cost the park more than $10 million.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rds-BuzzSaw-roller-coaster.html#ixzz4R8YQfh00
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rds-BuzzSaw-roller-coaster.html#ixzz4R8YHcDDI
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

http://singhstation.net/2016/11/dreamworld-demolish-thunder-river-rapids-ride-four-deaths/

[/FONT]
 
http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au...y/news-story/05dbd11c09ebe0ff0d0019204b78d104

DREAMWORLD will reopen on December 10, just in time for Christmas and more than six weeks after the tragedy which claimed the lives of four people.

Park bosses will hold a press conference today at which they are expected to announce a reopening next week following discussions with the families of those killed on the Thunder River Rapids Ride.
BBM
 
Thinking of the victims families and friends with all this coming up right now.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-30/dreamworld-announces-reopening-date-for-start-of-school-holidays/8077892


Gold Coast theme park Dreamworld will reopen with a special charity weekend on Saturday December 10, six weeks after the deaths of four people on a popular ride at the venue.
Key points:


  • Dreamworld, WhiteWater World will reopen in time for the school holidays
  • Four people died on the Thunder River Rapids ride in October
  • Money raised on the weekend will be distributed to those affected by the tragedy


Several rides and attractions will be open, while all slides, pools and cabanas will be operational at its adjoining theme park, WhiteWater World.
Dreamworld's reopening comes after the deaths of fourvisitors, Cindy Low, Kate Goodchild, her brother Luke Dorsett and his partner Roozbeh Aragh.
They were killed on October 25 when two rafts collided on Thunder River Rapids ride near a large conveyor belt at the end of the ride.
Two children, who were also on the raft and witnessed their mothers' deaths, escaped without serious injury.
This afternoon, at a press conference outside Dreamworld its chief executive Craig Davidson said he expected the public to welcome the reopening.
"We have received tremendous support and feedback from the community and from our customer base around the park reopening and we are looking forward to seeing them all back next weekend," Mr Davidson said.
"We will be working hard with our team to show them a great time when they do."

BBM
 
Dreamworld reopens after ride tragedy
Updated: 1:04 pm, Saturday, 10 December 2016

'It was the scene of tragedy a month and a half ago but families queued outside the gates of Dreamworld as the Gold Coast theme park reopened its doors following the death of four people on a ride.

Despite their enthusiam the park was noticeably quiet with many of the key attractions still closed during an ongoing safety review.

Signs were placed in front of the closed rides explaining that they are waiting for their reviews to be completed.

The Thunder River Rapids has been decommissioned and a large fence is in place around the ride, where four people lost their lives on October 25.'

'All nine of the park's major thrill rollercoasters are still shut, as well as Dreamworld Express, Rocky Hollow Log Ride and Shockwave.

CEO Craig Davidson paid tribute to the victims and thanked his staff for their hard work.

'Dreamworld is like a family, we have more than 1,000 team members and a fantastically supportive local community,' he added.

'It was fantastic to see the support there, it felt like it was a normal Saturday morning at Dreamworld.'

A number of local politicians, including Queensland minister for education and tourism Kate Jones and federal tourism minister Steven Ciobo, attended with their families.'

'Dreamworld will donate $25 from every ticket sale over the weekend to the Australian Red Cross.

The total amount raised will be announced on Monday and will be distributed to the families and those most affected by the tragedy.

Special ticket prices will be in place for the summer, while season-pass holders will receive an extra six months entry.'
 
I drive past quite regularly, and while the car park was certainly not empty on Friday when I last looked, there was plenty of space too. That's pretty unusual for the school holidays.
 
It won't surprise me if this is the end of Dreamworld, not in the immediate future but within a year or two. I feel bad for the staff, but the management and owners are having chickens come home to roost. Cutting corners on safety is false economy and I hope other executives elsewhere can learn something from this tragedy. Not only are lives more important than money, you make more money when the public at large can actually trust you. Goodwill means something.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk
 
It won't surprise me if this is the end of Dreamworld, not in the immediate future but within a year or two

in a year or two the park will be thriving again and all will be forgotten,

yes it was sad what happened....but life goes on,

no way it closes because of this, and it probably will not hurt very much financially either



..
 
http://www.skynews.com.au/news/national/qld/2017/01/27/more-rides-open-at-dreamworld.html

Ride malfunctions at Dreamworld

Updated: 4:44 pm, Friday, 27 January 2017

An automatic sensor is believed to have triggered a brief shutdown on a Dreamworld ride on the Gold Coast, with guests strapped into it.

Thrill seekers were left dangling from the top of the 119m-tall attraction known as the Giant Drop for about five minutes after the sensor was tripped on Friday.

No fault was discovered and the ride was operating again after successful testing, a Dreamworld spokesman told AAP.

The incident came just hours after the theme park announced the Giant Drop along with the Shockwave and Hot Wheels Sidewinder rides had been re-opened to guests following the deaths of four people on the now-decommissioned Thunder River Rapids ride in October.
 
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-23/dreamworld-findings-industrial-manslaughter-gold-coast/8833254

Dreamworld fatal accident: 'Industrial manslaughter' to be made offence in Queensland

Updated 23 Aug 2017, 3:15pm

Industrial manslaughter is set to become a criminal offence in Queensland following an independent review prompted by the death of four people on a Dreamworld water ride last year.

Two men and two women were killed on the Thunder River Rapids ride at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast when the ride malfunctioned, throwing two people out and trapping two inside.

Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace has moved to introduce legislation in State Parliament to make industrial manslaughter an offence.

"Industrial manslaughter ... is about not only the individual but the corporation, and that's now going to be part of the Workplace Health and Safety Act with an independent prosecutor to ensure that the independence is maintained in cohort with the director of public prosecutions," she said.

"This is a serious offence and one that will be handled very professionally in the future to come."

She said it was too early to tell if it will be used in relation to the Dreamworld incident.

"It's always there in relation to it, but the investigations are continuing in relation to this matter," she said.

"There is the ability to have criminal manslaughter charges brought against an individual in relation to these issues at anytime as we've seen with the tragedy at Eagle Farm."
 
Dreamworld: Queensland Government considering legal action after Thunder Rapids deaths

By Isobel Roe
Updated about 6 hours ago

The Queensland Government is considering legal action against Gold Coast theme park Dreamworld following last year's fatal ride malfunction, which led to the deaths of four people.

Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said a Workplace Health and Safety report into the tragedy had finished, but would not be publicly released.

"The report has now been handed over to the WHSQ prosecutions unit to determine the legal consequences of the investigation and the next course of action," Ms Grace said.

"That process is expected to take several months.

More at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-...dreamworld-over-thunder-rapids-deaths/9003820


 
Dreamworld staff escape criminal charges

Updated: 7:34 pm, Saturday, 21 October 2017

Queensland police have recommended no criminal charges be laid over the Dreamworld ride disaster, however park employees and the Gold Coast theme park's owners still face potential prosecution.
In a report to the Queensland coroner, police say no Dreamworld staff should be prosecuted for the incident nearly a year ago, in which a ride malfunctioned, killing four people.
However a police spokesperson said it would be up to the coroner whether any staff were eventually charged.
"Police have recommended no criminal charges be laid, but obviously that's only a recommendation, the coroner may come back with suggestions relating to prosecution," the spokesman told AAP.
The park's owner, Ardent Leisure, could still face potential prosecution by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, with penalties including six years jail and fines of almost $4 million.
As part of its two-volume submission to the coroner, police are understood to have also recommended a coronial inquest be held into the tragedy.

http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2017/10/21/dreamworld-staff-escape-criminal-charges.html


 
Dreamworld accident: One year after the theme park ride tragedy, what has changed?
ABC News
BY LUCY MURRAY AND MICHAEL SAUNDERS
UPDATED ABOUT AN HOUR AGO (as at 09:27 AEDT 25 October 2017)

‘Family and friends of four people killed at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast last October say the memory of that terrible day is still fresh in their minds as they struggle to cope with the loss.

A year ago today, a raft on the Thunder River Rapids flipped when it collided with another raft near a large conveyor belt at the end of the water ride.

The accident, on what most people believed to be one of the theme park's tamest rides, claimed the lives of Cindy Low, Kate Goodchild, her brother Luke Dorsett and his partner Roozi Aragi.

The deaths shocked the nation and 12 months later, the fallout from the tragedy is far from over, with prosecutions still possible and a coronial inquest pending.’

Read more at:

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-...-after-accident-thunder-rapids-deaths/9081268

Related:

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-...ors-down-a-third-after-fatal-accident/8694328

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-...---appoints-rebel-shareholders-as-dir/8869224

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-...f-incidents-at-gold-coast-theme-parks/7964330

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-...it-whitewater-world-improvement-urged/8056814

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-...-after-accident-thunder-rapids-deaths/9081268

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-...gs-industrial-manslaughter-gold-coast/8833254
 
Ardent Leisure boss bails out after just four months at troubled theme park business
ABC News
BY BUSINESS REPORTER STEPHEN LETTS
ABOUT 4 HOURS AGO (as at 18:08 AEDT 08 November 2017)

‘The turmoil that has plagued Ardent Leisure, operator of the Gold Coast Dreamworld theme park, has continued with its new chief executive bailing out after little more than four months in the job.

Key points:

  • The troubled operator of the Dreamworld theme park will get its third chief executive in less than 5 months after the resignation of Simon Kelly
  • The change at the top follows activist investors taking control of the boardroom
  • Shares tumble as trading update shows the company is still struggling in the wake of last year's Dreamworld tragedy
In a statement to the ASX, Ardent said Simon Kelly's resignation from his roles as chief executive officer and managing director was effective immediately.’

Read more at:

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-08/ardent-leisure-boss-bails-after-4-months-in-charge/9129764
 

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