Photo: Amusement device involved, and the broken arm with gondola on a platform
A dangerous incident involving the failure of welding on the structure of the gondola arm occurred at a theme park in Kuala Lumpur recently. The gondola arm is one of the main components of an amusement device at the theme park. The welding failure of the gondola arm occured when the ride was about to start, and the welding failure caused the gondola arm to break and fall on a nearby platform. Based on the inspection done on the other gondola arm that was still intact, cracks were observed on the welding.
To ensure the integrity of welding in good condition, the following safety measures are recommended:-
- Daily visual inspection of welds should be carried out before the amusement ride starts operating;
- Any cracks found should be described in detail and monitored so that cracks do not reach the critical level;
- If cracks require repair process, the owner must ensure that the appointed welder is qualified to carry out welding;
- The engineer must review the welding procedure to be carried out for process improvement;
- Non-destructive testing should be carried out on welding according to the interval recommended by the manufacturer; and
- Compliance with existing guidelines such as the Guidelines on the Management of Amusement Park Safety Devices.
