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PLAY SAFELY: AMUSEMENT PARK RIDES UNDER SCRUTINY
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
05.06.12 | 15:25
The high season for amusement parks in Armenia that's started with
summer has brought fresh concerns over the safety of rides due to
accidents of recent years.
Armenia's few amusement parks are of Soviet heritage and are typically
poorly appointed and poorly maintained.
Two years ago, on May 9, a public holiday, an accident took place in
Haghtanak (Victory) Park in Yerevan, where the chains of a swing called
Typhoon broke causing injuries to four people. After this incident
the respective bodies started paying more attention to safety issues.
Vladimir Hovsepyan, Head of the Technical Security Service Center
of Yerevan at the Ministry of Emergency Situations, reported at a
press conference on Tuesday that there are 114 engine-driven rides
registered in Armenia (78 in Yerevan). Under the ruling of 2006, they
must undergo technical examination (either in spring or in winter)
before the high season starts.
"All carrousels in Armenia have undergone technical examination prior
to this season, and most of them have been instructed to rectify the
defects; 59 have been repaired and are running safely," Hovsepyan says,
adding that the examination of 23 amusement rides is still in process.
He added that last year, four rides were closed due to safety concerns
- two in Lori province and two in Kapan, Syunik province.
Hovsepyan says an amusement ride operator faces a 500,000 dram (about
$1,230) fine if the operation is found to be unsafe. In the case of
accidents, a criminal case is filed.
According to him, users can find out whether this or that carrousel
has undergone examination by reading the references fastened on the
windows of ticket-boxes.
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
05.06.12 | 15:25
The high season for amusement parks in Armenia that's started with
summer has brought fresh concerns over the safety of rides due to
accidents of recent years.
Armenia's few amusement parks are of Soviet heritage and are typically
poorly appointed and poorly maintained.
Two years ago, on May 9, a public holiday, an accident took place in
Haghtanak (Victory) Park in Yerevan, where the chains of a swing called
Typhoon broke causing injuries to four people. After this incident
the respective bodies started paying more attention to safety issues.
Vladimir Hovsepyan, Head of the Technical Security Service Center
of Yerevan at the Ministry of Emergency Situations, reported at a
press conference on Tuesday that there are 114 engine-driven rides
registered in Armenia (78 in Yerevan). Under the ruling of 2006, they
must undergo technical examination (either in spring or in winter)
before the high season starts.
"All carrousels in Armenia have undergone technical examination prior
to this season, and most of them have been instructed to rectify the
defects; 59 have been repaired and are running safely," Hovsepyan says,
adding that the examination of 23 amusement rides is still in process.
He added that last year, four rides were closed due to safety concerns
- two in Lori province and two in Kapan, Syunik province.
Hovsepyan says an amusement ride operator faces a 500,000 dram (about
$1,230) fine if the operation is found to be unsafe. In the case of
accidents, a criminal case is filed.
According to him, users can find out whether this or that carrousel
has undergone examination by reading the references fastened on the
windows of ticket-boxes.