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

Seven improvement notices have been issued to Dreamworld by Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) officers in the wake of a deadly ride malfunction last month, as a minister reveals she expects the Gold Coast theme park to reopen by Christmas.

In a statement acknowledging the breaches, Dreamworld said none related to the safety of visitors and all the inspectors’ concerns would be addressed before the park reopened to the public.

It said along with the improvement notices, several “prohibition” notices were issued concerning the BuzzSaw ride, specifying concerns with the “maintenance safety harness anchor points” and an error regarding the “maintenance safety chain”.

Several of the notices related to Dreamworld’s adjoining facility, WhiteWater World.

The safety audit follows the accident last month on the Thunder River Rapids ride in which public servants Kate Goodchild, her brother Luke Dorsett and his partner Roozbeh Araghi were killed alongside 42-year-old Cindy Low.

Two young children escaped when a raft flipped into another raft.

A coroner’s investigation into the accident is ongoing, and the Thunder River Rapids has been permanently decommissioned.

Dreamworld chief executive officer Craig Davidson said the breaches identified by WHS involved procedural matters, paperwork improvements and the safety of staff and maintenance workers.

He said the notices would be addressed before the parks reopened.

In addition to that safety audit, he said there would be a multi-tiered review by Dreamworld’s own engineers, an international theme park safety expert and leading Australian amusement ride engineers, Pitt & Sherry.

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.

In addressing the three “prohibition” notices, Dreamworld said it would undertake “independent certification to ensure the ride manufacturer’s anchor systems comply with Australian standards”.

Minister ‘more than happy’ to go on rides

State Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said she expected Dreamworld to reopen to the public before Christmas.

“My understanding is Dreamworld is anticipating to open before the busy Christmas time,” she said.

“I welcome that they are going to make sure that everything is ticked off before they do that.”

Asked if she would visit the park again, Ms Grace said she would “absolutely”.

“Although I’m one of those people that does get sick on some rides, so there may be some that I might give a miss.”

Life Saving Queensland to audit pools

The statement said Royal Life Saving Queensland representatives were on site this week to audit the pools and lifesaving procedures at WhiteWater World.

Mr Davidson said Dreamworld would “go well beyond legislative requirements” to ensure the facility’s 24 rides and 10 water slides “exceed even the most stringent of safety measures”.

“Dreamworld is Australia’s biggest theme park and we are layering three levels of engineering inspections on top of the Workplace Health and Safety Queensland audit,” he said.

“Our hearts and thoughts remain firmly with the families and their loved ones involved in the tragic incident and we will continue to keep their representatives informed of our plans.”

This post originally appeared on ABC News.

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