Theresonly1
Member
How sad and at this time of year too. My thoughts and prayers to her family.
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AK worker injured
- Thread starter mousermerf
- Start date
MythBuster
Active Member
There is no Automatic E-Stops from people or even equipment or anything falling into the track. That is why you have Ride Operators, that is their job, to make sure everyone is safe. And if there is a problem, then hit the E-Stop.
That is why every console has an E-Stop. There are plenty of Manual E-Stops around the ride.
SpongeScott
Well-Known Member
From the online edition of the St. Pete Times
Disney worker falls from ride, dies
LAKE BUENA VISTA - A Disney employee died Thursday, five days after falling from a ride platform and hitting her head, park officials and Orange County authorities said.
Karen Price, 63, was hit by one of the moving vehicles and fell from a platform Saturday while working as a ride attendant on the roller coaster Primeval Whirl in Animal Kingdom, officials said.
Price was conscious, alert, and talking at the time of the injury, but her conditioned deteriorated Wednesday, sheriff spokesman Jim Solomons said.
Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Polak said the ride was operating normally Saturday at the time of the accident. The ride was closed for the remainder of the day Saturday and reopened Sunday.
"Our sympathies are with the family and we have offered our support through this very difficult time," she said.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspected the ride Thursday, Polak said. The sheriff's office was not contacted until Price's condition worsened, which is standard procedure, Solomons said.
Their office also was investigating, but "there's absolutely no indication there was a criminal act that precipitated the injury," he said.
Primeval Whirl is a dinosaur-themed ride, where spinning vehicles zip through a roller coaster track, according to Disney's Web site.
Disney worker falls from ride, dies
LAKE BUENA VISTA - A Disney employee died Thursday, five days after falling from a ride platform and hitting her head, park officials and Orange County authorities said.
Karen Price, 63, was hit by one of the moving vehicles and fell from a platform Saturday while working as a ride attendant on the roller coaster Primeval Whirl in Animal Kingdom, officials said.
Price was conscious, alert, and talking at the time of the injury, but her conditioned deteriorated Wednesday, sheriff spokesman Jim Solomons said.
Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Polak said the ride was operating normally Saturday at the time of the accident. The ride was closed for the remainder of the day Saturday and reopened Sunday.
"Our sympathies are with the family and we have offered our support through this very difficult time," she said.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspected the ride Thursday, Polak said. The sheriff's office was not contacted until Price's condition worsened, which is standard procedure, Solomons said.
Their office also was investigating, but "there's absolutely no indication there was a criminal act that precipitated the injury," he said.
Primeval Whirl is a dinosaur-themed ride, where spinning vehicles zip through a roller coaster track, according to Disney's Web site.
I would like to thank the CM that took the time to pass on their views, off line, on the incident and the Dinoland team that also told me of the serious spike in CM incidents going unreported at AK.
I understand that it is difficult to talk about this on a forum that is monitored by WDC and AK executives, and it also explains why there is such a difference in what was finally reported about the Saturday incident (only on Wednesday) and what CM are stating.
I am about to write a feature in Tourist Attraction and Parks magazine on the state of this aspect of park operation and I hope the OSHA gets to the 'real' bottom of what happened, so it can be included.
Note - Just to say; YES accidents do happen, and operating is a dangerous business, but there is no excuse for hiding or not reporting incidents - do not belittle ANY incident.
I understand that it is difficult to talk about this on a forum that is monitored by WDC and AK executives, and it also explains why there is such a difference in what was finally reported about the Saturday incident (only on Wednesday) and what CM are stating.
I am about to write a feature in Tourist Attraction and Parks magazine on the state of this aspect of park operation and I hope the OSHA gets to the 'real' bottom of what happened, so it can be included.
Note - Just to say; YES accidents do happen, and operating is a dangerous business, but there is no excuse for hiding or not reporting incidents - do not belittle ANY incident.
sbkline
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately, there are many overly obsessive WDW fanboys on this site who throw a hissy fit anytime the media reports on an incident involving WDW. They think that by doing so, the writer is biased against Disney in some way and is trying to tarnish the reputation of WDW.
Time and again I've seen threads on here where someone is bashing some newspaper for having the audacity to report a death or injury that took place on WDW property and whining about how the Disney company is being victimized by the evil press. I guess I'll expect to see such a thread about your article in the near future.
Thanks sdkline - understand your comments oh so well. Our e-news service gets flamed every now and then when we report an incident - it is a shame that some people get so blinkered ("my country right or wrong"). If the forum dose not mind may post the DRAFT feature here first just to gauge reaction.
You all stay safe and well.
You all stay safe and well.
I have not read every post and I am by no means an OSHA expert but what exactly did Disney do wrong or misreport in this case? At first a worker was injured and taken to the hospital. There was no criminal action so why would the sheriff's department need to be involved? Also initially there was no loss of life or limb or evidence of a mechanical failure so why would OSHA need to be involved? I know for my business that OSHA is not brought in unless something pretty catastrophic happens. It seems like OSHA was brought in shortly before the CM's death which from my understanding is when Disney is legally responsible to do so.
bigtotoro
Member
It does not really sound to me like they were LEGALLY in the wrong. You may make an arguement that they were ethically, but that remains to be seen, and that's corporate America for you. It's just the way things go.
Have to make this quick as I am following another breaking news:
The OSHA has to be notified of a hospitalization of a rider and (especially) operator at the time of the incident - AK did not do this till Wednesday (four days late). The Sheriff also needs to be informed of serious incidents (the individual is not able to walk away from the incident). The danger is that the scene of the incident has been compromised.
There is also a second cause for concern that AK is being accused of having a poor reporting structure on CM accidents - as a matter of course the media is normally supplied news of any 'minor' incident that requires hospitalization (self policed). And this was not reported till the Orlando6 News team started digging.
Note - Yes Bigtotoro, your spot on, not illegal, just bad practice - and if bad practice is allowed to continued unchecked can end up with a guest losing their head on a roller coaster!
The OSHA has to be notified of a hospitalization of a rider and (especially) operator at the time of the incident - AK did not do this till Wednesday (four days late). The Sheriff also needs to be informed of serious incidents (the individual is not able to walk away from the incident). The danger is that the scene of the incident has been compromised.
There is also a second cause for concern that AK is being accused of having a poor reporting structure on CM accidents - as a matter of course the media is normally supplied news of any 'minor' incident that requires hospitalization (self policed). And this was not reported till the Orlando6 News team started digging.
Note - Yes Bigtotoro, your spot on, not illegal, just bad practice - and if bad practice is allowed to continued unchecked can end up with a guest losing their head on a roller coaster!
Then that is a problem.
KeeKee
Well-Known Member
When you think of how many people it takes to man one of these parks and how many people move through any of the parks on any given day, it's not logical to think that there wouldn't be injuries or deaths to report occassionally. Not to mention that when people are there they usually throw caution to the wind because they are on vacation and in a (somewhat) strange place.
Don't know what the average death rate is in a group of 10,000 people per day (or 20,000 or 50,000 say), but figure that there would be some. Overlay that statistic to WDW and it is not unexpected that some deaths and injuries would occur.
Don't know what the average death rate is in a group of 10,000 people per day (or 20,000 or 50,000 say), but figure that there would be some. Overlay that statistic to WDW and it is not unexpected that some deaths and injuries would occur.
JustPlainBill
Active Member
Speaking relatively yes, but I think to achieve a 0% death rate (employee accident) at an amusement park is achievable. I am thinking of a quote; "If you think you can't do something you are right." I think Thomas Edison said it, not sure though.
KeeKee
Well-Known Member
Theoretically, yes, 0% accidental death rate would be optimum. However, in any given group of people of that size, I'm not sure how realistic that is. Remember, there are in excess of 50,000 employees alone. Add the guest count to that, and I think that a 0% accidental (or any other kind) death rate is just not going to happen.
bigtotoro
Member
If you could achieve 100% intelligent guests/employees, maybe. But as many of the most famous incidents have involved stupid/foolish people doing stupid/foolish things (and I would like to once again mention that we do not know the facts in THIS case just yet), it's unlikely.
bigtotoro
Member
There's just too large a group here for that to be realistically feasible, I think. There are going to be accidents. And some of them will be the lightning strikes accidents (slip on an unseen wet spot, trip on a shoelace...fall over and hit your head) that just happen sometimes. You would hope that they could minimize accidents due to negligence but: (A) they tend to hire younger folks and, (B) they don't always pay the best money (so maybe the Harvard grads are not flocking to work there).
Just been handed this:
"County officials said that the woman was conscious, alert and talking when initially treated after her fall, but her condition deteriorated. Sheriff spokesman Jim Solomons stated that "there's absolutely no indication there was a criminal act that precipitated the injury."
According to Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Polak, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspected the ride on the Thursday, November 29th. Polak continuned, "Our sympathies are with the family and we have offered our support through this very difficult time."
- we have been told that all AK incidents do not have to be reported to the OSHA until after a fatality or major incident. They will not comment on original reports that the woman was hospitalized after been driven from the park on Saturday (head trauma is one of the worst conditions as bleeding is internal).
For me, I will have to wait until the OSHA report to pick my way through the conflicting stories.
"County officials said that the woman was conscious, alert and talking when initially treated after her fall, but her condition deteriorated. Sheriff spokesman Jim Solomons stated that "there's absolutely no indication there was a criminal act that precipitated the injury."
According to Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Polak, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspected the ride on the Thursday, November 29th. Polak continuned, "Our sympathies are with the family and we have offered our support through this very difficult time."
- we have been told that all AK incidents do not have to be reported to the OSHA until after a fatality or major incident. They will not comment on original reports that the woman was hospitalized after been driven from the park on Saturday (head trauma is one of the worst conditions as bleeding is internal).
For me, I will have to wait until the OSHA report to pick my way through the conflicting stories.
wannab@dis
Well-Known Member
I think some need to be VERY careful about how they write things in this thread. It appears to me that some are getting close to crossing the line of libel. If you have evidence, get it to the right officials, otherwise, you better be careful about making flagrant statements about cover-ups or mis-reporting to federal agencies.