The condition and operational safety of amusement rides must be inspected before they are placed into operation and periodically thereafter. However, modifications to the rides or equipment may become necessary in response to changes in applicable laws or standards. TÜV SÜD’s “Retrofit EN 13814/ ISO 17842” concept supports ride managers in achieving compliance with the relevant standards in their retrofitting and modernisation activities. The concept spans testing and inspection of rides to verify their conformity with current standards, identification and definition of any essential changes and final acceptance testing of the consequently performed modifications. “This procedure ensures that existing rides are kept up to date with the state of the art and can continue to be operated in complete safety”, says Christian Falk, Head of the Amusement Ride Industry Department at TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH. Failure to comply will result in withdrawal of their approval to operate in Germany; many other countries, including Switzerland, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, likewise prohibit the operation of amusement park installations built to older standards and not yet updated.

Cyber security requires extensive measures

Cyber security is a topic of growing importance, including for the leisure industry. Operating and safety-relevant systems are steadily become more digitalised and more connected, bringing the risk of tampering with functions of rides and operational processes. “With our wealth of experience in the leisure industry and our expertise in cyber security, we can support manufacturers and operators in defining protection objectives and implementing regulatory requirements”, explains Falk.

“One thing is absolutely clear: the increasing complexity of risks can only be brought under control by a blanket comprehensive extensive wide-ranging approach and consistent application of the relevant standards.“

“Maintenance and Operations” certification for amusement park rides

Performing over 2,000 tests and inspections annually, TÜV SÜD is the global leader for safety, quality and sustainability services for amusement parks and rides. The company’s independent, impartial experts support manufacturers and managers of these leisure amenities throughout their products’ life cycle, starting with development and taking in inspection of technical documentation and quality assurance up to initial handover and periodical inspections. TÜV SÜD’s “Maintenance and Operations” certification for amusement park rides has introduced a new service specifically targeted at the managers and operators of these facilities. Successful certification documents that the certificate-holder’s organisational structure underlying operation of the ride is clearly defined and that all operatives and responsible persons are familiar with the specific features and characteristics of the facility and have the requisite technical and process knowledge.

TÜV SÜD’s expertise in the field of amusement parks and rides is in demand all over the world. As well as Germany, the company provides services in numerous countries including France, Italy, the Benelux countries, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Spain, Czech Republic, Poland, South Korea, the Middle and Near East, Singapore, Hong Kong and the USA. For more information visit tuvsud.com/en-us/amusement-rides-theme-parks