Basel fair puts all 52 rides through safety checks

Experts are inspecting all 52 rides at the 555th Basel Autumn Fair before visitors take to the attractions, SRF reports. The checks come after a fatal accident at an amusement park in the United States in mid-October.

Engineer Erwin Bernhard, from TÜV Süd, is part of a 10-person team carrying out the inspections over three days. On the Maximum 2, a ride that swings 10 people in a vertical circle and reaches 52 metres during a loop, he checked each padded safety restraint and its locking mechanism. All 10 passed.

The team also checks bolts, supports and welds, and looks for cracks in the steel. Rides that fail inspection are taken out of service while operators fix the problems. Bernhard said any defects found so far this year had been repaired quickly, and there had been no major damage.

The checks are not required by law. Basel fair director Manuel Staub said the operators have already completed their own inspections, but the canton carries out an additional on-site acceptance check, known as the “Basel finish”. Maximum 2 owner Jean-Marc Jollier welcomed the extra check, saying an additional pair of eyes can help.

Bernhard said no ride can be guaranteed to be completely safe, but serious accidents on amusement rides are rare.