Safety members of the public on fairground rides

This page explains how to stay safe on fairground rides and what you can expect from ride operators in ensuring rides are safe to use.

How to stay safe

Take reasonable care to ensure you don't put yourself at risk. Take note of any safety briefing or signs.

Do not interfere with things such as safety bars and restraints that are there to protect you.

Some rides will have height or weight restrictions and may require riders to have certain physical abilities. Do not try to get around them as these restrictions are in place to keep you out of danger.

Alcohol or drugs can affect people's ability to understand potential risks at fairgrounds. Try to avoid mixing these with a good time at the fair, as they can lead to problems for you and the ride operators.

Young children's lack of risk awareness can be a problem. HSE has published some advice on keeping children safe at the fair.

Reporting an accident on a fairground ride

Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), only certain types of accident should be reported to HSE. Only an employer, the self-employed or the person in control of premises can do this. There are details on who must report an incident under RIDDOR.

If you are concerned about whether your accident has been reported, you should first try to find out whether the ride owner has done this. If they haven't, or you can't find out from them, you should contact HSE.

Information that may help you

You may find it helpful to know that:

fairground machinery is designed to provide people attending fairs with an exciting, fun time but without exposing them to serious danger
you are actually at far greater risk of injury during your journey to the fair than when riding fairground machines
fairground ride owners are required by law to have their machines inspected annually by someone competent. This could be, for example, an inspector registered under the HSE-supported Amusement Devices Inspection Procedures Scheme (ADIPS) or Professional Inflatable Play Association (PIPA)
if there is an accident on a machine that results in serious injury, the ride owner must notify the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
inflatables can be great fun but can be dangerous if not correctly inflated or used – you can find basic guidance on bouncy castles and other play inflatables