What It Takes to Make Amusement Parks Safe

Ever wonder who makes sure amusement park rides are actually safe? We’re getting a behind-the-scenes look at how LARA inspects rides across Michigan, from big parks to traveling carnivals.

Transcript

Anastasha Osborn 0:19

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the LARA Living Room, where we talk about the people, the work, and the impact happening across LARA and Michigan every day. We are going to be diving into something that feels like pure fun on the surface, but has a lot going on behind the scenes to keep people safe. That's right, we'll be talking about amusement parks, and that's everything from roller coasters and water slides to local fairs and traveling carnivals. And there's a whole system that's in place to make sure that these experiences are safe for you, the public. So you know the drill, go ahead, fill up your coffee, grab a seat, and get comfortable because you are now in the LARA Living Room. Today I am joined by Greg. Greg is our Code Inspection Supervisor with the Bureau of Construction Codes, also known as BCC, and he oversees the Ski and Amusement Section. So Greg, welcome to the LARA Living Room and I'm so excited that you could be here today.

Greg Ohlemacher 1:09

Thank you for having me.

Anastasha Osborn 1:10

Yeah, so I want to start with you and your role first. So you're the code inspection supervisor. Is that the your correct title, or is there a different title you go by?

Greg Ohlemacher 1:20

Um well I serve as chief inspector under two public acts. So that's the Carnival and Amusement Safety Act of 1966 and the Ski Area Safety Act of 1962. So we kind of roll that all into ski amusement section chief just to keep it short. Okay, that's easier. Um which seems like a really unique role because you get to kind of service these really fun and different things that most people probably don't even think about, other than just they like to ski or they like to go to these amusement parks.

Anastasha Osborn 1:47

Um so what does that actually look like for you day to day, um, especially or specifically on the amusement park side of things?

Greg Ohlemacher 1:55

Well, uh no two days necessarily look the same. Uh some days I'm I'm in the office filling uh administrative roles, so sometimes I'm doing uh you know customer support, helping people fill out applications, and then other days I do get to get out in the field and climb over, under, around, and through amusement devices, which is definitely the the better days.

Anastasha Osborn 2:17

Nice. Um so zooming out just a tiny bit, what is LARA's role in amusement parks more specifically?

Greg Ohlemacher 2:23

We are responsible for inspecting and permitting every ride at every facility every year.

Anastasha Osborn 2:30

Okay, perfect. And I think kind of before we started recording, I mentioned I kind of asked, like, you know, is this about the time that you guys are starting to do these inspections? Um, are they happening consistently around the same time of the year? Or is it like a specific time of the year that you're like, you know, between April and June, we know that we are, or is it based off of I guess the park's needs of when they are opening?

Greg Ohlemacher 2:52

So typically, uh right as we roll out of ski season, we will get into uh indoor family fun centers, think uh CJ Barrymore Zap Zone. Okay. Um places like that that have indoor rides, and then we'll we'll do uh indoor water slides, like lifetime fitnesses and things like that. And then that rolls into uh the start of mobile carnival season, where we have to get most of that done before Memorial Day. Ah, okay. And then uh, you know, we have we have several targets to hit throughout the season based on the the needs and the operating season of the individual operator.

Anastasha Osborn 3:32

Okay, so that actually just made me think I've never really known the difference between a carnival and an amusement park, or I guess in I think you use the word fixed versus an amusement park or a fixed versus a mobile. Can you kind of explain what the differences are?

Greg Ohlemacher 3:46

So the main difference between fixed devices that spend their life in the same place and mobile devices that travel around. Um in a lot of cases with a fixed device uh the manufacturer, the installer, will construct the device and and it will just live its life in that location. And sometimes an operator will take for granted that time plays a factor. And footings can degrade, um structures can rust, wood can rot. Uh so sometimes with fixed rides, you know, we have to take them out of service because they have reached their end of life.

Anastasha Osborn 4:29

Yeah.

Greg Ohlemacher 4:30

Uh with a mobile device they are always moving, they're always being taken apart and put back together. Uh you would think that because they're being taken apart and put back together, they're also being inspected more often. You know, maintenance staff has eyes on all the wear parts and all the um other little bits and pieces. Uh the biggest issue with those is that they're exposed to Michigan roads. Humps, bumps, potholes, uh salt. So most of the major issues we see with mobile devices uh they're created by that situation and and less uh less by the the running and the operations.

Anastasha Osborn 5:10

Okay. That makes sense. And I it just got me thinking as you were kind of talking about that, I was thinking about Michigan weather, and you know, we're not like a lot of warmer states where they don't have these harsh elements like the water, the snow, you know, all the ice, the frost, all of these things. Do you know I mean, and if you don't know this answer, that's okay, but just maybe just are you aware if those things like erode at those rides faster than in other states because of the elements?

Greg Ohlemacher 5:44

Well, there are certainly situations that speed up the degradation of rides. Um a water slide uh inside of a pool complex in that you know chlorinated thick air will will degrade much quicker. Um there was uh an instance many years ago in Ohio where a ride came apart and it was because that ride traveled the eastern seaboard in the thick, salty air and wow and corroded from the inside.

Anastasha Osborn 6:19

Interesting. Wow, don't want that to happen to me. Um I was gonna ask you, and you brought it up, was we didn't really talk very much about water slides. Um, but that is also something when we went um out on the Michigan Adventure uh inspection with you guys that we did get to look at the water slides. Now, granted, there wasn't any water yet running because it was still kind of cool at that time, um, and they were still getting their inspections and stuff completed. Um, but how is that treated any differently than the rides specifically?

Greg Ohlemacher 6:51

Well, water slides are amusement devices, and we do need to see them both wet and dry.

Anastasha Osborn 6:56

Okay.

Greg Ohlemacher 6:57

Uh, because we do walk the flume from top to bottom and and look for any uh you know cracking or deformation or or degradation in uh especially fiberglass you don't want to come across, you know, bare fiberglass and and get stuck with that. Yeah.

Anastasha Osborn 7:14

And if you guys are finding things during your inspections, um, are you kind of this is probably not the right phrasing, but are you essentially giving them like a "fix it" ticket, like this thing needs to be fixed by this date, and then we'll come back out and reinspect it? Depending on what it is, I'm assuming.

Greg Ohlemacher 7:31

Depending on what it is. Uh if a ride is deemed to be hazardous or unsafe, yeah, um, we can issue a a do not operate order. Okay. Uh and and that takes it out of service immediately. Okay. That happens sometimes. There are situations where you're at a carnival, it's their first spot of the year, the kids are buying tickets, yeah, you know, but you walk on the deck and put your foot through it, and you know your leg's bleeding, and we're not gonna let the kids at this.

Anastasha Osborn 7:58

Of course.

Greg Ohlemacher 7:59

You know, we're done. Uh but there are other levels, uh, there are low and medium violations where where they do get a "fix it" ticket and they get a a period of time to make amends.

Anastasha Osborn 8:10

Okay. How many amusement parks are there in Michigan? I only really know of Michigan's Adventure, so I don't know if there's like other larger amusement parks um that would qualify, or I guess just parks that would qualify as an amusement park. Like what qualifies that as an amusement park versus like a carnival?

Greg Ohlemacher 8:29

Well, carnivals move, amusement parks are fixed. So there is a bit of a gray area between um an amusement park and a family fun center because there are some large family fun centers that have roller coasters. Okay. Uh in terms of amusement parks, I would say we only have three. We have a Michigan's Adventure, Cedar Valley, and Arzo Park. Those are up on the northeast side of the state. Otherwise, there's not a lot that would really classify as an amusement park.

Anastasha Osborn 8:59

Okay. So let's kind of talk about. So we've talked a little bit about the differences between like these different um, you know, amusement parks and carnivals and travels. So, in terms of inspections, when your team shows up to do an inspection, what does that actually look like? Um like what are you walking through? What are you checking, and what like what's happening in those moments you're doing those inspections?

Greg Ohlemacher 9:21

The short answer is everything. Uh you know, on a on any given device, we're looking at, you know, the we do a structural inspection to make sure that the device isn't going to fall over. We do a mechanical inspection to make sure that the thing isn't going to shake itself apart, and we do an operational inspection to make sure that the people running it know how to operate it safely and know how to uh react in the case of an emergency.

Anastasha Osborn 9:45

And in those instances when you're doing these inspections, this is just for my own knowledge, do you guys get to ride the rides while you're doing the inspections? Or are you mostly there just checking all, you know, the inner workings? Uh or is that something that like the park does on their own and maybe like runs their own, like because I've seen like right, they have like those like the dummy-weighted um that they'll put like on there to like do like the test runs.

Greg Ohlemacher 10:09

Yeah, like when they'll put human analogs on on um roller coasters to check the brakes and and things like that, and and to make sure that they can actually make it all the way around the track. We typically don't ride the rides unless there's really something to be gained from it. You know, if if we get a complaint from uh a member of the public that, you know, this roller coaster is a a real spine rattler, you know, maybe we will go out and ride it and just see, you know, what's what the situation is. You know, we don't have uh you know fancy gforce monitors or anything like that that we can get data from. So sometimes we we do just jump on and you know get a get a feel for the situation. That makes sense.

Anastasha Osborn 10:52

Well, I would have been more jealous if you said that you do. Um okay, which actually brought me to another question. So you kind of mentioned, you know, if you get a complaint about you know a ride or something like that, so outside of your standard, you know, yearly inspections, are you guys also doing the inspections if you receive complaints?

Greg Ohlemacher 11:08

Certainly.

Anastasha Osborn 11:09

Okay. And so to kind of talk to me a little bit about what that could look like. I mean, how often are you guys getting complaints? Are they um are they usually about like kind of what you mentioned, like an experience on the ride, or is it something else? Like kind of I guess what are some common concerns that you guys might get?

Greg Ohlemacher 11:25

Um we don't get a l a lot of complaints. We may get a a few a summer. And generally the complaints that we get from the public are are based around sort of aesthetic things. Oh I know like a like a wooden roller coaster looks really precarious, and it is a constant maintenance struggle. I mean, they start at one end of the track and they replace it until they get all the way back to the beginning, and then they start over again. You know, it's a it's a constant process. So sometimes we'll get uh you know a call from a licensed builder who says, you know, this wood doesn't look so great. And it's like, well, that wood's not structural. Okay. But we will follow through to to make sure that you know we if somebody make makes a comment or or or calls us and has a concern, we're gonna follow through on it. Yeah. You know, generally, you know, we'll get a comment like this ride's too rough, and it it is it is still operating in the way that it was designed, you know, maintenance is caught up. Um and there's a sign up front that says this one's rough. Yeah. You know, if you have neck or back injuries, this one's not for you. Um it's really important to you know read the signs and warnings and understand that you know you buy the ticket, you take the ride. Um there are some risks involved, you know, depending on you know health and and personal situations. Um, and we can't really do anything about that. Right, yeah. And my assumption, and correct me if I'm wrong, are these um things that are required by the parks to put on the rides per like your guys' rules and statue? Like, do they have to make sure that they are notating that this ride, you know, don't ride it if you're XYZ or this is a rougher ride? Are those requirements that they have to have that signage? Certainly.

Anastasha Osborn 13:20

Okay. So that's good to know then. All right, well, good. So you we're kind of talking about all the the things you guys get to do, but how big is your team? Can you tell our listeners how many people on your amusement and ski section, how many of there are you that are doing these um inspections and investigations?

Greg Ohlemacher 13:37

Well, there are five of us in total. Okay. There's uh myself, we have an analyst, and then there are three full-time inspectors.

Anastasha Osborn 13:45

Okay, yeah, so that's a lot of work for not a very big team.

Greg Ohlemacher 13:49

Yes, we we are the only section within the BCC who has jurisdiction over the entire state.

Anastasha Osborn 13:55

Yeah, that's incredible. So let's talk about what does it look like during your busy season? Are you guys all on the road? Are you guys kind of going from place to place doing these inspections? What does that kind of look like during your busier time of the year? Or is that just year-round?

Greg Ohlemacher 14:09

We are on the road year round because we are responsible for the whole state. We get a lot more windshield time than inspectors in other units. Uh, you know, things are spread out and we have to we have to go where they are. Um, you know, the there's a a lot of time to be spent in, you know, the Detroit metro area, uh a lot of amusement devices there. You know, there are some other parts of the state. Um I think right now there are no fixed amusement devices in the upper peninsula.

Anastasha Osborn 14:40

Okay.

Greg Ohlemacher 14:41

But we get um mobile carnival companies coming in through Wisconsin for the border state fairs. Oh, okay. Um so it it really is corner to corner, and we just have to we just have to do our best to chase them down.

Anastasha Osborn 14:55

So in your guys' line of work and maybe more to sport specifically for you, you have to at least have some good stories from being out in the field. Is there anything that stands out just over your time doing this? You know, something funny, unexpected, or just memorable that you want to share?

Greg Ohlemacher 15:10

Well, I'll never forget the first time that I inspected Shivering Timbers, because I came from the uh the ski industry.

Anastasha Osborn 15:19

Okay

Greg Ohlemacher 15:19

Where a chairlift tower, you a lot of people look at that and they say, I don't want to climb that. You're only ever 45 or 50 feet high.

Anastasha Osborn 15:26

Uh-huh.

Greg Ohlemacher 15:26

The the lift hill on Shivering Timbers is 12 stories high.

Anastasha Osborn 15:30

Yeah, no, thank you. And I'm not even afraid of heights, and that just sounds awful.

Greg Ohlemacher 15:35

12 stories high, made of wood. Fantastic views, though.

Anastasha Osborn 15:38

Yeah.

Greg Ohlemacher 15:38

Definitely cannot beat that.

Anastasha Osborn 15:40

Yeah. Um, we actually went out. Um, Director Brown, Courtney Pendleton, our Chief Operating Officer, and myself had gone out to Michigans Adventure, and we got to climb - what was the one that we all got to climb?

Greg Ohlemacher 15:51

That was Thunderhawk.

Anastasha Osborn 15:52

Thunderhawk, yeah. And when we were climbing up the stairs, they're all um

Greg Ohlemacher 15:57

Corrugated so you can see the ground.

Anastasha Osborn 15:59

And it was terrifying. And again, not afraid of heights, but we got up to the top and I said, let's turn back around. So I applaud you guys for doing that work. I mean, that's just you gotta really not have a lot of fear to get up there and do those things. So yeah, when we appreciate that. Um, okay, so one thing, and you we kind of talked a little bit about the um signage in terms of just, you know, these are the risks that you're taking when you're getting on these rides. The one thing I did want to talk about, if someone is heading, whether it's to a fair as we're getting to the, you know, fair in carnival season, amusement parks are opening in the summer, is there anything that our public should be looking for in terms of signals that identify a ride has been inspected and it is good to go?

Greg Ohlemacher 16:42

A good litmus test is the Michigan rider responsibility sign. It is required in our administrative rule set. Um, it's always something that we look for and we make sure that everyone we inspect has it. If you approach a ride and you don't see a Michigan responsibility sign, you may be dealing with somebody who's trying to fly under the radar.

Anastasha Osborn 17:04

Yes, that's good to know.

Greg Ohlemacher 17:05

And then we also have our permit decal that goes on once a year. Uh and then the permit decal is good for 12 months. It is a rotating color.

Anastasha Osborn 17:14

Okay

Greg Ohlemacher 17:14

uh things like that.

Anastasha Osborn 17:16

Okay, interesting. That's good to know. All right. Well, Greg, before we wrap up, I want to kind of give you an opportunity to talk a little bit about what your favorite part is of this job, of the work you get to do, and what really keeps you coming back to it.

Greg Ohlemacher 17:30

I definitely enjoy the inspection portion of it. Getting out with the machinery, getting your hands dirty, crawling, crawling through uh all the little nooks and crannies, and getting a look at the the machine in from every angle.

Anastasha Osborn 17:45

Yeah, and one thing I didn't ask you at the very beginning was what is kind of your background? Like what brought you into this line of work to do this?

Greg Ohlemacher 17:52

I spent time in the ski industry.

Anastasha Osborn 17:54

Okay.

Greg Ohlemacher 17:55

So because we cover ski and amusement, we have a split team. Two of us came from the ski industry, two of us came from amusement, and then we uh worked together to get everybody up to speed on, you know, cross-train.

Anastasha Osborn 18:07

Yeah. So did you have experience like working? Um, I don't know if it's mechanical work is the right terminology, but -

Greg Ohlemacher 18:16

Certainly. I I was a ski area mechanic.

Anastasha Osborn 18:18

And did you go to school um a skilled trades or like how did you get into then becoming the mechanic for that?

Greg Ohlemacher 18:24

I have an associate's degree in high performance automotive technologies from the University of Northwestern Ohio.

Anastasha Osborn 18:31

Shout out Northwestern Ohio.

Greg Ohlemacher 18:32

Oh, yeah. Go racers.

Anastasha Osborn 18:34

There you go. Um well, perfect. I just kind of wanted to give our listeners just a little bit of background of how you got to here and how you're able to do that. Um, you mentioned a lot of terminology about ski stuff, which luckily for our listeners, we will probably bring Greg back on or someone from his team to talk a little bit more about ski um safety and just all that stuff as we get a little bit closer to ski season. But I appreciate you being here so much. Thank you. I always love to be able to give our listeners just a chance to see behind the scenes of what it is that you guys are doing, um, just to make sure that everybody is safe when they're out there riding those rides this summer. So I appreciate you. Thank you.

Greg Ohlemacher 19:12

Thank you.

Anastasha Osborn 19:13

All right, so if this is one of those areas, you know, again, that people may not always see the working happening, but it makes a huge difference in keeping our community safe, especially when we're trying to have fun this summer. And that is what impact is all about. So to our listeners, next time you're at a fair, a carnival, or an amusement park, just know there's a whole team working behind the scenes to make sure that you can enjoy the experience safely. From our living room to yours. We'll see you next time.