A BBC Panorama investigation has raised serious concerns over the effectiveness of the UK’s funfair ride safety regime, following a string of incidents involving injuries and inspection failures.
There were 3,188 injuries in England, Scotland and Wales between April 2014 and March 2024, including slips, trips and falls, with 350 in 2023/24, according to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request put to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Broadcast on 3 June 2024, the programme focused on a catalogue of ride accidents and suggested that critical safety standards are not being upheld, despite the sector being regulated under HSG 175 – Fairgrounds and amusement parks: Guidance on safe practice.
One of the most shocking cases involved Jade Harrison, who was thrown from the Airmaxx 360 ride at Hull Fair in 2019, sustaining lasting injuries. The same ride was involved in a fatal accident in Australia in 2014. Despite concerns over its restraint system, it was later sold and operated in the UK.
Panorama found that David Geary, the inspector behind the ride’s original UK design review, has been repeatedly linked to accidents. He’s received criminal convictions, safety warnings, and was only suspended in 2025 after a disciplinary hearing.
Amusement rides in the UK are subject to annual inspections under the Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme (ADIPS). However, Panorama found that these inspections may not be consistently rigorous.
In response to the programme, the HSE stated: “We have taken enforcement action where serious failings have been identified and continue to review how inspections are carried out. We are committed to protecting public safety at funfairs and amusement parks.”
ADIPS Ltd said it was reviewing its practices and would work closely with the HSE to strengthen oversight. It added that individual inspectors bear ultimate responsibility for ensuring a ride’s safety and compliance.
Watch the programme here – BBC One – Panorama, Funfairs: How Safe Are They?
