OSHA report faults 2 workers in latest Disneyland coaster crash
(Tuesday, April 13, 2004) - The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health released the following report upon the conclusion of its investigation into a crash involving two roller coaster trains on Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad:
The Division [of Occupational Safety and Health] performed an inspection on the attraction known as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, located at Disneyland. This inspection was conducted on 4/5/04 and 4/6/04.
This inspection resulted from a complaint issued to the Division. During the Division inspection it was found that on Saturday, April 3, 2004 at approximately 2040 hours the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction went down for a problem with the station gates. The attraction was evacuated and cleared with no guests on the attraction. At this time the problem with the station gates was resolved, and operations began to perform its reset procedure (a procedure that does not involve guests at anytime). During this reset procedure the Tower [employee] gave an instruction to start Lift C with train #3 on the lift. As the train went over Lift C, it collided with train #5 which was occupying Brake Zone 4.
The Division has concluded that the Tower [employee] did not follow the proper procedure for resetting the attraction after an E-Stop evacuation. The Tower [employee] did not verify the position of train #5 that was occupying Brake Zone #4 prior to giving the clear to start Lift C with train #3 occupying the lift. Also the Division has found that the Lead [employee] did not fully perform her duties as the Lead and overseeing the resetting procedures.
The Division has also concluded that this incident was not a reportable accident, due to [the fact that] no guests were involved, and the owner/operator has performed its own internal investigation and prior to operating the attraction on Sunday, April 4, 2004, all [employees] were retrained.
At the conclusion of the Division inspection the following requirement was given to the owner/operator:
R1 - The owner/operator shall retrain the Tower [employee] and the Lead [employee]. These two individuals did not follow the proper procedures (a procedure that does not involve guests) to reset the attraction from and E-Stop and evacuation, at the time of the incident on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction on Saturday, April 3, 2004 at approximately 2040 hours. This resulted in the two trains colliding. These two [employees] shall not operate the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction until this requirement has been complied with.
(Tuesday, April 13, 2004) - The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health released the following report upon the conclusion of its investigation into a crash involving two roller coaster trains on Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad:
The Division [of Occupational Safety and Health] performed an inspection on the attraction known as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, located at Disneyland. This inspection was conducted on 4/5/04 and 4/6/04.
This inspection resulted from a complaint issued to the Division. During the Division inspection it was found that on Saturday, April 3, 2004 at approximately 2040 hours the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction went down for a problem with the station gates. The attraction was evacuated and cleared with no guests on the attraction. At this time the problem with the station gates was resolved, and operations began to perform its reset procedure (a procedure that does not involve guests at anytime). During this reset procedure the Tower [employee] gave an instruction to start Lift C with train #3 on the lift. As the train went over Lift C, it collided with train #5 which was occupying Brake Zone 4.
The Division has concluded that the Tower [employee] did not follow the proper procedure for resetting the attraction after an E-Stop evacuation. The Tower [employee] did not verify the position of train #5 that was occupying Brake Zone #4 prior to giving the clear to start Lift C with train #3 occupying the lift. Also the Division has found that the Lead [employee] did not fully perform her duties as the Lead and overseeing the resetting procedures.
The Division has also concluded that this incident was not a reportable accident, due to [the fact that] no guests were involved, and the owner/operator has performed its own internal investigation and prior to operating the attraction on Sunday, April 4, 2004, all [employees] were retrained.
At the conclusion of the Division inspection the following requirement was given to the owner/operator:
R1 - The owner/operator shall retrain the Tower [employee] and the Lead [employee]. These two individuals did not follow the proper procedures (a procedure that does not involve guests) to reset the attraction from and E-Stop and evacuation, at the time of the incident on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction on Saturday, April 3, 2004 at approximately 2040 hours. This resulted in the two trains colliding. These two [employees] shall not operate the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction until this requirement has been complied with.