Carnival Worker’s Death Exposes Dangers
This past weekend, a man was killed as he worked at the Feast of Mother Cabrini festival in Brentwood. According to reports, the man was trying to change the music on the ride when it hit him in the head.
The Washington Post reports 22 year old Michael Austin was only a few weeks into his job with the amusement company when the accident occurred.
The Scat ride features baskets that spin on rotating arms. Austin went under the ride to do something and was hit when he stood up. He was transported to the hospital where he later died.
There were 16 people on the ride at the time and none of them were hurt. The owner said inspectors looked at the ride after the accident and found nothing wrong with it. He also notified the Labor Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) about the accident.
Accidents like this are rare, particularly for the carnival workers who are used to working around these large and often dangerous machines. More often, a ride patron is the one who is injured.
Carnival rides are often used for decades after their manufacturing. They are hulking machines with large working parts and their whole purpose is to carry people through frightening and exciting movements—making it easy to see how they could turn dangerous in inexperienced hands or if there was a mechanical flaw.
The machine in this case was made in 1972.
Because of their potential dangers, these rides are often inspected each day for safety and taken out of commission if there are any suspected problems. It’s quite common to go to a carnival like this one and see a ride shut down for maintenance. And despite the fact that this might disappoint carnival-goers, it’s usually in their best interest.
Whether you are at a carnival or simply at the part with a carousel, you expect that the operator will keep you safe, through proper operation of the machine and frequent safety inspections. Sometimes, however, accidents happen.
When an accident like this occurs, a competent attorney or law firm can ensure that your needs and interests are protected There is a limit of time to make claims so do not hesitate to contact a New York personal injury attorney. The law firm of Omrani & Taub have the experience needed to take on property owners and ride operators in cases like these. If you or anyone know was recent injured on unsafe premises or by an unsafe ride call us at 212-529-7848.
