CAROLINA BEACH — The amusement park company that sets up the rides at the Carolina Beach Boardwalk has been fined after a rider was injured on the “Surf’s Up Kamikaze.”
The North Carolina Department of Labor issued Harlan Blast/Hildebrand Amusements $37,500 in penalties following an investigation into an incident that left a rider injured when a lap restraint came loose during the Kamikaze’s operation. According to Luke Farley, the labor commissioner, the patron sustained injuries and later sought medical attention.
“North Carolinians should be able to enjoy amusement rides with confidence that operators are following required safety procedures,” Farley said in a release.
The investigation found the incident was caused most likely by an operator error, as no mechanical defects were detected upon examination. NCDOL also reviewed video taken before and during the incident, showing the operator did not verify all safety restraints.
“When those procedures are not followed, the consequences can be serious,” Farley said. “Our department will continue to enforce the law and hold operators accountable for maintaining safe operations.”
Furthermore, the department of labor learned about the injury from the Carolina Beach Police Department on June 10 and said Hildebrand Amusements did not report what happened, which the law mandates. Thus the company received fines including:
- $25,000 penalty for Operation of Unsafe Device under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 95-111.9.
- $12,500 penalty for Operation After Occurrence Without Approval of the Commissioner under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 95-111.10(c).
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