It’s that time of year again—the lights come on just after dark, music plays over and over from somewhere you can’t quite place it, and kids wait in line for rides that, if you think about it, were put together in a field a few days before. A lot of people don’t think about it. Ontario’s regulatory bodies, on the other hand, do.
The province has been improving a multi-level inspection system for seasonal carnival rides and traveling shows over the past few years. The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSA) and the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) are at least two separate authorities that are in charge of different but related parts of the puzzle. The TSSA is in charge of the mechanical side. They license operators, certify mechanics, give out operating permits, and check rides out physically before they’re ready for the public. The ESA, on the other hand, is in charge of electrical compliance. Their job is just as boring as it sounds, but it might be just as important.
What’s interesting about the current framework is how carefully the steps have been put together. What’s called a “technical dossier” is basically a filed document that describes the device in enough detail so that inspectors can make sure it works as it should before a new ride can open to the public. This isn’t a stamp. That’s right, the device stays closed if it doesn’t make sense. This rule is for all rides, not just brand-new ones. It also applies to rides that have had what regulators call a “major alteration.” For even smaller changes, called Minor A or Minor B, you need to ask for an alteration inspection within 30 days of the ride going back into service.
On the other hand, the ESA side of things works on a separate but parallel track. Six to eight weeks before an event, show operators have to send in electrical notification applications. This deadline forces fair organizers to plan ahead rather than scramble at the last minute. You have to get an electrical permit. The Ontario Electrical Safety Code says that every traveling show has to be inspected to make sure it follows the rules. Also, only equipment with the mark of a recognized certification agency can be used on-site. There’s also a distance rule: big tents and rides should stay three to six meters away from powerlines, depending on the voltage. From the middle, it’s easy to miss this kind of detail, but if you do, it could be very bad.
The way these rules are set up makes it seem like Ontario has been building one of the strictest safety rules for carnivals in the country without anyone knowing. Figuring out if it’s working the way it’s supposed to is harder. Inspections cost money; the TSSA charges about $155 per inspection, and licensing fees vary from $117 to $468 based on the type of ride. These costs add up for big operators who use a lot of devices at a lot of events. Smaller traveling operators with older or less powerful equipment may find the administrative work really hard, but regulators haven’t fully solved this problem yet.
What the system does is make it clear who is responsible for what. Ride operators need to have a license. Mechanics need to be licensed. Each device needs to have a valid operating permit. That’s not nothing. The Tilt-A-Whirl in the corner at an Ontario fair now, at least in theory, has paperwork attached to it. There is a paper trail linking it to an inspector, a mechanic, and a compliance standard.
It’s a different story if any of this can be seen by the average fairgoer. Most people don’t think twice about the permit before getting on a ride. That should be fine. After all, the whole point of inspections is to make the dangerous thing seem normal. Ontario is putting money on the idea that strict process and public enjoyment can go hand in hand, and so far, the summer crowds keep coming.
