Woodcock, K., 2018. Disability and participation in amusement attractions. Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies 1, 38-53. Link
Continue reading “Paper: Disability and participation in amusement attractions”Category: THRILL
Humanly possible
Professor and researcher Dr Kathryn Woodcock shares her thoughts on the role of guests in amusement ride safety and human factors in attractions design
Published in Attractions Management 2017 issue 4
Continue reading “Humanly possible”CNE 2017 Construction week field trip
This year, three Ryerson Engineering students joined the CNE construction field trip. Aside from posing with Squirtles (Pokémon game prizes likely to be the hot commodity this year), they had the opportunity to join me in shadowing some ride inspections and watching the assembly of Canada’s largest fair.
Continue reading “CNE 2017 Construction week field trip”Contribution to article in Thrillist
I enjoyed corresponding with Wil for this thoughtful article on carnival ride safety.
Continue reading “Contribution to article in Thrillist”Amusement ride accidents are spectacular, but experts say they’re rare: CBC
Happy to provide information and quotes for this good effort by CBC to provide a balanced report.
“Amusement ride accidents are spectacular, but experts say they’re rare”.
Continue reading “Amusement ride accidents are spectacular, but experts say they’re rare: CBC”When the worst happens
The worst thing that can happen at a theme park, amusement park, water park, or carnival is an injury to a rider. The rider and their family obviously are hurt worst, but the owner/operator and the entire industry shares the pain.
Many people work very hard to make sure rider injury does not happen, and because of the success of that effort, it rarely does happen. In the immediate aftermath, thoughts often go to negligence. Was the inspection skipped or shortcut? Did someone leave a part out? Did the rider bring it on themselves by misbehaving?
Continue reading “When the worst happens”Presentation: The necessary risk
The Necessary Risk, Keynote, Themed Entertainment Association, SATE (Storytelling+ Architecture + Technology = Experience) Conference
Report of rider injury
The fatal injury on the Schlitterbahn “Verrückt” waterslide has been reported as a decapitation.
Earlier accounts referred to a “neck injury”. Reporters enthusiastically parsed past Consumer Product Safety Commission reports and noted 28% of injuries in their dataset were head and neck injuries. They did not report that the CPSC data on amusement rides substantially overstates injury occurrence due to the inclusion of swan boats, ball pits, laser tag, corn mazes and other things that are not what you would popularly consider “amusement rides”. A study I published in the journal Safety Science in 2014 found the national estimate of actual amusement ride injuries was less than 2/3 of what CPSC data would suggest.
Continue reading “Report of rider injury”Parksmania recognizes ride accessibility initiative
During the IAAPA Europe, Middle East and Africa Spring Forum at Gardaland Park in Peschiera del Garda, Italy, THRILL Lab Director Dr. Kathryn Woodcock was honoured with a Career Special Award for Professional Merit. This award recognized her leadership in the attractions industry project promoting expanded accessibility and risk-informed rider eligibility for rides.
Continue reading “Parksmania recognizes ride accessibility initiative”Paper: Determining participation eligibility for amusement attractions
Woodcock, K., 2015. Determining participation eligibility for amusement attractions. Procedia Manufacturing 3, 5389-5396.
Continue reading “Paper: Determining participation eligibility for amusement attractions”