Behind the Scenes: Ensuring Ride Safety at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo

December 12, 2024

Written by Rides & Attractions Safety Coordinator Sam Zelenka

At Happy Hollow Park & Zoo safety is top priority, and that includes the rides that bring joy to visitors of all ages. Ensuring that each ride is safe to operate involves a comprehensive system of daily inspections, routine maintenance and extensive annual checkups. Before the park even opens its doors, a dedicated team ensures that every attraction is carefully examined and ready for use.

Along with Happy Hollow Park & Zoo and the City of San José’s own safety standards, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) regulates amusement park rides in the state to ensure public safety through inspections and compliance enforcement. They adopt safety standards which sets guidelines for ride design, operation, record keeping, and maintenance. DOSH conducts regular inspections, unannounced inspections, issues operating permits, and investigates ride-related incidents to maintain safety at amusement parks.

In this blog post, go behind the scenes to explore the processes that keep our rides running safely and smoothly, from daily safety checks to more extensive maintenance routines. Your safety and enjoyment are at the heart of everything we do, and we want you to feel confident and secure while experiencing the fun at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo.

Safety of rides at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo: 
 

Ride safety includes the inspection and maintenance of the rides. In the early hours of the morning, each ride undergoes a thorough daily inspection by a trained Ride Inspector to ensure it is ready for safe operation. This daily check ensures that attractions are prepared for daily use and clear of any safety risks. In the last hour before park opening, the Ride Operator assigned to opening the ride for the day will do a secondary inspection. This additional inspection is important because the ride operator has direct understanding and experience regarding the ride’s daily performance. By checking safety systems like seatbelts, lap bars and safety mechanisms, the Operator acts as an extra pair of eyes to make sure nothing is missed.

Rides are also on routine maintenance schedules, with work taking place weekly, monthly and yearly. These periodic routine maintenance plans focus on the complex parts of the attraction.

 

Routine Maintenance:

Routine maintenance is completed on a weekly or monthly basis by fleet mechanics. This involves tasks like making adjustments, adding lubrication and replacing parts that have worn out. For some rides, they also check things like the hydraulic systems, electronics, and battery fluid levels, and ensure all moving parts are properly lubricated. Routine maintenance helps catch any issues early, keeps the rides working longer, and ensures they stay safe and perform well for every rider. 

 
Annual maintenance: 
 
Annual maintenance is more extensive than the weekly/monthly routine maintenance and is essential for long-term ride upkeep. This is when the ride may have to shut down for an extended period for an extensive inspection and significant part changes, we try our best to schedule these extensive maintenance routines over our weekday closures during the winter. Annual maintenance involves more than just minor repairs; it is the process in which mechanics fully dismantle specific parts of the ride, install new components and certify that all structural and mechanical parts meet safety regulations.

The extent of work required and therefore duration of closure for the annual maintenance on each ride can vary greatly. Some rides may only require small part replacements, while others may require special parts or major overhauls that could take significantly longer. Rides with larger mechanical systems or more complex parts may require more time for their annual maintenance. Electric motors, bearings, tires and gearboxes may need to be replaced or rebuilt during the annual maintenance. In addition, some rides will require non-destructive magnetic particle testing to search for cracks in the frame of the ride which requires a third-party company to perform the test. Repairs or replacements may keep the ride closed and unavailable for an extended period, but these closures are necessary for the safety and operation of the ride and to avoid future breakdowns or accidents. 
 
 
The team works tirelessly to keep each ride in top condition and meet Happy Hollow Park & Zoo and the City of San José’s and DOSH’s safety standards. It’s thanks to these efforts that you can enjoy a fun and worry-free experience at the park. Visit Happy Hollow’s website to view the ride schedule on the day of your next visit!