Workplace Health and Safety Queensland investigating Dreamworld safety incidents

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland is reported to be investigating two recent incidents at Gold Coast theme park Dreamworld.

As reported by Brisbane newspaper The Courier-Mail, in one incident a guest narrowly avoided serious injury on another the Triple Vortex waterslide at the adjacent WhiteWater World waterpark while in the other the three-tonne arms of the Pandemonium pendulum ride missed two workers when they fell during maintenance.

One of Dreamworld’s major thrill rides, Pandemonium is a rickshaw themed swinging ride in the theme park’s Kung Fu Panda: Land of Awesomeness precinct.

A Dreamworld spokesperson confirmed the two incidents in a statement to news.com.au, advising “Dreamworld and WhiteWater World have an open and transparent reporting relationship with Workplace Health and Safety Queensland for the betterment of safety in our parks.

“We reported an event to WHSQ which occurred in our Engineering Centre during scheduled maintenance, are working cooperatively with them and have received confirmation that they are satisfied with our actions.”

The spokesperson added “(we) acknowledge a minor event that took place on the Triple Vortex slide at WhiteWater World and we confirm that a notice was not issued by WHSQ”, adding the regulator “have advised they are satisfied with our actions in relation to this matter”.

In addition to these two incidents, media have also reported that an eight-year-old girl suffered internal injuries on WhiteWater World’s Fully 6 waterslide with the safety regulator issuing an “improvement notice” for the rides.

In response, the spokesperson said WhiteWater World “acquired the water-slide from a top tier manufacturer who supply water-slides globally”, adding “our operation of the slide is strictly in accordance with the requirements of the manufacturer which we have verified was the case on the day of the recent event.

“WhiteWater World has requested a review of this notice with WHSQ and the notice is currently stayed.”

Dreamworld owner Ardent Leisure was fined $3.6 million in September after pleading guilty to three charges relating to the deaths of four people on the Thunder River Rapids ride in October 2016.

Images: Dreamworld's entry (top) and guests on the Pandemonium ride (below).