Bill Weaver, director of operations for the Association of Challenge Course Technology (ACCT), will be presenting ANSI/ACCT 03-2016 as an approved national standard to the Tennessee Elevator & Amusement Device Safety Board on March 1, 2016 in Nashville, Tenn.
The State of Tennessee regulates zip lines and aerial trekking courses by requiring that annual inspections take place to verify all courses are constructed and maintained to industry standards. Only when the standards are met will the operator be granted a permit by the Department of Labor & Workforce Development.
On the agenda for discussion are the procedures required to adopt new standards/guidelines not currently outlined in the Amusement Device rules. The ANSI/PRCA 1.0-.3-2014 and the ANSI/ACCT 03-2016, as well as the ASTM F2959-14, are standards that were developed with the same goal: safe operation of zip line and aerial trekking courses, though each pursues this goal through slightly different paths.
Which standard the authorities use is currently up for discussion. In December, Mike Barker, VP of the board of directors for the Professional Ropes Course Association (PRCA), presented the ANSI/PRCA 1.0-.3-2014 standard that had been the American National Standard (ANS) of note prior to the approval of ANSI/ACCT 03-2016.
In his presentation, Barker emphasized the comprehensive nature of the ANSI PRCA 1.0-.3-2014 standard for challenge courses, aerial adventure parks, canopy tours and zip lines, particularly how it covers both patron and employee safety requirements, unlike the ANSI/ACCT standard, which covers guests only.
Barker also pointed out that within the past year or so Tennessee’s OSHA (TOSHA) utilized the ANSI PRCA standard in an investigation of an employee injury. This enabled TOSHA to determine that the operator was utilizing a known hazardous connector that, while it did meet the ACCT standards, did not meet the ANSI PRCA safety standards. This led to a OSHA citation and fine against the operator.
For a discussion on the differences between the ANSI/ACCT 03-2016 and ANSI/PRCA 1.0-.3-2014, check out the Letter from the Editors, published in the Winter issue of Adventure Park Insider. https://adventureparkinsider.com/letter-from-the-editors/
For more information on the Elevator & Amusement Device Safety Board meeting visit: https://www.tn.gov/assets/entities/labor/attachments/WRC_Safety_Board_Meeting_Agenda_03_01_16.pdf
