Terminology used within the amusement industry/by LTC personnel relating to amusement devices:
AIB: Appointed Inspection Body (LTC). The registered inspection body that has overall control of the annual in-service/pre-use inspections have been completed and have the responsibility for DOC issue.
Conformity to Design: A check carried out by an inspection body to ensure that the ride is constructed to the design specification
Controller: Person (or company) who has control of a device or attraction with the duty of maintaining it in a safe condition
Daily Check: A visual and functional check performed by operators and attendants prior to using a device each day, designed to assess its condition and identify any deterioration of device related equipment whilst in service.
Design Review: Appraisal of a design by an inspection body to check the adequacy of a design specification and the assumptions on which it is based.
DOC: Declaration of Operational Compliance. A safety certificate issued by a registered inspection body after satisfactory completion of all relevant in-service annual inspections of an amusement device.
Fairground equipment: Any fairground ride, or any similar plant which is designed to be in motion for entertainment purposes with members of the public on or inside it. It also refers to any plant which is designed to be used by members of the public for entertainment purposes, either as a slide or for bouncing upon, and includes swings, dodgems and other plant which is designed to be in motion wholly or partly under the control of, or to be put in motion by, a member of the public. The definition includes coin-operated children’s rides, but not non-powered children’s playground equipment.
Initial Test: A functional test carried out by a competent inspection body to verify if a newly constructed, imported or modified amusement device is capable of meeting functional design requirements when operated in accordance with the instructions in the operations manual.
Maintenance: Servicing and replacement or repair of components and protective materials to maintain rides and equipment in safe working order.
NDT / NDE: Non-Destructive Testing / Non-Destructive Examination. A branch of engineering encompassing all methods of detecting and evaluating defects in materials without damaging the component or structure under test. In the amusement industry NDT is used primarily for in-service inspection and condition monitoring of amusement devices.
Operations Manual: Full instructions for safe use compiled by the manufacturer, importer or supplier and updated by the user containing documentary proof of inspections and records of any modifications as well as other records previously kept in the log book.
Pre-use Inspections: These inspections are carried out only once, unless safety-critical modifications to the amusement device have been made. They are to be completed before the device is first used in this country. This will also apply to second-hand devices brought into the country for the first time. When the inspections have been satisfactorily completed, the amusement device will be issued with a Declaration of Operational Compliance (DOC) by the inspection body issuing the report of the initial test. A DOC will normally be valid for up to one year.
Safety-Critical Modification: Any alteration to the hardware/software of a piece of equipment including the introduction of a component which departs from the original design specification.
TER: Thorough Examination Report. A document produced by the Appointed Inspection Body (LTC) for the client which details the scope, findings and recommendations for all disciplines assessed as part of the annual in-service inspection.
Thorough Examination: The procedures, tests and investigations necessary for an appointed inspection body to decide whether an amusement device may continue to be operated for a specified period of time
Type C Inspection Body (LTC): An inspection body which remains independent from the design, manufacture, supply, installation and maintenance of the devices they inspect, with organisational safeguards to ensure adequate segregation of responsibility/accountability between inspection and consultancy services.
DRA: Design Risk Assessment. The process of assessing the hazards that the design of a piece of fairground equipment may pose, the likelihood of those hazards posing a risk and the control measures that are necessary to adequately control those risks.
NOC: Notification Of Change. A document used by LTC clients to communicate device modifications to their Appointed Inspection Body (LTC).
Maturity: Design evidence from past experience that a design has a history of safe functioning.
Operator: The person appointed by the controller to be in charge of the immediate operation of an attraction when available for public use.
Organiser: The person who has overall control of a fairground or amusement park.
NDTS: Non-Destructive Testing Schedule. A document found within an amusement device manual which details the NDT requirements of a device; in particular the sample size, methods and frequency at which device components must be subject to NDT.
Should you require any further clarification relating to industry related terminology please refer to our Safety Publications page or contact us.