Dangerous Zip Line Course Causes Serious Injuries

Case Overview

This case involves a zip line course at a Carribean resort. On the date of the incident in question, the Plaintiff was a guest of the resort who had purchased tickets for the zip line course along with her husband. The Plaintiff noted that she received no safety instructions from resort staff regarding the proper technique for using the zip line. At the end of the line, the Plaintiff came in at a high rate of speed, impacting a tree and suffering serious injuries.

Questions to the Amusement Park Safety expert and their responses

What is your experience designing and operating zip line courses?

I have over 26 years of experience in the adventure course and zip line industry. From 1990 until 2007, I worked for a large provider of zip line experiences, eventually serving as their Engineering and Technical Product Manager. I was a designer and installer for adventure courses and designed many pieces of equipment. I was also their internal legal affairs consultant. Since 2007, I've been an independent consultant. I have served as an expert on many cases, initially as an employee of Project Adventure and then on several cases as an independent expert witness. I am the chair of the Standards Development Committee at the Association for Challenge Course Technology, so I am very familiar with industry standards.

Have you ever reviewed a similar case?

This is a common occurrence on zip line courses in which standard safety features and training are not present.

About the expert

This highly qualified expert currently runs his own challenge course and zip line consultancy. He provides inspections and reviews, concept and design serves, standards and regulations development, and expert witness services to stakeholders in the industry. The expert earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Queen's University in Ontario and previously spent 17 years with Project Adventure, Inc. He is a Member of the ASTM International F24 Subcommittee on Zip Lines and Aerial Adventure Courses and also acts as an ongoing consultant to inspectors with the Department of Public Safety in Massachusetts. The expert is the Chairman of the Association for Challenge Course Technology's Standards Development Committee and also sits on the Design, Performance and Inspection Standards Committee.

E-074318

Specialties:

Amusement Park Safety