Human Factors, Ergonomics, and Biomechanical Engineering Approaches to Incidents involving Amusement Rides

Amusement ride incidents resulting in major injuries are a rare occurrence. When they occur, in-depth assessment requires specialized expertise and methodologies. Human Factors, Ergonomics (HF/E), and Biomechanical Engineering (BMechE) professionals are uniquely equipped to evaluate incidents involving these complex systems. An HF/E approach would follow frameworks to understand whether, given the situation and the actions and limitations of the individual, the adverse incident would have been avoidable. As a complement, during the in-depth assessments, BMechE approaches consider principles of mechanical engineering, mechanics, and biology in the context of human responses. This study outlines HF/E and BMechE frameworks and approaches that can be leveraged when performing in-depth accident investigations involving amusement rides and explores areas to enhance these contributions.