NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING  
 
 
Under the provisions of G.L. c. 30A, the Department of Public Safety (“DPS”) will hold a public 
hearing for the purposes of gathering commen ts, ideas, and information concerning the 
amendments of the following regulations:  520 CMR 5 et seq. , 
Amusement Devices  
 The amendments proposed by the Department and the Amusement Advisory Board reflect important changes to clarify existing provisions, update requirements with best practices and known safety concerns, and ensure responsiveness and accountability.  
Scheduled Hearing Date:  March 10, 2016, at 9 AM 
 
Location:  One Ashburton Place, Room 1301, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108 
 
Anyone who desires to be heard on the matter should appear at the designated time and place. A written public comment period will follow and such comments should be submitted to The Department of Public Safety, One Ashburton Place, Room 1301, Boston, MA 02108, attention 
Stephen Carley. Comments will be accepted until 4:30 PM on March 14, 2016. Charles D. Baker 
Governor 
 
Karyn E. Polito 
Lieutenant Governor 
  
 
  
 
 TThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts  
DDepartment of Public Safety  
OOne Ashburton Place, Room 1301 
Boston, Massachusetts 02108-1618 
Phone (617) 727-3200 
Fax (617) 727-5732 
TTY (617) 727-0019 
www.mass.gov/dps  
 
 
 
 
   
 
Daniel Bennett 
Secretary  
 
Matt Carlin 
Commissioner 
 
    
 
The text of the regulations published in the electronic version of the Massachusetts Register is unofficial and for information al purposes only.
The official version is the printed copy which is available from the State Bookstore at http://www.sec.state.ma.us/spr/sprcat/c atidx.htm.41Small Business Impact Statement 
(As required by M.G.L. c. 30A §§ 2, 3 & 5) 
CMR No: 520 CMR 5.00  
Estimate of the Number of Small Businesses Impacted by the Regulation: 200 - 300  
Select Yes or No and Briefly Explain 
Yes 
 No 
 Will small businesses have to create, file, or issue additional reports?  
Small businesses that are subject to the amusements  regulations are required to have their certified 
mechanics create, keep, and maintain maintenance logs, and to issue reports for certain classes of incidents involving injuries. 
Yes 
 No 
 Will small businesses have to implement additional recordkeeping procedures?  
The regulations require the receipt and retention of essential manuals and other documentation on 
mechanical equipment, in addition to th e maintenance logs and incident reports. 
Yes 
 No 
 Will small businesses have to provide additional administrative oversight?   
Regulated businesses are required to obtain annual licenses for operation and, for certain classes of 
device operators, to conduct criminal background checks on employees. 
Yes 
 No 
 Will small businesses have to hire additional em ployees in order to comply with the proposed 
regulation?   Typically businesses and entities subject to 520 CMR 5.00 already employ a certified maintenance 
mechanic. However, if such a person is not alread y on staff, the business/entity must retain one. 
Yes 
 No 
 Does compliance with the regulation require small busi nesses to hire other professionals (e.g. a lawyer, 
accountant, engineer, etc.)?   
In the normal course an outside professional is not specifically required by the regulations but may be 
necessary in cases such as when an attorney is needed to draft and implement a CORI policy. 
Yes 
 No 
 Does the regulation require small businesses to purchase a product or make any other capital 
investments in order to comply with the regulation?   Regulated parties must invest as necessary to ensure the safe and mechanical functioning of their rides and other equipment, as well as to purchase insurance policies dependent upon the type of amusement device employed. 
Yes 
 No 
 Are performance standards more appropriate than  design/operational standards to accomplish the 
regulatory objective? (Performance standards express requirements in terms of outcomes, giving the regulated party 
flexibility to achieve regulatory objectives and de sign/operational standards specify exactly what 
actions regulated parties must take.) The regulations employ some performance standards but due to the technical nature of the operation and maintenance of the ride equipment typically at issue, design and 
operational standards are appropriate to meet minimum safety requirements. 
Yes 
 No 
 Do any other regulations duplicate or conflict with the proposed regulation? 
No other regulations set rules for the licensing, inspection, and maintenance of amusement devices. 
Yes 
 No 
 Does the regulation require small businesses to coope rate with audits, inspections or other regulatory 
enforcement activities?   A central component of the safety rules created by 520 CMR 5.00 is the licensing and inspection regime that exist to ensure the safe operation of th e amusement devices made available to the public for 
The text of the regulations published in the electronic version of the Massachusetts Register is unofficial and for information al purposes only.
The official version is the printed copy which is available from the State Bookstore at http://www.sec.state.ma.us/spr/sprcat/c atidx.htm.42commercial and/or recreational purposes. 
Yes 
 No 
 Does the regulation require small businesses to provid e educational services to keep up to date with 
regulatory requirements?   Numerous classes of businesses and entities are requ ired to educate their personnel on the CORI policy 
rules. Also, significantly, the owner/operator’s maintenance mechanic is subject to educational 
requirements and an exam to meet and maintain certification. 
Yes 
 No 
 Is the regulation likely to deter  the formation of small businesses in Massachusetts?   
In general, small operators will be unaffected by basic safety, licensing, and inspection requirements. 
However, a percentage of operators within the amusement and carnival communities may be dissuaded 
from starting operations in the Commonwealth b ecause they do not wish to abide by the minimum 
standards or inspections regime and would thus pose a danger to the public. 
Yes 
 No 
 Is the regulation likely to encourage the formation of small businesses in Massachusetts? 
Among honest and mainstream amusement device owner/operators, the regulations help protect their industry by reducing accidents and economic loss due to malfunctioning equipment, thereby increasing demand through positive customer and public perceptio n, helping to maintain a viable business sector. 
Yes 
 No 
 Does the regulation provide for less stringent compliance or reporting requirements for small 
businesses?   
Small businesses could not be exempt from the licensing, inspection, reporting, and maintenance 
requirements for amusement devices without compromising essential public safety. 
Yes 
 No 
 Does the regulation establish less stringent sche dules or deadlines for compliance or reporting 
requirements for small businesses?   
Other than the annual licensing requirement, the regulations do not impose deadlines. As to compliance, small businesses could not be exempt  without compromising essential public safety. 
Yes 
 No 
 Did the agency consolidate or simplify compliance or reporting requirements for small businesses?   
Small businesses could not be exempt from the licensing, inspection, reporting, and maintenance 
requirements for amusement devices without compromising essential public safety. 
Yes 
 No 
 Can performance standards for small businesses replace design or operational standards without 
hindering delivery of the regulatory objective?   The regulations already employ some performance st andards but due to the technical nature of the 
operation and maintenance of the ride equipment typically at issue, design and operational standards are 
appropriate and necessary to meet minimum safety requirements. 
Yes 
 No 
 Are there alternative regulatory methods that would minimize the adverse impact on small businesses?   
Small businesses could not be exempt from the licensing, inspection, reporting, and maintenance 
requirements for amusement devices without compromising essential public safety. 

The text of the regulations published in the electronic version of the Massachusetts Register is unofficial and for information al purposes only.
The official version is the printed copy which is available from the State Bookstore at http://www.sec.state.ma.us/spr/sprcat/c atidx.htm.43