Enclosed are two charts identifying state regulatory authority, one for fixed-site rides and one for mobile rides. We are updating this information. Regulation of fixed-site amusement rides, if regulated at all, is currently only at the state and local level. The responsibility for ride safety rests with the manufacturers in terms of the design, and with the amusement ride facility for maintenance and safe operation. There is no national regulatory body that has the responsibility for reviewing proposed design features to assure that they do not pose a risk or health hazard.
Some industry associations try to encourage safety measures.
These standards, however, are general and are limited to what should be included in the maintenance instructions, which are provided to owners of the ride. Studies performed by aeromedical researchers over a number of years, using servicemen and normal volunteers, indicate that loss of consciousness is typically experienced in response to sustained exposures in excess of 3-5 G's. It is worth noting that these studies were performed on healthy individuals. The effects on the aged, ill, or otherwise compromised individuals, could be dramatically different. Loss of consciousness as a result of redistribution of blood volumes could render the individual more vulnerable to other injuries, which a conscious individual might be able to avoid.