Cast Member Passes Away from Injuries at Primeval Whirl

[Ed]

Update: Disney's Animal Kingdom worker dies from injuries (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/Disney%27s%20Animal%20Kingdom%20worker%20dies%20fr om%20injuries)


Animal Kingdom worker suffers head injury
Accident happened at closed Primeval Whirl ride

By Leslie Postal, ORLANDO SENTINEL
8:47 PM EDT, March 13, 2011

A worker at Disney's Animal Kingdom suffered a head injury that required him to be airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center this afternoon.

The accident occurred at the Primeval Whirl ride in the DinoLand U.S.A. section, said Bo Jones, assistant chief of Reedy Creek Emergency Services.

Jones said his department responded to the accident scene and then called for the Air Care Team at ORMC to fly the injured man downtown. The man, who was not identified, was reportedly in critical condition.

The cause of the accident was not immediately clear, Jones said.

The Primeval Whirl — described as a mild roller coaster by Disney — is closed for maintenance, he added, so no Disney guests were in the area at the time of the accident.

Disney spokesman Zoraya Suarez said tonight that "right now our concern is for our cast member." She added that Disney staff was at the hospital with the man's family.

Suarez said the accident was under review but that she had no immediate information about what had happened.

In 2008, federal investigators charged Disney with five safety violations and fined the company more than $21,000 for a fatal accident at the Primeval Whirl ride a year earlier.

In that November 2007 accident, ride attendant Karen Price, 63, was working on an elevated rider-loading platform when she was struck by a ride vehicle and knocked to the ground. She hit her head and died five days later.

After that accident, the company renovated the rider-loading platform so that sensors could shut down the ride if someone entered a particular area.

[WDWfanatic742]

Geez another one? Hope the guy is okay...

Wait and see on what happened :confused:

[brownie]

Hopefully he is able to recover. It's not good that it happened, but at least the ride was closed to guests at the time.

[faline]

How awful!

I have no first-hand knowledge of this and may be completely off-base but it seems that Disney has had some issues with lock-out/tag-out procedures over time.

[forever a child]

How awful.
Praying for a full recovery for this individual!

[Dsnygirl]

How awful... sending pixie dust :pixie: :pixie: that the CM is okay!!

[sassafras]

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that this cast member died early today from the injuries suffered. So sad.

[faline]

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that this cast member died early today from the injuries suffered. So sad.

Very sad. My heart goes out to the family of this person for the tragic loss they have suffered.

[Granny Jill A]

I'm so sorry to hear about this accident. My prayers are with him and his family.

P.S. This is one ride I wouldn't mind if they took it down. And not just because it's been the site of two bad accidents.

[Ian]

I have no first-hand knowledge of this and may be completely off-base but it seems that Disney has had some issues with lock-out/tag-out procedures over time.I'll go one step further and say I feel like Disney has just had too many safety issues in general recently.

It seems like almost every week we're reading about a bus crash, a Cast Member injury, a guest injury ...

[BrerGnat]

How sad for this CM's family. :( Sending pixie dust and prayers their way.

[Polynesian Dweller]

I'll go one step further and say I feel like Disney has just had too many safety issues in general recently.

It seems like almost every week we're reading about a bus crash, a Cast Member injury, a guest injury ...

Don't know if you can say that or not Ian. There really is nothing to compare WDW to in order to know whether the incident rated are excessive. No other theme park complex is as extensive (none even remotely so) or has such a massive transportation network (most have none at all). Cities, maybe, there ate lots of infrastructure similarities but enormous differences. So you will hear a lot more out of WDW than Universal just based on size but how do you now that the rates of incidents are outside statistical probability without a true comparison.

All one can really do in a sad situation like this is hope the family, friends, and co-workers get the assistance they are going to need. And then hope that a proper and thorough investigation is done so that people can go forward, definitely saddened but more knowledgeable about how to prevent these tragic circumstances.

[DisneyMom12]

My prayers to the family.

[DisneyorBust]

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

[Ed]

I'll go one step further and say I feel like Disney has just had too many safety issues in general recently.

It seems like almost every week we're reading about a bus crash, a Cast Member injury, a guest injury ...


Don't know if you can say that or not Ian. There really is nothing to compare WDW to in order to know whether the incident rated are excessive. No other theme park complex is as extensive (none even remotely so) or has such a massive transportation network (most have none at all). Cities, maybe, there ate lots of infrastructure similarities but enormous differences. So you will hear a lot more out of WDW than Universal just based on size but how do you now that the rates of incidents are outside statistical probability without a true comparison.


First off, condolences to the CM's family, friends and co-workers. :(

Let's remember that WDW has somewhere in the area of 62,000 employees, doing a vast variety of jobs, essentially running and maintaining a medium-sized city, 24x7x365. With that many employees, and that variety of tasks, some of them very mundane and others risky, accidents will happen. I don't know of any industry or municipality that has a 0% accident rate. Some accidents are totally preventable; others are freak occurrences that no reasonable person could foresee or prevent. I suspect that there was a degree of human error in this case, but that remains to be seen as the investigation runs its course.

[JPL]

My thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of CM :(

I'm not sure it's easy to say that WDW has more or less accidents than any other place but I think it's safe to say that because it's Disney the news media reports on it much more than you average workplace. An accident at WDW becomes national news a similar accident in another place is local or regional news. It seems that these stories also snowball especially with the internet and social media. Chances are if this happened at an amusement park some place else only those in the general area would even know about it without the internet. The only reason this wasn't picked up by CNN and other news outlets and made into a major story is the current tradgedy in Japan. Disney is news and it gets people's interest when they headline is "Tradgedy in the Magic Kingdom" People tune in to see what is happening.

[Ian]

Don't know if you can say that or not Ian. There really is nothing to compare WDW to in order to know whether the incident rated are excessive.Right, that's why I said that I feel like there's been a marked increase.

Here's why I feel like I can say that with at least some degree of confidence ... I've been an active member of this forum for closing in on 12 years. I've been a moderator on the site for most of that time and I'm very attuned to Disney news.

I cannot recall, until very recently, a period of time over which there have been so many significant accidents, injuries, and deaths at WDW.

Now that being said, I'll admit this is purely anectdotal, not based on any kind of science or data analysis, but still ... my gut tells me these kinds of incidents are on the rise.

[Bethis26fan]

Right, that's why I said that I feel like there's been a marked increase.

Here's why I feel like I can say that with at least some degree of confidence ... I've been an active member of this forum for closing in on 12 years. I've been a moderator on the site for most of that time and I'm very attuned to Disney news.

I cannot recall, until very recently, a period of time over which there have been so many significant accidents, injuries, and deaths at WDW.

Now that being said, I'll admit this is purely anectdotal, not based on any kind of science or data analysis, but still ... my gut tells me these kinds of incidents are on the rise.

Do you think it may have to do with pay cuts and lack of pay raise and etc. People just want to get in get paid and get out since there are no bounces & incentives? I may I could be wrong I have no clue how disney pays the cast members but that seems to be a trend around the usa right night.

[brownie]

Disney's Animal Kingdom worker dies from injuries

Worker identified as Russell Sherry Roscoe of Webster

Henry Pierson Curtis, Orlando Sentinel
2:34 p.m. EDT, March 14, 2011

A Disney worker injured Sunday while repairing the Primeval Whirl ride died early today, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.

The worker, identified as 52-year-old Russell Sherry Roscoe, suffered massive head injuries Sunday while working on the ride at Disney's Animal Kingdom and he was airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center, the Sheriff's Office said.

He died at ORMC this morning.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Monday opened an investigation into the accident.

Disney has not released details of what Roscoe, who lived in Sumter County, and his co-workers were doing at the time of the accident.

Roscoe was working on a part of the roller coaster ride known as "The Little Dip," according to a 911 call released by Reedy Creek Fire District, Walt Disney World's municipal fire department.

"We need somebody right now," a co-worker told a 911 dispatcher. "One of our maintenance guys got hit by a moving vehicle…He got in the way of a moving vehicle."

Roscoe, who suffered a massive head injury, was given first-aid care by his co-workers as they waited for Reedy Creek paramedics to reach the accident.

"We're trying to keep him conscious," the unidentified co-worker told 911, before calling out encouragement to Roscoe. "Stay conscious, please!...Stay with us…Stay with us, man!"

The ride was closed for previously scheduled maintenance at the time of the accident, which occurred out of view of theme-park patrons.

"Our Walt Disney World community has experienced a tragic loss," Walt Disney World President Meg Crofton said in a statement. "We extend our heartfelt condolences to Russ Roscoe's family and we are working to assist them during this difficult time; our thoughts and our prayers are with them."

Crofton added, "There is no higher priority than the safety of our cast and our guests, and we will work with authorities to thoroughly review every aspect of this incident."

The death is the second associated with the ride.

In November 2007, Disney worker Karen Price, 63, was working on an elevated rider-loading platform when she was struck by one of the roller coaster vehicles. She died five days later.

After Price's death, Disney renovated the Primeval Whirl ride and installed sensors to prevent a similar accident from happening in the same area of the ride.

In 2008, federal investigators faulted Disney for five safety violations and fined the company $21,000 for the accident that caused Price's death.

[yjgirl32]

Thoughts and prayers go out to the Roscoe family and friends.

[princessgirls]

So very tragic. Praying for the family.

Yes, I agree there does seem to be an increase of "accidents" this year.

Julie:mickey:

[DizneyRox]

It's tough to say if there really is an increase or a perception of an increase, however... I too have been around a while, and don't recall hearing of this many this often.

While you'll never hear an official connection, when you hear about conditions at the parks (CMs are overheard every day complaining about hours and pay, etc, right in front of guests), I don't think it's too much to try and connect the dots.

In reading the transcripts from the monorail accidents,there were many many questions to the CMs that involved asking about work hours, being tired, overtime, etc. It definitly seems to be a concern.

Do I think WDW is unsafe? Ehh.. Not really... As safe as it was in years past though? Nope... I think safety was more of a concern long ago. Now, as long as they are in compliance, I think that's good enough.

Again, my thoughts... Others I'm sure may disagree...

[JPL]

Let's not forget about the change in the Laws regarding reporting Accidents. I just think a lot of things happened in the past and most of them were just swept under the carpet. With newer laws they have to report the incidents and be more open about them.

[Dsnygirl]

:( That is just so sad... my heart & prayers go out to his family....

[BrerGnat]

Not to jump to conclusions or anything, but it sounds like this was the result of human error. If the 911 call is any indication, anyway. "He got in the way of a moving car" doesn't sound like any sort of malfunction or anything. Still sad, though. :(

[Joannelet]

As a past cast member (CP'er) at Animal Kingdom my heart goes out to the cast members who worked with this person as well as the cast members family :(

[Carol]

Disney cited for safety violations following death of mechanic on Animal Kingdom roller coaster

By Jason Garcia, Orlando Sentinel
September 16, 2011

Federal investigators have cited Walt Disney World with four safety violations and proposed $69,000 in fines, following a probe into the death of a resort mechanic who was killed while working on a roller coaster in Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Russell Roscoe, a 52-year-old attractions mechanic, died March 14, one day after he was struck by a ride vehicle while performing maintenance on Primeval Whirl, a "wild mouse"-style coaster in which spinning, four-person ride vehicles descend through a series of tight, flat turns. Roscoe and other workers were "wet testing" the ride — in which some employees spray water from the top of the lift platform while others inspect systems such as brakes — when the accident occurred.

Investigators with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Disney failed to maintain key gate sensors that are designed to alert workers to press an emergency stop switch whenever a gate is open to an area in which an employee could be struck by the coaster.

The agency recommended Disney put the sensors on a preventative maintenance system, routinely test the sensors as part of regular operations and use a communication system to verify personnel are not in dangerous areas before the ride is activated.

During the investigation, the agency said it also discovered Disney did not use fall protection when employees were kneeling on the roller coaster tracks to conduct pressure checks, exposing them to falls from as high as 19 feet. They also found stairwell handrails that extended too far and created projection hazards. And they found that Disney had not installed guardrails at the top of the lift platform — nearly 40 feet above the ground – where employees sprayed water during the wet testing.

OSHA has twice before cited Disney for such guardrail violations — including following an investigation in the July 2009 death of a monorail driver, when investigators discovered that workers performing maintenance on the interior cabins of the trains were placed at risk of 8-foot falls without protection.

While a relative pittance for a company of Disney's size, the $69,000 in total fines proposed by OSHA is a hefty amount for the agency. OSHA proposed fines totaling $75,000 for SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment following a probe triggered by the death February 2010 death of a SeaWorld Orlando killer-whale trainer.

Disney said Friday that it has made several safety upgrades to Primeval Whirl, including improvements to the gate sensors, additional guardrails and an automated water system for brake testing.

Disney said its engineers turned the ride over to its operations team on Friday and that it could reopen to guests as early as this afternoon. The coaster has been closed since January.

"We have conducted a thorough internal review of the incident and have implemented several safety enhancements to Primeval Whirl, which address the concerns raised by OSHA," Disney World spokesman Bryan Malenius said.

Disney would not say whether it intends to challenge any of OSHA's findings. The resort could seek to negotiate down the size of the fines.

Roscoe wasn't the first employee killed while working on Primeval Whirl, which opened in April 2002. In November 2007, Karen Price, a 63-year-old ride operator, was loading guests into the attraction when she was hit by one of the vehicles. Price, who was leaning over the vehicle when it began moving forward, was pushed 10 feet forward and off of the ride platform, where she fell 3 feet to the ground and struck her head. She died five days later.

In response to that accident, Disney extended Primeval Whirl's platform, added striping to delineate loading and unloading zones, and installed sensor mats in restricted areas that automatically shut down the ride if someone steps on them. OSHA cited Disney with five violations after that incident and proposed fines totaling $21,500. Disney negotiated the amount down to $14,250.

Earlier that same year, on April 30, 2007, an unidentified worker who was bent over a ride vehicle to pick up trash was pushed over the edge of the platform by the vehicle. She suffered a minor head injury. At the time, Primeval Whirl's ride vehicles would advance slowly through the load area and dispatch automatically. Disney subsequently changed the ride's controls to give ride operators more control over the vehicles' movements.

Disney bought Primeval Whirl from the French company Reverchon, though Disney designers made subsequent modifications and Disney now claims to be the ride's manufacturer, according to OSHA records. The attraction is actually comprised of two coasters that operate side-by-side, doubling its ride capacity.

[Ian]

You know I'm just gonna say it ... we've all been dancing around the issue of just how many accidents WDW has been having lately (sadly, multiple ones that were fatal) and yet people continue to insist that Disney is "doing the right thing" and these are all "just accidents" but yet here we are again with OSHA fining Disney significantly for major safety violations in yet another death.

At what point are the head-in-the-sand types going to admit that the ridiculous amount of cost cutting and bean counting that goes on at WDW has started to affect Cast and guest safety?

<dons flame retardant suit>

[DizneyRox]

Personally I wouldn't consider $69,000 significant for Disney. It's probably just a small portion of daily Mickey Ice Cream Bar sales.

They won't learn...

[DVC2004]

I agree with you Ian. Cutting corners here and there to save a buck, and if people don't want to believe that I'm sorry but that has affected safety.

[JPL]

The cost cutting is definitely effecting safety it's obvious but we all know in some people's eyes Disney can do no wrong! Of course it doesn't help that any accident at Disney becomes National News that brings up every other accident they have had since opening day but it really does seem to becoming more frequent and a lot harder to say that it was just a run of bad luck.

[Ian]

Personally I wouldn't consider $69,000 significant for Disney. It's probably just a small portion of daily Mickey Ice Cream Bar sales.

They won't learn...No, I know it's not significant to Disney but it is, on scale, a signifcant fine for OSHA. They don't typically hand out amounts that high unless there is egregious mismanagement or (as in this case) a history of safety violations.

[Scar]

What is significant is the report itself, which the family will use in the lawsuit.

[magicofdisney]

What is significant is the report itself, which the family will use in the lawsuit.
My thoughts exactly.

[Ian]

What is significant is the report itself, which the family will use in the lawsuit.And well they should sue, since it appears Disney was one step away from being grossly negligent in his death. I'd sue, too, even if only to try and stop it from happening to the next guy.

[Scar]

Oh absolutely. I realize now my terse response coupled with the way most of us feel about lawsuits, may have come off wrong. They have a legit case here, and my guess is that Disney will settle quietly.

[DizneyRox]

Settle quietly? The mouse from Twas the night before Christmas made more noise than this lawsuit will make...