Amusement Device Inspection
We've inspected amusement devices across Australia for 26 years. Our engineers now work on over 500 a year, from major theme parks to single show rides. An RPEQ carries out every amusement device inspection we do.
Contact UsDo you need an amusement device inspection?
If you own or operate an amusement device, you have a responsibility to have it inspected. It needs an inspection at least once every 12 months. A registered professional engineer has to carry it out, so your device can legally keep running.
This is where your certification comes from. A regulator, an event organiser or your insurer may ask for amusement device certification. They usually mean the safe to operate statement you get at the end of an inspection.
Class 1 devices, playgrounds and gravity water slides are exempt from registration. Inflatables are the ones people get wrong. They need registering from 3 metres, and an RPEQ inspection from 9 metres.
How does an amusement device inspection work?
Three stages, every time. Some inspectors only do the first. You get a written report, and once the device passes, your safe to operate statement.
- Stage 1. Physical inspection of the deviceStructure, restraints, guarding and every critical component. Where nobody can safely reach, like a Ferris wheel top or a slide underside, we fly a drone.
- Stage 2. Logbook and recordsPre-start checks, maintenance records, maintainer qualifications, operator training, electrical inspections and any repairs or modifications. This shows the device has been safe all year, not just today.
- Stage 3. Functional testingWe watch your operators run the device, so we see how the ride performs and whether your operators are competent. Water slides get a water quality test too.
Book a Consultation Now
If you're not sure where your safety gaps are, a quick chat is usually the easiest place to start. You can talk through your site and your risks with one of our consultants, and we'll go from there.
Do you need an annual or a major inspection?
What does an annual inspection cover?
Every device needs one at least once every 12 months. It covers the three stages above. We check the device, go through your records and watch it run. Book it before your current one runs out.When is a major inspection due, and what happens?
It's due when the manufacturer says, or sooner if an engineer who's inspected the device recommends it. With no recommendation, it's due within 10 years. We strip the device down and clean off the paint, grease and corrosion. Then we look for cracks, fatigue and wear you can't see from outside. A NATA accredited tester runs non-destructive testing on the critical parts. Not sure when your last major was done? Check the logbook. If it isn't in there, tell us before we book.
Who carries out your amusement device inspection?
An RPEQ, every time. Our amusement ride engineers Sina Ighaniyan, Mitchell Barnes and Jack Petzke are all registered professional engineers.
- David Randall started the business and has 30 years in amusement device safety. We're recognised by the work health and safety regulator in every state and territory.
- We carry $10 million in professional indemnity cover, underwritten by Lloyd's. Most engineers in this field carry $1 to $2 million.
- We work with major parks and travelling show operators, and with councils and schools. Some have been with us for over 20 years.
Related Article
Resources we've published on engineering, safety, and amusement device compliance.
Relationship between Murphy’s Law and Work Health and Safety Duties
A brief explanation of Murphy's Law. Murphy’s Law is often phrased asHazardous Chemicals: Understanding Your Duties.
The Model Work Health and Safety Act places specific obligations on dutyDuties for maintenance and repair of Fire Safety Systems
What is a fire safety system? A fire safety system is a
Amusement device inspection FAQs
Answers for owners and operators. Running an inflatable under 9 metres? Read our inflatable amusement device page instead.How long does an amusement device inspection take?
It depends on the size of the ride. An inflatable takes about half a day and a merry-go-round or dodgems about a day. A roller coaster can take two days. If we haven’t inspected your device before, send us your logbooks and records first. New clients often don’t have their training records in order. If yours need building we’ll give you the formats, which can add a couple of days.
What is amusement device certification?
It isn’t a single document. Three approvals sit behind a device that can legally operate. The design gets registered once, when the device is built or first brought into the country. The device itself gets registered, then inspected every 12 months. Some sites also need sign-off from the council or the land manager. Most operators asking for amusement ride certification need the safe to operate statement from their annual inspection. We’ve written up how design registration works separately.
What happens if you find a fault?
We tell you on the day. Anything dangerous has to be fixed before the device runs again. Everything else goes in the report with a timeframe against it. Once the work’s done we check it and issue the safe to operate statement.
I'm buying a second-hand ride. Does it need an inspection first?
Yes. It has to be inspected before the regulator will register it in your name. If the logbook and records are patchy, expect a major inspection first. Send us what you’ve got before you buy and we’ll tell you where it stands.
Do the new Victorian rules affect me?
If your device operates in Victoria, yes. Victoria’s amusement structure rules changed in July 2026. Devices designed from 1995 on need item registration by 30 October 2026, and older ones by 1 November 2027. Victorian inspectors visited 44 events in the 2024 season and issued 41 improvement notices.