Amusement Ride Engineers
Backed by RPEQ-registered engineers, DRA Engineering delivers specialised consultancy to the owners and operators of amusement devices and attractions. We also audit machine guarding in factories, food plants and heavy industry.
Contact UsWhat DRA Engineering Does
We've worked on amusement devices for 26 years, and our amusement ride engineers now work on over 500 of them a year. That's most of the country's biggest parks, and show operators with a single ride.
- Our engineers inspect rides and keep them legal to run. That covers the annual and the major inspection, plus the maintenance system and training records an inspector will ask to see. After an incident we work out what failed and why, and David Randall gives expert evidence for you or your insurer. Read about amusement device inspection.
- We check the guarding on your machines, meaning anything that keeps a hand or a body away from the moving parts. Guards, interlocks, light curtains. Each machine is rated against AS 4024.1 and the report says what has to change. We don't design or sell guards, so the advice comes with nothing to sell you. Ask about a safeguarding audit.
- We fly a drone to inspect what nobody can climb to or stand under safely, like the top of a Ferris wheel or the underside of a water slide. Read about drone inspections.
What devices do our engineers work on?
- We work on roller coasters, water slides, show rides and go-karts. We also cover zip lines, ropes courses, cable ways and inflatables. Fixed or mobile, one device or a whole park.
- We're on the Gold Coast and we travel. Regional Queensland, interstate and overseas.
Industries DRA Engineering Serves
Amusement comes first, but our engineers also work anywhere people can get hurt on a machine.
Theme Parks and Major Amusement Parks
We inspect rides and set up maintenance systems. We also write the safety case, the document a major amusement park in Queensland needs before it can hold its licence.Travelling Shows and Mobile Ride Operators
Annual and major inspections for show rides that move between states. We can also advise on how the rules differ from state to state.Water Parks, Adventure Parks and Go-Kart Tracks
Water slides, zip lines, ropes courses and go-karts, with drones for slide undersides and tall structures.Councils and Government Attractions
Rides and cableways run by councils and government. You get an independent RPEQ report, and our certificate of currency goes out with the quote.Manufacturing and Food Production
We audit the guarding on guillotines, presses, mixers and conveyors, in factories, bakeries and food plants.Boat Building, Smelting and Heavy Industry
We audit the guarding on heavy plant in boat building yards, smelters and processing sites.
Our Engineers
Every engineer here is registered with the Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland to inspect rides that are already running, which is the registration Queensland's amusement rules call for.Our founder David Randall has over 30 years in amusement device safety. We carry $10 million in professional indemnity cover, underwritten by Lloyd's, where most engineers in this field carry $1 to $2 million. We're members of IAAPA, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, and AALARA, the Australian Amusement, Leisure and Recreation Association.
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.
Some of our clients
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
Common questions about our engineering work.
Common questions about our engineering consultancy services.What is an RPEQ, and why does it matter for an amusement device?
An RPEQ is a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland. Anyone providing engineering services in or for Queensland has to be one, or work under one’s direct supervision. A ride’s annual inspection in Queensland has to be done by an RPEQ, which is why every engineer here holds it.
Is safeguarding the same as machine guarding?
Not quite. A guard is one type of safeguarding, a physical barrier between you and the dangerous part. Safeguarding also covers interlocked guards, light curtains, pressure mats and two-hand controls. The WHS Regulations set an order of choice. Use a fixed barrier where nobody needs access and an interlocked one where they do. If neither works, use a barrier that needs a tool to remove it. Presence-sensing systems come last. That’s why we check the whole setup against AS 4024.1, not just whether a guard is fitted.
Do you work outside Queensland?
Yes. We’re on the Gold Coast and work in every state and territory. The rules differ by state, which matters most if you travel the show circuit or move a device interstate. Victoria’s rules changed in July 2026. Rides designed from 1995 on now need item registration by 30 October 2026, and older rides have until 1 November 2027. Tell us where the device runs and we’ll check what applies.
Do you undertake work outside of Australia?
Yes. Overseas parks bring us in to risk-assess each ride, set up its maintenance plan and train their operators and maintenance crews. Our engineers also attend the international expos.
Something has happened on one of our devices. What do you do?
We find out what failed and why, and what has to change so it doesn’t happen again. We examine the device and can give evidence for you or your insurer. After a notifiable incident, the law says you mustn’t disturb the site until an inspector arrives or says otherwise. That includes the device, though you can still make it safe. Call us early, because what gets moved in the first hour is often what the investigation needed.