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Fairs and carnivals are a part of the culture of many cities and towns throughout Florida and the United States. Some carnivals stay in town for a weekend or two, while others may stay for a few months. Along with hotdogs and cotton candy, carnivals and fairs often include various games and rides, such as ferris wheels and roller coasters. But as most Fort Myers personal injury lawyers like Randall Spivey know, some of those attractions come along with hidden dangers.

Unlike larger amusement parks, the fact that carnival rides are assembled and disassembled over and over again might already be a concern for many prospective riders, especially when it comes to roller coasters. A recent news article that discusses a 2013 American University report notes carnival goers should also be concerned about worker exhaustion.

The Long Hours Of Carnival Workers

The report, which specifically took a look at migrant workers in the fair and carnival industry, noted that many of the individuals work on a seasonal basis, and sadly, some employers bring migrant workers into the country and subject them to horrendous living and work conditions. Many carnival workers average more than 80 hours of work per week, averaging 12 to 14 hours per day, seven days a week. Additionally, the report stated those workers were paid less than minimum wage and denied rest and meal breaks as required by law.

Details of the report also revealed that during periods when workers need to disassemble rides and assemble them at new locations, the workers typically do so within 48 hours due to the tight schedules set by their employers. What that equates to is little sleep and extreme exhaustion for the workers.

The Increase in Amusement Ride Accidents

Fort Myers personal injury lawyers are aware that throughout the years, injuries have increased at both carnivals and permanent amusement parks. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has found that there were approximately 44,000 injuries on rides in 2012—14,000 more than those incurred in 2007.

A private watchdog organization has noted that quite often, the individuals visiting carnivals and amusement parks were blamed for their injuries, citing their failure to follow established safety rules. However, statistics have shown that operator mistakes and equipment failure have been responsible for up to 30 percent of the accidents that take place.

According to the news article that discussed the American University report, many companies that run carnivals and fairs are actually in compliance with the law regarding their seasonal workers, despite the fact that the workers face deplorable conditions, long hours and low pay. Still, attraction owners and operators may be subject to lawsuits if an individual is hurt due to a worker's exhaustion.

If you or someone you love has been injured at a carnival, and you have questions about your rights under the law, contact the Fort Myers personal injury lawyers at the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. today.