Already fired--Safety Violation

Like I said, I'm only going off of what he told me. I have no clue if there were any other prior/concurrent violations.

My first year in '05, I started on Mantis. I got 3 safety violations my first week there. First one was just a "warning" because it happened right away.

They moved me to Wicked Twister because of that (and the fact it took me 10 min to do Lift walk) and I never got a single operational again...that year or the next.

Two things could have contributed to it. Prior violations and attitude.

If I was a manager over an employee who commited a safety violation but appears to intend to correct it, then another chance they will get. The option of moving to another ride or department is good in this situation at their choice.

If they show that they don't want or care to correct the problem either by their actions or attitude, then I will not be willing to work with them. If it's serious enough, the door would be shown to them.

I remember when a sweep worked Wicked Twister. The employee returned to the dipatch panel then pressed the dispatch button and put his clear up. The controls side including controls didn't know there was an employee checking restraints on the gate side. The person in controls pressed the launch button upon seeing the proper clears. The other side is not visable, but the dispach person is responsible for pressing the button and relaying the information to the person on the other side who can see dispatch. One of the hosts then noticed the situation and broke the light curtain. (the launch is about 2 seconds after the button is pressed) I seen the employee later and asked him about it. He laughed about it and said that he didn't care. That was the most pissed off I've ever been at anyone in my life.

Yes, Bob Wozniak is still Director of Park Operations.

Maybe he made the mistake and tried to hide it (denied it happened) and they just fired him. I know the company I work at, if there is something questionable about you/your resume, they will ask you. If you lie about it you are fired immediately. Integrity is a big thing with a company, especially with Cedar Fair.

If someone ran out into Waveswinger (if that was the ride he was working at the time) while the ride was in motion and the employee didn't hit E-Stop, then yes, he is a liability to the company and he should not work there. We were told in 1999 and 2000 in ride operations that it was grounds for termination (our hand had to be on the E-stop button at all times while the ride was in motion and our eyes on the ride/guests/area around the ride). Kiddy Kingdom was a HUGE area to keep your eye on EVERYTHING and you have to be ready at any time to hit E-stop if a child ran out in front of a moving ride.

I am suprised as well that he just didn't get transferred to another department so that is why I think it might be an integrity issue.

Good point raptorqueen. Integrity could have been the cause.

I remember when a sweep worked Wicked Twister. The employee returned to the dipatch panel then pressed the dispatch button and put his clear up. The controls side including controls didn't know there was an employee checking restraints on the gate side. The person in controls pressed the launch button upon seeing the proper clears. The other side is not visable, but the dispach person is responsible for pressing the button and relaying the information to the person on the other side who can see dispatch. One of the hosts then noticed the situation and broke the light curtain.

oh my, my stomache seriously twisted when i read that!

Fear not, fellow ride workers, for when you get fired from rides, you sometimes get immediately re-hired to the dept I work in; Welcome to the wonderful world of the garbage men.

campfreak06 said:
Like I said, I'm only going off of what he told me. I have no clue if there were any other prior/concurrent violations.

Which is probably why you shouldn't comment on things when you don't know the whole story.

Not being checked at Cedar Point has become a normal occurance to me. They walk by drag their hand on the restraint and act like it's being checked. I'm glad I was a ride op at Kings Island, I check my own and the person's next to me. That is the only thing that upsets me up there, is the employees carelessness of safety, regardless how safe the ride it self is designed, accidents do happen, and can be prevented by PROPERLY checking the restraints.

Are we talking about the same CP? I was there for the past 3 days and got checked twice on each ride. Not once, twice. I know I'm not mistaken because being checked the second time is what made me notice.

I know on Millennium they were checking people twice last year, but I'd never noticed it on Magnum and Wicked Twister before. It must be a new policy througout the whole park.

I disagree. Safety and Operationals should be taken very seriously. Thats someones life that is at risk. I also think that Cedar Point employees are way underpaid (minimum wage) to be responsible for peoples lives.

If you want to be literal about it, the guy flipping burgers is responsible for "people's lives". If he doesn't wash properly or handle the food with proper techniques someone could get sick and die too. They aren't paid any better than you are.

Bingo. People's lives are in the ride ops' hands, no doubt. But the reason that they are paid so low is that the job really doesn't require any formal education other than training on-site. I'm not saying it's easy, but if people are willing to work for minimum wage, then give them minimum wage.

By the way... you really "Raised the Dead" by bringing this thread back.... (Halloweekend pun intended). *** Edited 10/9/2007 8:53:38 PM UTC by Dvo***

I would never say the employees are underpaid, but they sure aren't being overpaid.

Ride host have a whole lot of responsibility, and when it comes to guest/employee safety, there's NO kidding around. Those who don't follow that need to go elsewhere.

Scott Cameron said:
I know on Millennium they were checking people twice last year, but I'd never noticed it on Magnum and Wicked Twister before. It must be a new policy througout the whole park.

It varies from ride to ride, from what I've seen and heard, though I could be wrong. I know at Twister, we were trained to check twice. Checking twice ensures you've checked all of your seats and it helps put the guests' minds at ease.

Chief Wahoo said:
If you want to be literal about it, the guy flipping burgers is responsible for "people's lives". If he doesn't wash properly or handle the food with proper techniques someone could get sick and die too. They aren't paid any better than you are.

That brings up a good point Chief. When I hired on I requested to work foods because I knew that I did not have a good attention to detail. I cannot imagine how I could have run a ride with a hangover.

The thing is though you do not have to be ultra precise with pizza and subs. If you are off by a pepperoni or two no one will die. There is no dangerous machinery (other than a fryer) that is exposed to park guests. If I was running late, which was often I would forego clocking in and go straight to work. Usually via a run down the Frontier Trail. My boss would clock me in at the proper time and everything was cool. I was never late the entire summer.

A ride? No way in hades for me...

I'll come out and say it - The employees are underpaid. Paid less than Minimum wage in the great economic disaster state of Michigan!

Yeah my little sister was making more than me back at home.. well, except a little less hours though.