$55K fine for company that repeatedly operated carnival rides without permit

SINGAPORE: A carnival event company has been fined $55,000 after repeatedly installing and running amusement rides without the necessary permits.

The court heard that the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) was alerted on May 28, 2022, that The Carnival Fair had set up and operated a surf simulator at an event beside Sembawang Shopping Centre.

Investigations found that the company did not have a valid equipment permit, that one of its employees had received safety training, and no one had checked whether a permit was needed before the ride was installed and used.

The company was given a conditional warning for up to 12 months.

Less than a year later, on March 11, 2023, BCA was alerted that The Carnival Fair had once again installed and operated amusement rides, this time electric go-karts, without the proper permit, an event organised by the Ministry of Social and Family Development at Gardens by the Bay.

Investigations showed that the same lapses had occurred. No staff had been trained in safety procedures, no checks were made to ensure the required licences were in place, and the company did not bring in external assessors to inspect the rides before the event.

In court, the judge said the company should have been more careful after being given a warning the first time. Instead, it failed to seek guidance from the authorities and went ahead with the installations. The judge added that this suggested the company had either ignored the rules or shown a pattern of disregard for them.

However, the court also noted that the company’s directors had expressed genuine remorse. The company will be allowed to pay the $55,000 fine in instalments.