Commissioned after five fatalities and a series of serious accidents at fairground and theme parks, the HSE's Review of Fairground Safety examined the current safety regime to make recommendations on issues needing further development.

The events of the past two summers show that high standards of control have not always been maintained throughout the industry and this has resulted in pockets of unacceptable risk, said Jane Willis of HSE's Safety Policy Directorate.

The HSE's key recommendations include the accreditation of private ride inspection bodies under the United Kingdom Accreditation Service, guidance on the design and inspection of rides, the public display of safety certificates for all rides, and the representation of consumer groups on the Fairground Joint Advisory Committee, the body that advises and manages safety in the industy.

The Health and Safety Commission has accepted the recommendations which are being pursued by HSE.