As used in this part:

(a) “Permanent amusement ride” means a mechanical device, aquatic device, or combination of devices, of a permanent nature that carries or conveys passengers along, around, or over a fixed or restricted route or course for the purpose of giving its passengers amusement, pleasure, thrills, or excitement. “Permanent amusement ride” includes the business of operating bungee jumping services or providing services to facilitate bungee jumping, but does not include slides, playground equipment, coin-operated devices or conveyances that operate directly on the ground or on a surface or pavement directly on the ground. The division shall determine the specific devices that are permanent amusement rides for the purposes of this part. This determination shall be made to apply equally to all operators of similar or identical rides and shall be made pursuant to a procedure promulgated by the standards board.

(b) “Operator” or “owner” means a person who owns or controls or has the duty to control the operation of an amusement ride. It includes the state and every state agency, and each county, city, district, and all public and quasi-public corporations and public agencies therein.

(c) “Qualified safety inspector” means either of the following:

(1) A person who holds a valid professional engineer license issued by this state or issued by an equivalent licensing body in another state, and who has been approved by the division as a qualified safety inspector for permanent amusement rides.

(2) A person who documents to the satisfaction of the division that he or she meets all of the following requirements:

(A) The person has a minimum of five years experience in the amusement ride field, at least two years of which were involved in actual amusement ride inspection with a manufacturer, government agency, amusement park, carnival, or insurance underwriter.

(B) The person completes not less than 15 hours per year of continuing education at a school approved by the division, which education shall include inservice industry or manufacturer updates and seminars.

(C) The person has completed at least 80 hours of formal education during the past five years from a school approved by the division for amusement ride safety. Nondestructive-testing training, as determined by the division, may be substituted for up to one-half of the 80 hours of education.

(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 585, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2000.)