It is unique in its scope and application and can function within BSEN, ISO and ASTN standards. It also complies with all the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance for the leisure industry and is recognised by the HSE.
It received early support from the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions (BALPPA) and discussions are ongoing with the International Association of Pleasure Parks and Attractions (IAPPA) around its applicability for their members worldwide. LEAPS is also in discussions with insurance brokers across the leisure industry to ensure they are aware of the improvements to safety LEAPS will bring.
LEAPS offers a different approach to safety management. Statutory technical inspections are the basis for attraction certification across the world but competence in inspection, maintenance and operation, the cause of most accidents around the world, are not included. LEAPS incorporates all three of these fundamentally important aspects of safety into the certification. This joined-up view of attraction safety management is entirely novel and is already disrupting the established regime in UK and Ireland. A number of large-scale, international leisure activity providers have already joined and agreed that the heightened levels of scrutiny and engagement are a price worth paying for the improvements in reputation and customer trust that greater safety brings.
The Scheme offers the leisure industry a professionalised scheme which aligns with the UK Engineering Specification as published by the UK Engineering Council; users of the scheme can take confidence that their inspectors are qualified and experienced to carry out their work. The scheme will expand into providing CPD, operational audit and training, all of which will be novel in the industry and will increase the competence and reputation of operators as well as creating a career path that will attract and retain more and better people.
A bespoke Microsoft digital system with the resources to allow businesses to manage the inspection and maintenance of equipment in ways that benefit LEAPS and themselves in the best way possible is available and there are numerous LEAPS working groups that will ensure the scheme provides a regulatory sound scheme that will meet the needs of the industry.
LEAPS is run by ex-industry professionals and regulators who are tired of the restrictions, attitudes, and reluctance to change and improve of the existing scheme. It began trading on 1 January 2022 and is already seen as an industry innovator and disrupter. It creates a regulator-approved management system for those businesses wishing to improve standards above and beyond the legal minimum which is the limited aim of the existing scheme. This will continue as LEAPS broadens its reach in the leisure industry and seeks approval outside Europe.
More information can be found here.
partners
Jon Ruddock – General Manager of LEAPS
Melvin Sandell – Principal Consultant at Finch Consulting and creator of LEAPS