Disneyland Cleared in Pirates Investigation

Wet electrical gear in a control room under Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride is not hazardous to employees, state inspectors concluded in a report released Friday. The room has multiple safety devices designed to protect employees from electric shocks, Cal/OSHA spokesman Dean Fryer said. An interrupter in the ride’s electrical panel cuts off the power within an eye blink if there is a short, he said. Although leaks have corroded the control room’s switches and panels, the equipment is meant for outdoor use and is not dangerous, inspectors found. Workers also wear rubber boots during their rare visits to the room, minimizing the risk of electric shock, Fryer said. Cal/OSHA inspected the control room in May after a worker complained about leaks beneath the ride, in which boats drift through caverns lined with pirates fighting sea battles and carousing on shore. Park maintenance workers have repaired the leaks, said Disneyland spokesman Ray Gomez. Earlier this year, Cal/OSHA fined Disneyland $12,500 for a fatal Christmas Eve accident in which a metal cleat from a ride flew into a crowd, killing a man and severely injuring two women.