Haunted houses offer the thrill of terror with dark rooms, loud sounds and fog machines to create the impression of fear in guests and employees alike. Yet these settings pose various dangers to both visitors and workers.
One of the more frequent injuries experienced by haunted house workers is being physically attacked by an alarmed patron, although this occurrence is rare.
Slips and falls
Slips, trips and falls are the leading cause of injuries in haunted houses due to their dark surroundings, which make it hard for guests to see potential dangers on the ground like wires, props and equipment that has not been secured properly.
Cortney Collia, a haunted house actor from Kalamazoo, reports that startled customers can cause physical attacks against employees. Cortney states that patrons have often punched and kicked actors when startled by what appears to be frightening elements within haunted house attractions.
If you were injured at a haunted house as an independent contractor, it is vitally important to document both the scene and injuries thoroughly. Take photos or videos, obtain witness statements and medical records related to your injuries in order to establish that the attraction violated its duty of maintaining safe working conditions and contributed to your accident. Having such evidence on hand could allow for the filing of a third-party claim against them for failing to ensure safe working conditions and file a third-party claim on their behalf for failing to provide such an environment.
Chemical burns
Haunted house employees typically utilize props that require extensive scrubbing and cleaning; when these chemicals come into contact with human skin, chemical burns may occur.
Chemicals may also have adverse effects on lungs and other parts of the body if inhaled or swallowed, including acid inhalation which may damage gastrointestinal tract and lead to vomiting, diarrhea and pain in humans.
Haunted house workers face another risk from scared visitors: physical assault from startled patrons. Stunned guests have been known to punch, kick or otherwise physically attack staff; in extreme cases some workers have even been stabbed by real weapons like bowie knives; such injuries can be very serious and require medical care as well as counseling support for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If any haunted house worker is injured they should notify a manager and file a workers’ compensation claim as soon as possible.
Bruising
Slips, falls and chemical burns account for most haunted house injuries; however there may also be other incidents which cause harm to patrons and workers at haunted houses. Some haunted houses use artificial fog which may cause lung irritation; visitors running amok trampling actors; broken or falling props can also lead to injury in these crowded environments.
Customers visiting haunted houses often become physically violent during their visit, according to haunted house employees such as Cortney Collia from Kalamazoo Speedway’s attraction. People may strike out, punching or kicking at those inside in fear.
Workers at haunted houses, even as independent contractors, have the right to a safe workplace. When injured on the job, workers’ compensation can provide some coverage of medical bills and expenses they’ve incurred; as well as filing third-party liability suits against owners/operators of haunted house(s).
Head injuries
Haunted houses often utilize special effects, including fog machines, to create their spooky ambience. Unfortunately, these machines use chemicals which may burn skin upon contact; additionally they’re often operated by employees without wearing the proper safety equipment.
Slips, trips and falls are common at haunted houses due to dim lighting, which limits visitors’ vision and may result in trips over props or electrical cords that cause them to trip and fall. Some haunted houses even use moving trams as part of their attraction – further increasing risk of injury for their patrons.
Many actors who work haunted houses for free to fulfill volunteer hours are high school students; however, this industry does not exclusively employ young people – haunted house employees come from all walks of life such as doctors and lawyers to college kids working at McDonald’s or waiting tables.
