Haunted house horrors: Are you covered?
Haunted house attractions need special events accident & liability insurance.
Halloween season is full of fun, but it’s easy to get caught up in the spooky activities and overlook the safety issues that may arise.
Haunted houses have become a common form on entertainment during the Halloween season.
There are more than 1,200 professional haunted houses, 300 theme parks with horror-focused attractions, and approximately 3,000 charity-run spook shows in the United States, according to America Haunts, a nationwide industry association for haunt attractions.
Spine-tingling excitement in the form of haunted-house attractions come in many forms, whether it’s a standalone seasonal building that operates as a haunted house or a building such as a church, a community center, or a school that creates a haunted house.
Insurance considerations
When hosting a haunted house, if you are charging for admission, be aware that this could be considered a business action and you should consult with your insurance agent to ensure you have the proper coverage, Travelers advises.
The most typically sought out insurance for haunted attractions is special events accident & liability insurance, according to New Orleans-based AWS Insurance.
Operators of haunted houses should make sure they address these big insurance and risk management-related questions, according to Kentucky risk management professional Kevin Moore:
- Is the haunted house adequately insured in the event somebody was to become gravely injured?
- If somebody is severely injured, will there be enough coverage to cover the cost of a potential claim or lawsuit?
- If there is an insurance policy enforced, does it have adequate limits of liability and is that insurance carrier aware that they are operating a haunted house?
- Could the haunted house be excluded from their current policy because it doesn’t fit within the scope of their original operation?
Prevent a haunted house fire nightmare
Fire is a major concern for haunted houses because of all the combustible materials, unique audio-visual special effects, fog, mirrors, props, reduced lighting and confusing and/or the maze-like setup.
A big risk, and often why many of these attractions are shut down, is because they are located in a structure that was not designed with a haunted house use in mind and the operators don’t understand the hazards associated with a haunted house, according to a recent NFPA blog post.
Fire safety regulations for haunted houses are found under Section 20.1.4 of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Fire Code. A haunted house is considered a “special amusement building.”
Fire code requirements for haunted houses include:
- Haunted houses must apply the provisions for “assembly occupancies” in addition to the provisions of Section 20.1.4.
- Automatic sprinklers are required for all haunted houses. If a haunted house is considered moveable or portable, an approved temporary means is permitted to be used for the water supply.
- Smoke detection is required for all haunted houses. Where the house operates in reduced lighting, any smoke detection device must sound an alarm at a constantly attended location on the premises.
- When sprinklers or smoke detectors are activated, the haunted house must provide increased illumination to the building exits and all other visuals and sounds must stop.
- Exit marking and floor proximity exit signs are required. Where designs are such that the egress path is not apparent, additional directional exit marking is required.
- Interior wall and ceiling finish materials must be Class A throughout.
- Emergency action plans are required.
Check local permit process & safety regulations
Every city or town will have their own particular set of precautions and regulations to govern your haunted house, but here is a set of recommendations from Prince William County Virginia Fire and Rescue, to give you a sample of standards:
- Highly flammable materials such as cotton batting, straw, dried plant material, certain plastics, etc. shall not be used for decorations or construction.
- Avoid use of combustible materials in displays. If used, combustibles must be treated with an approved commercial flame-retardant treatment. Samples of all such materials must be submitted to this office for flame tests prior to use.
- Extension cords, multi-plug adapters, and unfused plug strips are not permitted. Only circuit breaker strips or code approved wiring is permitted.
- Depending on where the activity is located, approval from the Zoning Division of the Planning Office through a Temporary Activities Permit review process may be required.
- If any walls, partitions, or raised flooring are to be constructed, approval by the Building Official will be required. The Building Department is part of the Temporary Activities Permit review process.
- Call the Fire Marshal’s Office for an inspection at least 48 hours prior to opening your display to the public. This can be arranged as part of the Temporary Activities Permit process.
- Maintain all exits in a clear and useable condition.
- Know the location of the nearest fire extinguishers and how to use them.
- Know the location of the nearest alarm box.
- Make sure a telephone is available to call the fire department and that everyone knows the emergency number: 9-1-1.
- Develop an Emergency Evacuation and Fire Safety Plan, (the plan document is part of the Temporary Activities Permit application packet).
Safety certification program
The Certified Haunted Attraction Operator Safety (C.H.A.O.S.) Program is the Grandville, Michigan-based Haunted Attraction Association’s (HAA) safety course that is recommended to anyone running a haunted attraction. Each year, HAA partners with TransWorld to offer safety classes haunt professionals can attend to fulfill their requirement for certification.
Individuals must complete eight hours in order to receive their certification. Once they have completed the eight hours, they will receive a certificate that can be used to show their fire marshal, insurance carrier, and local authority their desire to run a safe haunted attraction.
With crowds of people gathering to explore haunted house each year, owners and operators must make safety priority one, even when pushing the limits to make their attraction as frightening and realistic as possible.
Related:
Risky rides: Unique exposures for amusement parks
The risky business behind live events
Tears of a clown: The reality of insuring traveling carnivals