SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) and Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) are working together across the state to inspect haunted houses before visitors are welcomed inside.
All haunted houses are required to be inspected by OSFM prior to operation, though haunted houses operated by not-for-profit religious, educational, or charitable organizations can apply for an exemption from IDOL inspection.
“We want visitors to haunted houses to have a spooky time, but we don’t want that to turn into a scary situation due to a fire that can be prevented by venues taking proper fire safety mitigations measures,” said Illinois State Fire Marshal James A. Rivera. “Our inspectors have the public’s safety in mind but are always willing to work with owners on how they can properly follow the codes in place to safely welcome guests.”
Two tragic fires in the 1970s and 1980s at haunted houses led to closer scrutiny of haunted house safety. Most haunted houses in Illinois today are required to have smoke detectors and be protected by automatic sprinkler systems. The rules of the State Fire Marshal’s office serve as the minimum requirements that must be met, with local fire and building departments possibly imposing more stringent requirements.
The State Fire Marshal’s office looks for the following during an inspection:
- Exits and pathways must be wide enough to account for the maximum number of people in the amusement,
- Limited number of dead-end paths,
- Provision of panic hardware on exit doors,
- Restrictions on open flame devices or pyrotechnic special effects, Furnishings and decorations are required to be flame resistant,
- All workers must be trained and prepared for actions to be taken during emergencies.
In addition to checking facility safety, including making sure exits are freely accessible, state law requires a criminal background check and sex offender registry check for all amusement attraction workers, and a written substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing.
“Spooky season is something many people look forward to in Illinois,” said IDOL Carnival Manager Brian Fox. “IDOL’s Amusement Ride and Attractions Safety Inspectors work to ensure that an experience at a haunted house is safe and fun by ensuring necessary precautions are taken by haunted house operators before an operating permit is issued.”
If you believe you visited a haunted house that didn’t have a permit, or need to report an accident or unsafe conditions, call IDOL during business hours at (217) 557-3112 or after hours at (217) 993-2941or file a complaint online.