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FRANKFORT, Ky. — Warm weather is here, and with it are fairs and festivals with all sorts of rides and attractions. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Division of Regulation and Inspection is busy performing safety checks on rides throughout the state.
“Our inspectors check all details of the rides and make sure they are as safe as possible for the public,” said Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer. “They are well-trained to keep things safe so the people who attend these events can have a good time. Safety is always our No. 1 concern in our role as a consumer protection and service agency. ”
About 21 staff members perform ride inspections across the state for KDA, said Chad Halsey, manager of ride inspections. Five of the 21 employees perform ride inspections as their only duty. Others are cross-trained to perform multiple functions.
Earlier this month, 21 KDA employees attended training in Bowling Green. Two instructors from the National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials (NAARSO) taught the week-long course. Inspectors must take two years of training before they can perform inspections on their own.
“Cross-training is really going to help us,” said Halsey. “Rides are getting bigger, with more technology, so they take longer to inspect.”
The number of inspectors has remained about the same over the years while the number of rides has nearly tripled. The KDA performed 836 inspections on mobile rides and 615 inspections on permanent rides in 2004. The number of inflatable rides and “ball crawls” has skyrocketed since the ride inspection program started in 1984.
Last year fewer than 10 people were injured on rides in Kentucky. The Department issued 21 citations across the state for failing to have a ride inspected.
Besides carnival-type rides, other amusements required by law to be inspected include go-carts, bumper boats, climbing walls, mechanical bulls, water slides and simulators. Employees also check Laser Tag centers and play areas at locations such as McDonald’s and Burger King.
Each ride should have a sticker on it indicating it has been inspected. The 2005 sticker is blue with KDA’s name as well as that of the Division of Regulation and Inspection. The state seal is located near the bottom with the year to the right of the seal.
For vendor information, to get a ride inspected or to report a ride without an inspection sticker, contact Chad Halsey at (502) 573-0282.
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