Crews begin inspections on rides at Wisconsin State Fair to ensure safety

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Wisconsin State Fair opens Thursday, Aug. 4, and inspection on rides have officially begun to ensure safety.

Rides are officially back at the grounds and crews are busy making sure they're good to go. The Department of Safety and Professional is on-site all week inspecting rides.

"Are the gates closing and opening appropriately? Is there proper gapping between moving parts so if a hand gets in the way of a ride, is it going to get pinched or is there enough space there that the potential rider remains safe," Dan Hereth said.

Dan Hereth is the assistant deputy secretary for DSPS. He said inspections started on Saturday. So far, they have not run into any problems.

"This is a big operation with a lot of moving parts. It's important to correct these things quickly," Hereth said.

"We always pick the most sought after, best operators in the U.S. and they typically only play a few events so their rides are sitting indoors the rest of the year and so they're well-kept and maintained," Sherrie Black said.

Executive Director of the State Fair Sherrie Black said, a separate inspection company will inspect the rides daily when the fair opens. There are more than 40 rides this year.

"Our third-party inspector goes around and inspects throughout the day and into the evening. Just another level of comfort," Black said.

And comfort is key to making sure everyone feels safe at the fair.

"I take my kids every year to State Fair. They're 7 and 9. If these rides aren't safe, I wouldn't want my kids riding them and that's how our teams treat these inspections," Hereth said.

If you do plan on going to the State Fair to ride rides, it's recommended you wear closed toe shoes. The fair runs from Aug. 4-14. For more information, CLICK HERE.