Highlighting Ride Safety Measures to Ensure Families Have a Safe and Fun Summer

Look for NYSDOL Inspection Tags to Know if Ride is Safe

The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) today announced that ride safety inspections are underway ahead of the 2026 Great New York State Fair. NYSDOL inspectors have been on site performing pre-inspections, and Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon and other NYSDOL staff will meet with vendors ahead of the fair's Opening Day on August 26th to go over safety precautions.

New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, "I am so thrilled to welcome New Yorkers to one of our state's most time-honored traditions, the Great New York State Fair. This fair is a fantastic showcase of New York's culture, and you can rest assured that our agency's inspectors have worked hard to ensure each and every ride is safe for all families to enjoy."

NYSDOL employees inspect all rides at stationary amusement parks across New York State at least once a year, with the exception of New York City. Rides at traveling fairs or carnivals are inspected every time the ride is set up in a new location.

NYSDOL ride safety inspections are a three-step process:

1. As rides are brought into a fair or festival location, NYSDOL inspectors examine each individual part and component of every ride for defects, and review that the maintenance schedule and testing requirements of the ride are up to date.
2. Once the ride is assembled, NYSDOL inspectors perform another inspection to ensure all components have been put together correctly and are properly secured.
3. The operator is required to run the ride, and NYSDOL inspectors check once more while operating. The operator is also observed to ensure they are running the ride correctly.

NYSDOL places dated inspection tags on each ride after it has passed inspection. This tag will be visible at the ride's point of entry. A ride cannot legally operate without a permit from NYSDOL, and all safety violations found by inspectors must be fixed before a ride passes inspection and is allowed to run. A searchable list of ride inspection results can be found on NYSDOL's Ride Safety Database.

If you observe unsafe conditions involving an amusement ride, submit a report to [email protected].

For more information about NYSDOL's efforts to keep amusement park visitors and fairgoers safe, as well as safety tips for parents and children, visit the Ride Safe NY page on NYSDOL's website.