Amusement ride safety inspectors from the Ohio Department of Agriculture labored through Monday's 90-degree temperatures to help ensure fairgoers' safety through each twist, turn, dip and dive at this year's Ohio State Fair.

Amusement ride safety inspectors from the Ohio Department of Agriculture labored through Monday�s 90-degree temperatures to help ensure fairgoers� safety through each twist, turn, dip and dive at this year�s Ohio State Fair.

With the 12-day fair opening Wednesday, the fairgrounds at the Ohio Expo Center were abuzz with people powerwashing rides, setting up food trailers and wrangling farm animals.

Inspectors first arrived last Wednesday, working through the heat advisory issued by the National Weather Service, inching closer to their goal of completing inspections on all 76 adult and kiddie rides.

�Weather does play a factor in all of this,� said Ron Dean, an Ohio Department of Agriculture amusement ride inspector. �We�re taking care of ourselves, definitely staying hydrated, probably more breaks than what we�re used to, but the job still has to get done."

Although the heat has slowed some of the workers, the department is confident inspections will be complete by opening day.

The inspection process covers each part of the ride, from arrival through construction, said Michael Vartorella, Ohio Department of Agriculture chief ride inspector.

�The primary objective is to keep patrons of the state of Ohio and our visitors safe,� he said. � Our major concern is to make sure this equipment is put together properly, maintained properly and operates properly.�

Some rides pose a greater challenge than others during the inspection process, which can last several hours per ride, Vartorella said.

On Monday, his team was inspecting the car-braking mechanisms on the Crazy Mouse, a roller-coaster that shoots riders in spiraling cars through a series of sharp turns and steep dives.

Some inspectors jogged 50 feet up the turquoise and yellow tracks that lead to the coaster�s summit, while others stayed closer to the ground, double-checking the car�s internal harnesses.

The inspection process will continue through the duration of the fair, with inspectors auditing ride-operator training to help ensure employees are adhering to safety guidelines on a day-to-day basis, Vartorella said.

Gene Wodzicki, co-owner of Color Image Designs, took a break from his sign work midday Monday, racing around the fairgrounds on his one-wheeled, battery-powered scooter.

As a Floridian, he said he could take the heat. As someone who started working in carnivals at the age of 5 in 1972, he was happy to get out and take in the hustle and bustle of getting ready for the fair.

4-H exhibitor Alison Sprang of Holmes County wasn�t too bothered by the heat either, hanging out with her twin sister, as well as her two lambs.

She said extreme heat can be problematic, causing illness and stress for some animals. However, the agricultural areas at the fairgrounds offered plenty of shade, as well as fans to keep the air moving.

The Ohio State Fair will run through Aug. 7.

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mhuson@dispatch.com