NC State Fair rides begin thorough inspection process Tuesday ahead of opening day
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The North Carolina State Fair is going through its final preparations ahead of opening day Thursday.
North Carolina Department of Labor will send inspectors to the fair Tuesday to begin inspecting all of the rides.
Around 100 rides will be inspected Tuesday, and any that do not pass will not be certified to open.
Inspectors will go over the restraints, mechanical condition of the ride, and safety procedures in place.
Wake County issues health guidance for NC State Fair vendors: Here's why masks aren't being required
The rides, even after passing inspection Tuesday, will continue to be inspected at least once per day throughout the entirety of this year's fair.
This year, inspectors also have two new rides to look over: The Itsy Bitsy Spider and the Sky Hawk.
WATCH: NC State Fair ride operator sentenced in 2013 incident that injured family
Fair food inspections
Food safety inspectors also turned out Tuesday to look through all vendors who want to sell food at the fair this year.
"We look to see that the booth is clean, there are no insects or other pests that shouldn't be there. The food comes from approved sources, everything is clean the equipment is functioning well," one inspector with the Wake County Health Department said.
There were 147 vendors the health department had to inspect this year. That includes any food vendor selling something that may carry bacteria for food borne illnesses. The Department of Agriculture handles the inspections for vendors selling other items like baked goods, ice creams and popcorn.
Food vendors are expected to follow all normal food health protocols. This year, inspectors are also encouraging vendors to wear masks inside their units and provide hand sanitizer for all customers.
