Because of growing concern over the safety of amusement park rides, the Back of the Yards Council has hired an independent inspector for its annual
”county fair,” a spokesman for the group said Wednesday.
”We feel obligated to ensure the safety of our thrill rides,” the spokesman said.
Richard J. Keyworth, president of Amusement Safety Consultant Ltd., has been chosen by the council and Spectacular Midways Inc. to inspect and monitor the rides at the fair, which opens Thursday and runs through Aug. 25 at 47th Street and Damen Avenue.
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Keyworth said that in the last five years there has been an increase in independent inspections because of the rash of accidents at carnivals and amusement parks.
Most of the safety problems occur in the way rides are constructed, he said, adding, ”It is important that the ride has a firm foundation.”
Keyworth said the rides are rebuilt each winter to ensure safety.
The council estimates that 30,000 people will visit the fair each day.