There’s something about a state fair that gives people the impression that nothing bad can happen, at least for a few hours. The smell of fried food, the midway lights blinking, children pulling parents toward the fastest-spinning ride. In that instinctive, almost illogical way, it feels secure. This is precisely why the events at the Ohio State Fair on July 26, 2017, were so profound.
The Fire Ball ride, which swings people in a circular cage like a pendulum, broke apart in the middle of a swing. Eighteen-year-old Tyler Jarrell was slain. There were seven more injuries. Later, investigators found that the ride’s metal had been severely weakened by excessive corrosion, far beyond any reasonable threshold. It was more of a failure that might have been avoided in retrospect than a freak accident. Since then, Ohio’s fair seasons have been plagued by that question.
Tyler’s name appears on House Bill 189, which was signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine last November. Tyler’s Law, which is implemented by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, fills in more than one gap in the current regulations. By implementing layered inspection requirements, documented corrosion reviews, and more transparent accountability for ride owners, it completely reorganizes the state’s approach to ride safety. It’s the kind of legislation that, as soon as you read it, seems long overdue.
It’s easy to forget that the Ohio Department of Agriculture, which also oversees livestock and food safety, has long been in charge of overseeing amusement rides. That may seem like a strange combination, but the ODA has traditionally been in charge of ride permits, inspections, and enforcement because Ohio’s fairs and festivals fall under its purview. Tyler’s Law sharpens the requirements for those in charge, but it doesn’t alter who is in charge.
The mandatory fatigue and corrosion review is one of the law’s more significant additions. Owners of roller coasters, towers, and intermediate rides are now required to perform visual inspections, specifically searching for the type of structural deterioration that caused the Fire Ball to collapse. The owner cannot just take note of corrosion or wear and tear and move on. They must speak with a registered engineer or the ride’s manufacturer before putting any suggested mitigation measures into practice. These results are recorded and sent to the ODA. For the duration of the ride’s operation, the records accompany it and are transferred to any subsequent owner. It’s a paper trail that didn’t previously exist.
Additionally, Ohio has implemented a tiered classification system that divides rides into roller coasters, low intensity, intermediate, and towers. Every category has its own requirements for inspectors and frequency of inspections. For example, a roller coaster needs to be inspected twice a year, with two inspectors present for each initial inspection. Kids’ low-intensity rides don’t need as much attention. Even though one could argue that the rollout schedule—tower owners won’t be subject to the new corrosion regulations until April 2022, while roller coaster owners won’t be until April 2023—feels like a slow walk toward urgency, there is a logic to it.
It’s difficult to ignore the fact that some of these more stringent regulations were already in place at large parks like King’s Island and Cedar Point. The traveling carnival circuit, which consists of mobile rides that travel from fairground to fairground, are frequently kept in several locations, and occasionally operate across state lines, has historically filled the gap. Owners of portable rides are now required by Tyler’s Law to keep records of all storage locations and out-of-state operation dates. That has significance. It remains to be seen if inspectors can actually keep up with that information during a hectic fair season.
The assumption that a ride spinning without incident is a safe ride is what Tyler Jarrell’s death ultimately forced Ohio to confront—something that state fairs and carnivals may have allowed themselves to avoid. Corrosion doesn’t make an announcement. Metal fatigue doesn’t either. Tyler’s Law’s main goal is to make ride owners pay attention before someone else does.
