Author: Kevin Wieging
FULL Day of Training Presented at NAARSO Safety Concludes with Inflatable Inspection
NAARSO (National Association for Amusement Ride Safety Officials) recently held their 39th Annual Safety Seminar in Altamonte Springs, FL January 25th – 30th, 2026 just as a winter storm was rolling across the United States. However, Florida provided the warm weather alternative as a reward if you were successful at navigating the airport delays and maybe a few extra hours of driving (Due to Cancelled Flights!!) in an attempt to get a flight out and make it to NAARSO by Monday!
Joe Wesley, of Party On Air- Kentucky found himself in that position Starting at Lexington Airport near his home in Kentucky, driving to Louisville Airport in hopes of catching a flight, and then again to Cincinnati Airport to finally make it on a flight. Joe is a member of IOA and serves on the SEC committee which requires a NAARSO Level 1 or higher certification for amusement ride safety certification. It was important to attend to maintain the credit hours necessary for his credentials and he tested for Level 2 updated certification at the conference.
Once arriving at the NAARSO conference, the focus was on education and safety. Inflatable Operators Association (IOA) would like to thank NAARSO for the last two years’ involvement and the opportunity to represent the inflatable industry through both a table display in the lobby as well as presenting educational content. Lance Miller or Miller Safety Inspections & Consulting along with Kevin Wieging, CEO-IOA presented on ASTM F2374, both standards representing IOA.
Hands On Training: Staying inside wasn’t an option in nice weather as many escaped cold temperatures, so it was welcome to complete a hands-on inflatable inspection demonstration. Inspection was provided on a bounce house delivered to the conference. In reference, ASTM-F2374-24 provides standard practice for design, manufacture, operation, and maintenance of inflatable amusement devices. Both annual and pre-opening inspection are highlighted in compliance with the standard.
Practical application of classroom skills put knowledge into action for compliance to the F2374 standards. Members of IOA also can earn “Owner/ Operator Level 1” certification and become familiar with both the technical standard as well as conducting the inspection process. “O/O Level 1 “Certification is provided at the IOA Safety Conference and Expo March 16-19, 2026 and provides both new certification opportunities as well as collecting continuing education hours to maintain credentials if interested in gaining more knowledge regarding F2374.
What are the most common issues for compliance through inspection? On this day, a few issues were agreed upon by the team approach taken by the entire class. Impact attenuation matting should be provided on hard surfaces and especially at the entrance/ exit areas. This could also apply to other areas where a 36” retaining wall isn’t present to prevent patrons from potentially falling out of the unit during participation.
Although a few other notes were made for performance improvement, restricted airflow was noticed on the blower due to debris collecting on the air intake screen reducing the units static pressure. Another issue was NOT allowing for a clear performance envelope around the unit which was obstructed by the tree branches it was incorrectly set up under. Anchoring an inflatable is one of the key safety focuses and the amount of weight required for anchoring was a concern. It was agreed that our inspection would reference the owner’s manual for the unit to verify the actual weight requirement for compliance and if sandbags were permitted for outdoor installation.
As it turned out for Joe Wesley and others attending the NAARSO Conference, despite the weather, THEY MADE IT! Over 500+ representatives of safety and compliance were able to take away credit for ongoing education relevant to amusement ride safety and inspection. For more information on NAARSO visit their website at www.naarso.com