Author: Steve Rothenberg
The Maryland Division of Labor and Industry’s Safety Inspection Unit, along with the Maryland Amusement Ride Safety Advisory Board, worked over the past year to update the inflatable attraction regulations in COMAR 09.12.66. Those updates (available in the Maryland Register) were approved by the Board and then approved by the Maryland General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review.
If you operate or provide rental in Maryland, business owners should be aware of the changes in the inflatable attractions regulations that recently went into effect as of March 4, 2026. The Safety Inspection Unit recently held two virtual outreach meetings (on March 24th and March 26th) to discuss the amended regulations with registered inflatable amusement operators.
Key changes include, but not limited to:
Standards Updates:
- The amended regulations now adopt the ASTM F2374-22 standard with certain modifications. In addition to the updated ASTM standard, there are other amendments to the regulations. This replaces the older F2374-04 version.
- The National Electrical Code reference is updated from 2005 to 2020.
Applicability of New Standard:
- Inflatables manufactured after Jan. 1, 2026 must comply fully with ASTM F2374-22.
- Those made before that date must comply except for a few listed ASTM sections.
Operational and Safety Requirement:
- Lowered maximum wind operation limit from 25 mph to 15 mph sustained (25 mph gusts) lasting over 3 sec now require shutdown.
Expanded anchoring and securing rules, including:
- Minimum 75 lb anchor weight for bounce rides, 500 lb for tall slides (over15 ft).
- Anchors must be equal to or greater than 1 inch diameter and solid.
- Detailed standards for stake length, tie-downs, and inspection of permanent anchors.
- Added requirement to monitor and log local weather and record wind speeds using an anemometer.
- Added detailed expectations for operator training, identification, and distraction-free operation.
Training and Inspections
- Replaces Maryland-specific training content with ASTM F2374-22.7.8 requirements.
- Adds training on monitoring wind and weather conditions.
- Daily inspections must now comply with ASTM F2374-22.7.7, with damaged parts repaired before operation.
- Mandatory Daily Inspection & Pre-Opening Checklist to be signed and available for review.
Injury Reporting and Logs
- Injury log rules refined:
– Must be maintained yearly and certified by Jan 15 of the following year.
– Owners must keep logs for 5 years and provide to the Commissioner on request
Weather and Environmental Rules
- Explicit shutdown requirements during lightning, sustained winds equal to or greater than 15 mph, or gusts of 25 mph or higher.
- Must close and secure inflatables immediately under any of those conditions.
Fire Safety and Electrical
- Required fire extinguisher upgraded from “10-B:C” to “ABC-rated,” at least 10 lb capacity.
- Electrical systems must now meet ASTM F2374-22 and NEC 2020 requirements.
Other Additions
- Design criteria, signage, installation, and location sections now reference corresponding parts of ASTM F2374-22 instead of Maryland-specific rules.
- Added specific requirements for surface stability, placement away from traffic, and clearances (at least 4’ side and overhead area away from obstructions & 15 ft from power lines).
For more information, you can contact Maryland’s DLLR Amusement Attractions Safety Inspection Unit (email) AR*******@******nd.gov or by phone (410) 767-2348.
