COLUMBUS (WCMH) — A deadly accident at the Ohio State Fair is prompting some changes on the midway for the 2019 fair.

On Monday, the Ohio Department of Agriculture started its first round of ride inspections under a new set of guidelines.

“We needed to take a different direction to enforce that safety is number one,” said Dorothy Pelanda, the director of the Department of Agriculture.

Pelanda initiated a number of new guidelines when she assumed the director role in January 2019.

The changes include partnering with a new ride vendor, Texas-based Talley Amusements, Inc.

Pelanda explained the fair chose to bring in 78 rides from the company because of its safety track record.

“All of my grandchildren are here and they’re going to be on every one of these rides. If that’s not a testimony to how safe these rides are, I don’t know what would be,” said the company’s owner and CEO Mary Talley.

The daily morning inspections are also changing slightly. For the first time this year, inspectors will use iPads so the entire team can receive real-time updates.

They plan to check in on operators periodically during the day to make sure they’re following proper protocol.

They will also inquire about each ride’s recent maintenance, alerts from the manufacturer and changes since its last inspection.

“If any of those questions are answered in the affirmative, the inspection stops until we can obtain the proper documentation concerning those changes or concerns from the manufacturer,” Pelanda said.

The changes come after tragedy in 2017, when the Fire Ball ride broke apart, killing 18-year-old Tyler Jarrell and injuring seven others.

The accident changed the way many legislators, inspectors, and other state agencies treat safety.

“I can assure you everybody from the governor, down to the inspectors, and the operators, and the manufacturer, everybody’s concerned about safety,” said Michael Vartorella, the chief inspector for the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

Gov. Mike DeWine recently approved $400,000 in the state budget to pay for additional inspectors, technology improvements and training.

“The public is deemed to be our precious cargo,” said Pelanda. “And we’ll do anything every day to make sure that our Ohioans and our visitors to Ohio can enjoy these rides and be assured that they’re safe.”

The midway opens to the public at 10 a.m. Wednesday.