Ring-toss in the dark anyone?

Ever try to find a door knob in  total darkness ?   It's not so easy.

This product is designed to fit around most standard door operators and provide a clue as to where the exit is located.  Great for storage rooms, restrooms, and anyplace that there may not be emergency lighting installed.

Product resources:

GBC Safety Glow (www.gbcsafetyglow.com)

SafePassage (www.safepassageinc.com/glow_knob_switchplate.htm)

SafeGlow (www.safeglow.com)

We're dark on Mondays . . . and when the power goes off

Nothing like a blown fuse, tripped breaker, or general power outage to leave you wondering where the nearest flashlight is.

Pelican, the makers of really cool cases and flashlights, has solved that problem.  Check them out at www.pelican.com.

They offer flashlights with  photoluminescent  parts that 'charge-up' from both the flashlight's own output, and the ambient light.

Their LED lights will run for a claimed 50 hours.  Just look under Lights : Recoil™ LED Series on their web site, or go directly to:

SabreLite 2000PL (www.pelican.com/lights_detail.php?recordID=2000PL)
SabreLite 2010PL LED (www.pelican.com/lights_detail.php?recordID=2010PL)
StealthLite 2400PL  (www.pelican.com/lights_detail.php?recordID=2400PL)
StealthLite 2410PL LED (www.pelican.com/lights_detail.php?recordID=2410PL)
Little Ed 3610PL LED (www.pelican.com/lights_detail.php?recordID=3610PL)
Big Ed 3700PL (www.pelican.com/lights_detail.php?recordID=3700PL)
Big Ed 3750PL Rechargeable (www.pelican.com/lights_detail.php?recordID=3750PL)

And if you already have a Pelican flashlight, some models have the  photoluminescent  shrouds available for retrofit - just go to the accessories page.

Way-finding: Which way out?

If I was in a hurry to get out of some place, like, say . . WHEN THERE IS A FIRE, I'd want to:

A:  Be able to read the evacuation map in a hurry,

B:  Be able to read it in the dark with the power out.

Hand Scrawled Fire Evacuation Route Sign (8 1/2 x 11)

Here's a good idea that can help those things come together:

• Make the map large enough that you can read it without squinting.
• Make the lettering bold and easy to read, say 1/4" (6mm), minimum (no hand-written letters either).
• Place a "YOU ARE HERE" arrow or marker that is REALLY BIG AND OBVIOUS.
• Then print the sign on clear film and mount it over a sheet of  photoluminescent  material.

That's where the folks at EvacMap (www.evacmap.com) can fix you right up.  They can do your graphics for you, or you can provide your own.  Their  photoluminescent  sign frames are just what you need.

Another source for these types of sign frames is Accuform Signs (www.Accuform.com).  They also offer special sign frames for  Severe Weather Plans .  Another time when the power may not be functioning and you don't want to evacuate the building, but instead, you want to relocate everyone to a safer location within the building.

Things that go Bump in the Dark

Boom-Boom, Out Go The Lights! (Stray Cats covering Pat Travers covering Little Walter)  Well, that's what happens when you bonk your head really hard (yet another reason to wear a hard-hat!).

Maybe this will help:  Knuffi (www.knuffi.com) soft edge bumper guards are a product that is available in both  Photoluminescent  and  Fluorescent.  These foam wedges, angles, and rounds are designed to fit over beam edges and around corners.  They have self-adhesive tape backing so that you can peel-and-stick them to clean surfaces.




You can get these from:

American Permalight (https://americanpermalight.com/safety-bumper-guards/), or

Knuffi. (www.knuffi.com)

These create a personal crumple zone around low-lying beams, shelves, brackets, conduits, air ducts, or other junk stickin'-out around the theatre.  Don't be bonkin' your noggin'!

Rise and Shine

What would a Safety Blog be without some mention of health issues?  If you live in / for, work in / for, or go to the theatre, you may be a candidate for gettin' lucky.  We don't want any accidents to happen when the lights go out, so wrap your Knight in shining armor!  The first glow in the dark condoms allowed by the FDA for disease and pregnancy prevention.   Global Protection Corporation's Night Light® glow-in-the-dark condoms are manufactured to the same standards as typical condoms, and provide the same protection and safety. They’re just much more fun!  With a unique combination of fun and protection, Night Light will provide a night to remember.  If you're not a brave-enough soul to test drive one of these, then go down to your local movie rental house and check-out a copy of director Blake Edward's 1989 classic Skin Deep starring John Ritter.  It might change your mind, or at least loosen it up a bit.

Weebles Wobble - But They Don't Fall Down

What better time to talk about Ghost Lights than during the Halloween season?  One of the prime reasons to have a Ghost Light on your stage is to prevent accidents.  Stages have places you can fall off of like trap openings and the front of the stage, and they have plenty of things to bump into and trip over, or at least bust-up your face or shin real good.  Ouch!  Halloween scars that are permanent.  Just what every aspiring actor needs.

One of the most common reasons for not having a Ghost Light is that they aren't commonly available from theatrical supply houses.  All of the Ghost Lights I've ever seen have been cobbled together by well meaning shop craftsmen. The problem with this approach is that whenever you manufacture something you assume the liability for it as well.  When you combine this with poor electrical knowledge and make-shift adaptations the results can be electrically hazardous as well as physically hazardous.  So where is the safety in that?

I was at the local big-box hardware store the other day and I noticed this gizmo:
Item 212004, Model GL600 (www.lowes.com/pd_212004-337-GL600_0)
[Update 2015-08:  This product is no longer available.]

Lowes sells it under their Utilitech brand (made by Cooper Lighting), it is UL and CSA safety listed, fairly inexpensive, and most of all, pretty darn indestructible.  The unit has a weighted base that houses the fluorescent lamp ballast, and incorporates a groove around it to wrap-up the cable when it is not in use.

The case is plastic and has a tie loop at the top if you need to hang it up for storage or suspend it. The clear plastic tube that house the lamp acts as a container to keep broken glass off of the stage should you give it a really significant whack.

Fortunately, the unit does NOT come equipped with a lamp (yes, this is a GOOD THING).  When you outfit it with a lamp you can choose the color temperature (CCT) and color rendering index (CRI, or Ra) so that it doesn't clash with your other work lighting, and if you elect to beef-it-up a bit you can install a hard-use lamp like those made by ShatRShield (www.shatrshield.com/catt8page.html)

This unit uses less than 40 Watts of power and lights-up a pretty good area around the stage, so pop one out onto the proscenium line so nobody has to grope in the dark and fall off into the orchestra pit.  That's a dangerous fall to make unexpectedly, and many people over the years have been killed or received career-ending injuries this way.

And a note about the Energy Nazies:  There is always some well-meaning but oblivious-to-the-safety-implications individual that feels compelled to turn-off every light they find glowing.  For a  Ghost Light  to be effective, it must be left ON.  You have to twart them at their game.  What can you do?  Post a sign at both the on/off switch on the Ghost Light AND at the end of the cord(s) that supply the power.  Be polite, but be firm.

 "I want you to meet my little friend." said Al Pacino's character in Scarface.  This will confuse the energy Nazies for sure:  Add a  photoluminescent  tube over the lamp.  This will continue to glow for about 40 hours after you remove the power from the lamp - so it will give any stage marauders a bit of a chance see where they are going should the power go off (or be switched off).  The Lumenite® Light Sleeve is a semi-translucent,  photoluminescent  sleeve that fits readily over new or existing fluorescent tubes.

 

More Luminite info here:

www.lumenite.biz/shop.php/light-sleeves/c_12.html

Do you really want to keep it safe and confuse the Energy Nazies?  Add an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) to the Ghost Light.  At only 40 Watts power draw, a small UPS will keep the lights on for hours.  If you use an LED based lamp, then the darn thing could glow for a day or more.

Tread Lightly - and don't bust your butt doing it

I continue to find more and more amazing steps and stairs both backstage and in the audience chamber that don't comply with ADA and NFPA Life Safety Code requirements for clearly marking the edges of steps.  sMany of these are in brand new buildings - why are code inspectors and architects not addressing this?

The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) places great emphasis on the need for people to clearly see the edges of floor transitions.  The ADA guidelines and rules are not just about preventing and marking bumps under wheelchair wheels!   It is about all of us needing to see under low-light conditions, and these conditions occur in many places outside of the theatre, too.

• When light levels are low our vision becomes monochromatic (black and white, or really shades of gray), so there is less information for our brain to process.  Strike One.
• We usually don't look directly where we are going to step, we rely on our peripheral vision, which is much less detailed than our central cone of vision.  Strike two.
• Where we step is largely governed by out sense of where we think our feet are going, and a large dose of trust that the destination is safe (i.e. flat, level, and large enough to stand upon).  If it's not, then Strike 3.

  What you (don't) see above is the two steps leading down from a sort platform stage into the front cross-aisle.  And no, the dark-gray to light-gray transition is not the step.  It's like (not) seeing a polar bear in a snowstorm.  And that is with the houselights UP.  Imagine this in the dark with black and-white vision . . .

At left is a stairwell in the catwalk system.  The picture was taken with a flash so it appears much brighter than the actual working space.  Black steps with no contrasting edges, and the step treads are only about 8" front to back, not hardly enough to plant your foot on when you are going up them in a size 11 work boot, and very difficult to get a feel for when descending in the dark - your toes want to fall right on over the edges that you can barely see.

The diamond plate tread pattern can be helpful if you have a coarse tread work shoe, but if there is very much dust build-up it can still be quite slippery.

One way to retrofit steps for traction and visibility is to add a stair nosing assembly that has both traction grit and a  photoluminescent  strip combined.  The GBC ST-1001 Bull Nose Stair Nosing is a good example of this type of product.

GBC makes another product that has a slide-in media slot that can be used for decorative inserts or possibly a paid advertising space and generate revenue resource for a venue.

Emergency Flashlight for Preparedness . . . where did I put that !?

The Panasonic BF-541 Emergency Light, which is powered by two D-cell replaceable batteries (sold separately), can be easily wall-mounted anywhere fast access to lighting is needed. An automatic switch feature turns the Emergency Light ON automatically when removed from its holder.  The light will glow up to 18 hours with its high-luminance krypton bulb when used with alkaline cells. If you replace the lamp with an LED you can probably extend the run time further (why didn't they think of that?)

To save battery power when not in use, the battery is disengaged and the light goes OFF when returned to its holder. Because there is no switch, it encourages users to return it to a location where it might be found by others rather than just laying it down and forgetting about it.  The exterior case of the flashlight also has a little  photoluminescent  marking dot which glows in the dark, making it a wee bit easier to find when the lights go out.  I think I'd put a BIG honking strip of photoluminescent tape down the side to make sure that it is visible.

Other flashlights of interest might be:
http://theatresafetyblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/jumpin-jack-flashlight.html
http://theatresafetyblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/were-dark-on-mondays-and-when-power.html

National CPR & AED Awareness Week - June 1-7, 2011

In 2008, Congress designated the first week of June for observation of National CPR / AED Awareness Week, with the goal of encouraging all states, cities and towns to establish organized programs which provide CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) and AED (Automated External Defibrillators) training to the public.

People are being offered opportunities to learn how to save a life threatened by Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).  The American Heart Association recommends that laypersons should learn “Hands Only” or continuous chest compression CPR.  Learn to save a life.  You would want someone to do the same for you.

People are also urged to learn how to use Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), which are safety devices that are becoming more available in public locations so that they can be used immediately if someone collapses in SCA.  AEDs can restore a normal heartbeat, as long as they are used quickly and effectively.

More info at: http://www.sca-aware.org/

American Heart Association - http://www.americanheart.org/

International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies - http://www.ifrc.org/

Red Cross - http://www.redcross.org/

Hands Only CPR - http://www.handsonlycpr.org/

National Safety Council - http://www.nsc.org

Many facilities have also recognized the need for Automated External Defibulators, or AED's.  These can save live of both staff and patrons in your performing arts facility.  You should have one in the lobby and backstage between the shop(s) and the stage.  Units should be in plain sight and readily accessible.  Employ clear signage to assist locating the units.  Photoluminescent signage is recommended.

Backstage, stress, falls, and/or electrical shock can be common causes of SCA, while in the front of house, it may be due to the sudden excitement in the show, patrons over-exerting themselves climbing stairs, or rushing to get to the show on-time.  Whatever the cause, having personnel and equipment available immediately is key to a good outcome.

Call for Help.  Don't forget that hardline (wired) phones are always best to call for emergency services, as cellular phones don't automatically track-back to the facility address.  Also remember to clearly post the facility address adjacent to the telephone.

How are you going to pay for an AED?  Local, state, and federal governments sometimes makes funding available for AEDs in the form of grants. Though finding these grants for your AED program can require an investment of both time of energy, the effort may be worthwhile.

Government funding: For federal funding options look at the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance at http://www.cfda.gov/

Private Funding: For funding from private organizations look at the Foundation Center at http://www.foundationcenter.org/

Other helpful information can be found at the
Proposal Development:  A written proposal is almost always required to apply for a grant. For assistance in writing an effective proposal, you can find excellent instructions and examples at http://www.minerandassociates.com/

A grant project can take weeks or months to complete. If your needs are more immediate, look toward civic groups such as your local PTA, Lions Clubs, Moose Lodges, Elks Clubs, Kiwanis, Rotary Clubs, and Masonic Temples. If your project is aimed at the well-being of children, a local Optimist Club could be a source.

Of course, it can't hurt to look to your own theatres' patrons and supporters for financial help.  Having an AED on-site can save their lives, too!

Other Grant Resources:
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation - www.sca-aware.org/finding-funding
Zoll Medical Devices - www.zoll.com/medical-products/automated-external-defibrillators/aed-grant-information
AED Grant.Com - http://www.aedgrant.com/

Brady Label Company Offers Free Handbook on Photoluminescent Marking

Free.  That's always helpful.  Even more helpful is the handy handbook that Brady has published that discusses the International Building Code (IBC), NFPA Life Safety Code, and LEED requirements for Emergency Egress signage and markings.

This objective guide outlines the various code sections, provides some graphics showing placement examples for photoluminescent items, and is very light on advertising hype.  Wow.  Real info not obscured by marketing schmooze.  That's refreshing.

Get yours at:  www.bradyid.com/bradyglo

Rung for your life!

Ever have to make one of those reeeally long ladder climbs?  Didja wonder if you were ever going to get to the top (or the bottom, for that matter)?  Your hands can get sweaty and your boots might have a bit 'o crud on them . . . you get a bit tired . . . next thing you know:  you lose your grip, or your foot misses the mark.  This may be an annoyance, or it could be a lot worse.

Fall protection systems for ladders are only required for ladders more than 15 feet tall (you can see the harness attachment rail at the center line of this one).  This may keep you from falling to the ground, but you may still bust your face on the ladder before you regain you composure (yet another good reason to have a chin strap on your hard-hat!).

Many of the ladders you may encounter are right at or just short of the 15 foot limit, so all you have to protect you is your good grip on the ladder.  You can install fall arrest devices on ladders less than 15', too, and it is a really good practice.

Safeguard Technologies has a solution:  Formed fiberglass overlays that are fabricated to fit a variety of ladder rung diameters from 3/4" to 2" diameter.  The covers have hi-traction grit embedded in the material to provide a slip-resistant texture to the surface.  These can be applied to scaffold climbing rails, too, which are notoriously slippery - why do the scaffolding manufacturers coat these with glossy powder-coat paint?!

A ladder rung cover being installed with adhesive.

Ladders rungs nicely visible and with very high traction.

Now for the cool part:  Since these are made-to-order to fit the rung width and rung diameter of your facility's ladders, they can fabricate the rung covers with photoluminescent pigment in the fiberglass binder.  This can help you find your way down from the catwalk or gridiron in the dark should the power go out.

Resource:  Safeguard Technology (http://www.safeguard-technology.com/)

I dunno, I guess I just drew a blank where the Fire Extinguisher was kept.

Where's Waldo's Fire Extinguisher?

Here it is!

Maybe a photoluminescent sign like this would help.

Photoluminescent Fire Extinguisher Sign Resources:

EverGlow: www.everglow.us/?everglow=&photoluminescent=6&signs=safety-equipment-signs

GloBrite: www.globritesystem.com/safety.php#fire

NiteBright: www.nb-usa.net/Products_EXIT%20THROUGH%20LOBBY%20-%20NYTL.html

My Safe Sign: www.mysafetysign.com/Safety-Signs/Fire-Extinguisher-Signs.aspx

Boxes full of booty (no, not that kind of booty!)

As I perused the Stage Manager's exhibits at the theatre conference I found some other items of interest, too.  Most of the kits had some sort of First Aid section, and several had Flash Lights and/or Spare Batteries, and a few had Chemical Light Sticks stowed-away.  All good things to have if the lights go out.

However, what was really interesting was that all of the portable kits I saw were BLACK.  All black.  Barely a fleck of color anywhere.  It reminded me of the picture below:

"Polar bear in a snow storm"

Now I know that black is the color of choice for all things theatre, but this doesn't make any sense.  It's not like you don't want to be able to find your tool box.  It's not like your tool box is going to be flirting around the wings and might be seen by the audience.  And guess what?  If the lights go out - you wouldn't be able to find your flashlight or Calume light sticks!  A black box in a black backstage environment with the lights out is nothing but a trip hazard or shin-buster.

Not  black ? Sacrilege!  Keel-haul the scallywag! At the very minimum, place some photoluminescent marker tape around the perimeter so that you can find it when the lights go out.  A bit of highly reflective (i.e. retroreflective) marker tape along side the photoluminescent tape would be a good idea, too - this way if you shine even the weakest of flashlights in the general direction of the toolbox, it'll light-up like a fireworks display and you can grope your way toward it a bit easier.  There is a reason that Firefighters and Liferafts both have SOLAS* type marker tape on them - so they can be seen under the worst of lighting conditions.

*SOLAS - Save Our Lives At Sea - Solas type marker tape is commonly used on road signs and highway barrier marking because it does such a darn good job of blinding you with your own headlights.

So, how about some alternatives?  OK. Lets try these:

DuraTool D00403

DuraTool D00407

Stanley 2-in-1 Mobile Work Center

(a bit black, but nothin' a bit-o-tape won't fix either)

Stanley 3-in-1 Mobile Work Center

Jumpin' jack flash(light)

I know, I just had a blog entry for Pelican's photoluminescent flashlights, but they have yet another cool tool.  Every Stage Manager and House Manager's workstation oughta have one of these:

Pelican 2480 ELS Emergency Lighting Station houses a Pelican MityLite 2440PLB Flashlight (with a photoluminescent body).  A tail switch for easy, one hand operation fires-up this 21 lumen 5-LED array powered by alkaline/titanium cells that provide 90 hour burn time and shelf life of about 7 years.

Here's the odd part:  You can't find these item on Pelican's web site because they have discontinued this particular model.  However, just plug 'Pelican 2480 ELS'  (for the plastic station holder), or 'Pelican MityLite 2440PLB' (for the flashlight) into a search engine and you can find-out where to snag them.

Signs, signs, everywhere there's signs. Blocking-up the scenery, messin' up my mind.

Or so says the Five Man Electrical Band.  "Do this.  Don't do that. Can't you read the signs?"  Well, when the lights go out, it can be difficult to see exactly where everything is.  So the next time you're in the market for EXIT signs, NOTICE signs, CAUTION signs, DANGER signs, or any other informational signs, think about purchasing photoluminescent signs.  The look 'normal' in the light, and they keep on glowing when the lights go out.  Better quality signs will keep their glow for 12-24 hours.

Resources:  Just enter "Photoluminescent Signs" into a search engine and you'll get about a bazillion hits.  You can start with the vendors I've mentioned over the past week or so, too, as they are some of the major players in the market.

I'm about to the end of my rope...

What would we do if we didn't trip over rope in the dark, or get clothes-lined by it?  Probably have a few less rope burns.  Don't try rigging with this photoluminescent rope (but it's just a matter of time before someone does make some stage rigging worthy rope), but it might be handy for lashing stuff together backstage.  Or maybe that ghostly looking hangman's noose . . .

Resource:

RealGlow (www.realglow.com/Photoluminescent_rope.htm)

Don't be bored with the baseboard

Baseboard material that has a photoluminescent strip molded right into it.  Good stuff in hallways, restrooms, dressing rooms, lobbies - just about anywhere you don't want to stumble-around in the dark.  This is particularly handy for new construction or renovations, as you generally are going to have a baseboard anyway, so you might as well do it right from the get-go.  The nice thing about having it built-in is that it won't get scuffed-off or scratched-up.

Resources:
Safe Glow (www.safeglow.com/PhotoluminescentProducts.LowLevel.Hallway.html)
Glow Tech (www.glowtechinc.com/glowing_baseboard_strip.htm)

Tread lightly

It's one thing to have a well marked step nosing so that you don't miss the edge of the step (see previous post here), but is really helps to have something underfoot that glows so you can find it in the dark, too.  This is the EdgeGripGlo fiberglass step nosing plate by FibreGrid Limited.  It has traction grit embedded in the fiberglass binder and is photoluminescent.

Resources:
Balco IllumiTread (http://www.balcousa.com/files/7589_BAL_stairflyer_II_scn.pdf)

EcoGlo (www.ecoglo.us/emergency-lighting-products/stair-nosings-c-268.html)

FiberGrid Limited (www.fibregrid.com/edgegrip_info.php?bc=Edgegrip Standard)

SafeGlow Non-slip Stair Tread Cover (www.safeglow.com/Products.Stair.Products.Pro.html)

Zero International TractionTread Glow (www.zerointernational.com/pdf/PhotoluminescentBrochure.pdf)

GBC Safety Glow Stair Tread Cover (www.gbcsafetyglow.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=1&category_id=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=104)

Light me up!

So, what happens when the lights go out?  Do the emergency lights lights come on?  Are there any emergency lights?  In the storage room?  In the restroom?  In that back hallway, trap room, or catwalk?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  When was the last time that battery pack or generator was tested?  Hard to say. The installation of photoluminescent tubes or solid bars in fluorescent light fixtures is one way to have an "always ON" back-up.  They work after earthquakes, floods, or just about anything else.

The sleeve solution:  It is a plastic sleeve that is designed to slide over the glass tube of the lamp and be continuously charged by the light.  When the power shuts-off, the tube keep on glowing.  This is a cheap, zero maintenence solution.  You can use on just one lamp, or on many, depending how much light you need. 

One caveat:  This will ever-so-slightly change the color content of the light, so if you are using this in a dressing room, make-up room, costume shop, or paint shop, be aware of what this will do to your color rendering.  This shouldn't be a big deal, as you will typically only have one or two of the lamps in the whole room equipped this way.

Resources:
Luna Glow Luminite Light Sleeves  (www.lunaglow.com.au/sleeve.htm)
Shat-R-Shield Lamps (www.shattershield.com/catglowlamps.html)

The Bar Solution:

These are just thick bars of photoluminescent material that magnetically attach to the inside of a metal light fixture.  Simple to install, and don't have to be swapped-out when the lamps are changed.  You can use one or many per light fixture.  Being so close to the light source, these bars get maximum charge from the lamps and as a result glow really brightly as soon as the lights go out.

Resource:
SafeGlow (http://www.safeglow.com/PhotoluminescentProducts.Emergency.L..html)

An alternate solution is to appply photoluminescent tape or paint to the interior of the light fixture.

Cavaet:  Make sure that anything you put into a light fixture is designed to take the heat and doesn't violate any building codes!  These solutions are not yet qualified to provide code compliant emergency lighting, but they are still way better than nothing.

Strangers in the dark . . do be do be do

Ever fumble in the dark for a light switch?  Don't need to do that no more! This plate is available from GlowTech (http://www.glowtech.com/).

 

Another version just screws-down over your existing switchplate cover:

This is the Find-A-Light strip by Arnev (http://www.arnev.com/Glow-in-the-Dark-Strips.html).  Of course, you could just place four strips of photoluminescent tape around the lightswitch, too.  Or, you could coat a regular switchplate cover with glow-in-the-dark paint.  If you need to label the switches (which is always a good idea! - ever have folks flippin' swiches "just to find-out what they do?" ), then using clear P-Touch type tape labels over the glow tape, strip, or switchplate will allow the lettering to be legible with a bit of a backlight effect.

No more finger pokin' in the dark, OK?