Theatre Safety Workshop at Shanghai Theatre Academy

Workshop is April 14-16 (Monday thru Wednesday).  For more information contact Shanghai Theatre Academy, Department of Stage Design, Theatre Management and Arts Management Lecturer, Vanessa Chenzi Xu (徐晨子) at: nownowxu (at) hotmail (dot) com

SchoolDude & Facility Masters Team-up with Theatre Safety Blog for Free Webinar

Register Now – Free Webcast – Wednesday, November 28, 2012 at 12:00pm EST Improving Auditorium and Theatre Safety: Tips for Reducing Risk More than 250 of your peers have already signed up for this can’t miss seminar!  Register today to join them, and please forward this invitation to colleagues who might be interested. If you’re not able to attend, register anyway – we’ll email you a link to the recorded webcast to view at your convenience! Properly maintaining and inspecting auditoriums / theatres is a critical component of a proactive safety plan that minimizes potential hazards, reduces risk and safeguards event participants. Join a FREE, interactive 75-minute webcast to hear industry experts discuss how preventive inspections and regular maintenance of auditorium / theatre facilities and equipment protect you from liability issues while also providing a safe environment that protects students, teachers, staff and the community from injury.  Improving Auditorium and Theatre Safety: Tips for Reducing Risk Wednesday, November 28, 2012 12:00pm-1:15pm Eastern Standard Time (11:00AM CST, 10:00AM MST, 9:00AM PST) Register Now! You will learn safety tips and PM checks for auditoriums and theatres that will help you:  Protect occupant safety, reduce risk and liability Develop a regular theatre and auditorium inspection process Document inspections, maintenance and repairs Establish policies for facility access, supervision and use Develop a method for reporting problems with these facilities Train staff and students on proper use of these facilities Achieve a safe and well maintained environment Register now for this free webcast: https://cc.readytalk.com/r/ddwzo3zjjq5 Presenters are: Tom Watkins:  Fine Arts Director     –    Van Buren School District, AR Erich Friend:   Theatre Consultant    –    Teqniqal Systems Roger Young: Executive Director     –     Facility Masters  Justin Turner:  Applications Specialist – SchoolDude.com Click or copy and paste the below link into your internet browser to register: https://cc.readytalk.com/r/ddwzo3zjjq5   This Facility Masters webcast is sponsored by your friends at SchoolDude! For additional resources on improving safety, PM and the learning environment, visit the Facility Masters Resource Library and the SchoolDude Resource Library. Roger Young Facility Masters 1-978-886-6093 roger (at) facilitymastersonline (dot) com Visit my Blog:  www.facilitymastersonline.com/blog/ Facebook:       www.facebook.com/facilitymasters Twitter:            www.twitter.com/facilitymasters LinkedIn:         www.linkedin.com/company/facility-masters

Don't Drop What You Are Doing - Get a Grip

Objects at Heights: Love Stinks But Gravity Hurts. 

Free Webinar • Duration: 60 minutes

With the exception of Chuck Norris, hurricanes, and halitosis, there’s little more dangerous than a plummeting object. Unfortunately, most tools don’t come with wings, so when you have a butter-finger type of day (and we’ve all had ‘em), the tools and equipment you rely on can quickly turn into plummeting little (or big) bombs of destruction. Aerial safety goes beyond your standard fall protection. In the past, objects at heights hazard-planning has been an afterthought – or not even a thought. Today, regulators and professionals acknowledge the serious, life-threatening risks of falling objects and are instilling rules to ensure proper precautions are followed in the workplace

This educational webinar will overview:

• Objects at Heights Safety and how it is part of Safety at Heights planning
• Awareness of the costs of dropped objects and other Objects at Heights hazards
• Best practices for Objects at Heights within the Hierarchy of Controls 

Seminar brought to you by: EHS Today (The Magazine for Environment, Health, and Safety Leaders) and Ergodyne Work Gear.

Register at: Love Stinks But Gravity Hurts

Total Structures to host Outdoor Stage Roof Educational Event

The week of the LDI conference in Las Vegas, Total Structures will present a two-day event that will be held on Wednesday, October 17th and on Thursday, October 18th, 2012.

Engineering Principles

Taught by Jeff Reder, Principal and Partner in Clark-Reder Engineering, a full service consulting engineering firm based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jeff and his business partner, Daniel Clark, presently hold licenses in 44 U.S. states and are highly experienced in the design and use of both aluminum and steel outdoor stage roof systems

Jeff will explain the process of structurally engineering an outdoor stage roof, provide guidance on how to read such reports, as well as help the attendees develop and perfect important operational documentation such as operating manuals, high wind speed action plans, etc.

Focus will also be brought on explaining relevant standards such as ANSI E1.2 - 2006 (Entertainment Technology - Design, Manufacture And Use of Aluminum Trusses and Towers) and ANSI E1-21 - 2006 (Temporary Ground Supported Overhead Structures Used to Cover Stage Areas and Support Equipment in the Production of Entertainment Events).

Roof and Truss Inspection Principles

Taught by Adrian Forbes-Black, Vice-President of Total Structures. Adrian has nearly twenty years of entertainment rigging industry experience in both the United States and Europe, having worked for companies such as Tomcat and Columbus McKinnon before working for Total Structures

Adrian, assisted by Jeff, will teach the fundamentals of aluminum truss design as well as how to visually inspect the product and document the inspection for continued safe use.

General Information

The cost of the course will be $595 per attendee, if paid on or before 31 August 2012 and $695 if paid on or after 1 September, and can be paid at the time of registration by either check or credit card. The number of attendees is limited so please register soon.

Sessions will begin at 9:00 AM and run until approximately 5:00 PM each day and include a daily lunch break. Lunch will not be included, however, there are many restaurants within walking distance of the facility. A continental breakfast and afternoon snacks will be included along with coffee, tea, water, and soda throughout the day.

Click Here to Register:

http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e67jmbwu2057a81a&llr

 

If you wish to reserve multiple places then please register each person separately using this link so they can obtain each person's relevant details.

Please contact Kandie Koed (kandie (at) totalstructures (dot) com or phone 805-676-3322) if you have any questions.

Entertainment Innovation Conference planned for at UNCSA

Officials at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) have announced the school's third annual Entertainment Innovation Conference (EIC).  Formerly known as the Southeast Regional Entertainment Technology Conference, EIC will be a three-day event hosted by UNCSA's School of Design and Production.  The event runs Thursday, September 6 thru Saturday, September 8, 2012, and will be held at the UNCSA Performing Arts Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Cirque du Soleil and its corporate partners will lead workshops at EIC covering the use of the cutting-edge technologies in Cirque du Soleil productions.

The conference is open to industry professionals, including students and faculty members of university theatre departments.

The UNCSA Entertainment Innovation Conference is one of several regional conferences highlighting the unique, extensive, and carefully orchestrated technological requirements that go into a Cirque du Soleil production. The conferences are a rare opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes looks at Cirque du Soleil productions - perhaps some of the most complicated entertainment experiences being performed today.

Conference topics include: Stage Properties, Scene Design, Stage Management, Company Management , Show Operations (Health and Safety), Costumes, Props, Multi-Media, Sound/Audio, Automation, Rigging, Artistic/Performance, and Research and Innovation in Performance (CRIP).

For more information about the UNCSA Entertainment Innovation Conference, including registration and hotel information, please visit http://www.2012innovationconference.com/

C U There!

NAAFED Performing Rigging Workshop

The North American Association of Flying Effects Directors (NAAFED) will hold its Performer Rigging Workshop from May 22 to 25, 2012 at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois.

USITT members, ETCP Certified Riggers, IATSE, CITT, EdTA, AEA, PLASA members, and students receive a $50 discount on the $600 workshop costs. Students are allowed to use both discounts.

The workshop is designed for all ages and skill levels.  Practical application will follow lecture-based presentations to provide attendees with the opportunity to practice the theories learned.  Participants will be exposed to the basics of good theatrical rigging practices, as well as hands-on exposure to a wide variety of performer rigging systems.  By the end of this workshop, a participant who arrived with basic theatrical knowledge should be able to recognize unsafe rigging conditions, converse fluently with a flying effects rigger, efficiently assist with the installation of a flying effects system, and operate a flying effects system for a production.

Instructor Tracy Nunnally is an ETCP Certified Rigger - Arena and Theatre (one of only 35 ETCP recognized trainers), head of the design and technology program at the NIU School of Theatre and Dance, and president of Hall Associates Flying Effects.

For more information, e-mail: naafed@flyingfx.com, call 888-359-4255 or visit www.naafed.com.

Blog, Blog, Blog...

Other Safety Blogs of interest:
ON Stage Lighting:  www.onstagelighting.co.uk/stage-lighting-resources/theatre-health-and-safety
The Theatre Safety Zone: www.theatresafety.blogspot.com
Simplified Safety:  http://simplifiedsafety.com/blog
Blog4Safety:  www.blog4safety.com
SafetyAtWorkBlog (Australia):  http://safetyatworkblog.wordpress.com
Annuvia Safety Services Blog: http://blog.annuvia.com
OSHA Pro's OSHA Blog: www.osha-pros.blogspot.com
Erich Hart's Prop Blog:  www.props.eric-hart.com/category/safety

Save Your Canadian Bacon

www.actsafe.ca is a great web site to visit.   actsafe  is a leader in promoting workplace health and safety in British Columbia’s performing arts and motion picture industries. This site has a monthly Safety newsletter, Library resources, Training courses, Posters, and much more.  This information covers a wide range of safety topics.  Good info regardless of your nationality!

Rigging Schools set-up for December 2011 & January 2012

Columbus-McKinnon Entertainment Technology division (CMET) has scheduled more schools for rigging training.

Rigging Seminar (December 5th - 6th, 2011)
The Rigging Seminar will be presented by Eric Rouse, an ETCP Certified Rigger and ETCP Recognized Trainer. The head of the Scenic Technology program at Penn State University, Eric has been working in the industry for 20 years. He has designed fl ying systems and performed installations throughout the USA and in Japan.

• This two-day rigging seminar is an intensive exploration of rigging terminology, equipment, and concepts.
• Day one begins with basic rigging concepts and then progresses to more advanced principles. Topics will include truss rigging, fall protection, math concepts, and rigging formulas.
• Day two will cover deadhangs, bridles, and the math used to determine sling length, tension, and vertical and horizontal forces on the building structure.
• Taking this course is an excellent refresher if you are preparing for an industrial certification exam. Those individuals who are already certified will receive 12 renewal credits.

For additional information, please contact Dave Carmack at CM:

Phone: (276) 475-3124 extension 287 • Email: david.carmack@cmworks.com

----------------------------------------------------

Tomcat trusses has also announced their school for February 2012 to be held in beautiful Midland, Texas.  In 2008 in response to the changing needs of the industry and thanks to the input of a team of industry experts, TOMCAT launched a new and improved curriculum. These changes allowed participants to receive both beginning AND advanced training in their area of specialization:  Hoist or Rigging.  Participants can earn 32 renewal credits at each of these ETCP recognized workshops that provide a unique, hands-on learning experience with industry experts. Tomcat invites you to review the Hoist and Truss workshop section as well as the Rigging and Truss Workshop section to learn more about this unique training.

Tomcat Workshops include: All instruction and materials, lodging, lunches, dinners, snacks, transportation for dinner outings.

More information can be found at: http://tomcatglobal.com/workshop.html • Phone: (432) 694-7070  • Email: sales@tomcatusa.com

Be well hung

The PLASA International Rigging Conference, first held in 2010, has announced it's schedule for the Fall 2011 event in London, England.  Last year's event was the first of its kind, and provided a unique specialist forum that will brought together rigging companies, riggers, venue operators, tour and event production managers from around the globe. They focused specifically on rigging and working at height for temporary installations.
As the entertainment technology industry is going through a process of standardisation, there is a need for the international community to come together and discuss key issues, share knowledge and dispel myths. The expertise on offer at this conference will allow you to do that, with presentations from top industry individuals from the global rigging community.

With a balanced programme of presentations, panel discussions, Q&A sessions, and live demonstrations, the 2-day conference is designed to give you clarity on a wide range of current issues and will allow you the opportunity to air your questions and concerns with industry experts and your peers from around the globe.

A new event this year will be a one-day Rigger's Forum on September 11, just before the main conference.  This has been arranged to allow many that cannot attent the main conference to benefit from the great gathering of experts.
Registration and Conferencde Information can be found at:
http://www.plasariggingconference.com/

The PLASA Show will cun concurrently with the Rigging Conference from September 12 through 14, 2011 

Getting Safety Wrong

"Safety" can be one of those words that can stop a conversation dead in its tracks even before it's started.  Greatly misunderstood, sometimes feared, frequently misguided.  Perceptions about how safety affects the performing arts and those that work in the field can be strange, and strained.  Even mentioning 'safety' to some can put them in a defensive mode that is difficult to deal with.  Why is this?

It takes more than just 'good people skills', tact, and being a master debater to get the message across to those that aren't inclined to listen.  It requires an understanding of your opponent's state of mind.  If you see what is holding them back from enjoining the conversation, then you may be more successful when you broach the subject.

Kathryn Shulz, author of the Slate Blog, The Wrong Stuff:  What it means to make mistakes, has a fairly clear understanding of this phenomena and explains it well both through interviews on her blog, and in a book called Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error. (Ecco Books, 2010, http://beingwrongbook.com/synopsis).  There is a great interview by the KERA host of Think (http://www.kera.org/audio/think.php), Krys Boyd, that can be downloaded as an MP3 file at the PBS podcast site: http://podcastdownload.npr.org/anon.npr-podcasts/podcast/77/510036/129111964/KERA_129111964.mp3

Take a listen, maybe even read the book, and you can be better prepared to address the S-word with peers and administrators above you.  Understanding how to best dissuade concerns about the subject of safety can really help to open-up the conversation so that its comfortable to all and can be discussed as needed.

If you can't talk about it, then you can't do anything to make improvements.

Engage in the Safety Conversation

2010 LDI Show Schedule Available - Sign-up NOW!

The LDI International trade show has grown over the years to include much more than just stage lighting. You will also find sound, rigging, staging, video, projection, special effects, and thousands of tools to do your job more efficiently and safely. This year's show in Las Vegas (aka: Lo$t Wage$) runs Monday, October 18 thru Sunday, October 24 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Of particular interest is the growth of show production safety workshops being presented by ETCP trainers:

• Stage Rigging Fundamentals - two days (L27)
• Ohm's Law and Order: Essential Electrical Training - two days (L28)
• Left Brain Rigging: An A-Z on Math and how it applies to rigging - two days (L29)
• Left Brain Rigging Calculator - build your own spreadsheets for critical repetitive calculations (L30)
• Tomcat USA: Safely Building the Beast - truss system design, fall arrest systems, ground supported systems - two days (L31)
• Keep your Stage Rigging Happy & Healthy AR01)
• Math for Riggers (Made Simple) (AR02)
• System Integration Trends in Automation (AR03)
• Is your GO Button Putting You at Risk? - Motor Control Technology & Risk Mitigation (ES01)
• SIL Explained: Understanding European and Control System Safety Standards (ES02)
• Fire Safety Curtain Systems - Closing the Door on Smoke (ES09)
• Hook Up and Go! - Is Climbing on a Portable Structure Really That Easy? (ES10)
• All About the ETCP (FS01)
• ETCP paper & Pencil Exams at LDI - actually take the test(s)!

And of course, there will be lots of blinky lights and glittery things both inside and outside the convention center. Be There. See a Show. Have Fun. Learn Something.

More info at: www.ldishow.com/

Honesty is always the best safety policy: CM Steps-up to the Challenge

Well known electric chain hoist manufacturer Columbus-McKinnon (Commonly known as 'CM') issued a statement reminding customers about a known safety issue with some of their hoists.  This Safety statement pertains to questions about brake retaining pins on the company's hoists.

The company statement follows:

"There has been some information circulating recently within the Entertainment Industry in reference to brake retaining pins on Columbus McKinnon Hoists. This issue goes back to 2006 when Columbus McKinnon issued the attached notice concerning a small number of brake retaining pins for the following hoists: Prostar, Shopair, Shopstar, Shophoist, Model CPS, Budgit Series, Coffing SLC, Little Mule SLM and Yale SAL powered chain hoists built between February 2005 and April 2006. The serial numbers that were affected had the last two letters of RP, RQ, RR, RS, RT, RU, RV, RW, RX, RY, RZ, SA, SB, SC and SD.


"Columbus McKinnon did notify at that time every distributor that purchased the affected hoists and sent out replacement pins. Our distributors did a good job of notifying their customers and having the pins replaced. However it has come to our attention that some end users of the affected hoists may not have replaced the brake pins. If you have a hoist model and serial number listed above and the brake pin has not been replaced, please contact Columbus McKinnon directly at the number below.


Dean Sullins or Lee Gregor
1-800-634-4647
dean.sullins@cmworks.com
lee.gregor@cmworks.com"

Support manufacturer's that support your safety (and the gear above your heads).  CM LoadStar Hoist School is a great way to get first-person training (www.cmcodepot.com/cm-ettraining.aspx) regarding the hoists used by many of the touring show professionals around the world.

Visit CM's Entertainment Industry hoist web site (www.cm-et.com/) for more information.  These are versions of their commercial hoists that are specifically tailored to the unique needs of the show production industry.

SchoolDude announces upcoming webinar on Managing the Risks Associated with Community use of School Facilities

As a part of their Facility Masters Webcast Series, SchoolDude is hosting an interactive webinar that will discuss the liability exposure that Schools can have when they rent or loan facilities to outside user groups.  You must protect your school from liability issues and manage the risks related to community use of your facilities, such as personal injury and participant health/safety, as well as potential damage to facilities and mechanical failures. Additionally, you should be tracking and recovering the costs associated with community facility use, such as additional utility expenses, custodial overtime and building wear and tear.

This webinar will identify best practices and proven processes for managing the risks associated with the use of school facilities by community groups, including:

• Establishing fees and invoicing to recover facility use costs
• Importance of consistent rental policies and procedures
• Managing insurance certificates
• Knowing when and by whom school facilities are being used
• Preventing mechanical failure
• Avoiding overbooking
• Leveraging technology

Making school facilities available for use by the community requires more than simply unlocking the door and allowing people in.  Be prepared with knowledge and planning.
 
Presenters are:

• Bethany Kerr: District Scheduler – Clarkston Community Schools, MI
• Lee Gaby: Executive Director – Public School Risk Institute
• Roger Young: Principal Member – Roger Young and Associates LLC, MA
• Justin Turner: Applications Engineer – SchoolDude.com

Webinar Info:
Community Use of School Facilities: Managing the Risks
Thursday, July 22, 2010, 12:00pm-1:15pm Eastern Time

Register Now at:  https://cc.readytalk.com/r/emzsn274a1f5

For a more complete guide to previous seminars and resources on this subject, visit the SchoolDude web site:
http://www.schooldude.com/resources/facility-use/

CANCELLED: ISETSA 2nd National Congress on Health and Safety for the Performing Arts in the Secondary Schools

UPDATE 2010-06-22 - We are sorry to learn that the ISETSA 2nd National Congress on Health and Safety for the Performing Arts in the Secondary Schools has been cancelled due to lack of advance registration.  If you want to see more programs like this presented, then you have to support them by actually going to them.  Please keep in touch with Tim Catlett and let him know what part of the country you are in and what kind of programs you would like to see in the future.

-----------------------------------------------------

Who:  Dr. Randall Davidson (aka Dr. Doom), Jay Stone, David Krajec, Tim Catlett, Jim Guy, and others.

What: Theatre Safety Workshops

When: Tuesday, July 20 at 8:00am through Thursday, July 22 at 5:00pm

Where: South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center - (901 15th Avenue, South Milwaukee, WI 53172; http://www.facebook.com/l/65d6d; or http://www.southmilwaukeepac.org/)

You can find-out more here:
http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?eventid=839333
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=22067314508
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=105678002798326

KCACTF Region 6 - Safety Workshops

The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival will be holding an event in Amarillo, Texas (home of the Big Texan Steak House) at the Globe News Performing Arts Center on February 23 thru 27.  Info at: http://www.kcactf6.org/

I'll be presenting two Theatre Safety Workshops:

• Friday at 2:00 PM we'll talk about the House Manger's role in Theatre Safety
• Saturday at 1:30 PM we'll talk about the Stage Manger's role in Theatre Safety

Play Safe!

Auditorium Safety Webinar Now Available at SchoolDude

These folks have graciously invited me to co-present a webinar about auditorium safety management. The event was live on Nov 18, 2009 and titled "Facility Masters Webinar Series: Auditorium and Theatre Safety".  It has been archived and can be viewed at http://discover.schooldude.com/forms/2009-11-RY-FM-MD-AuditoriumSafety.

At the SchoolDude web site you can watch and listen to the presentation by Host Roger Young, New Mexico Deputy Fire Marshal Ray Wolf, myself, and SchoolDude Mayor David Kornegay.  There are also many document and presentation downloads available.

Depending upon your area of theatre involvement, some aspects of this webinar may not seem interesting, however, please be patient and take the time to watch and listen all the way through it. There are points of information throughout it that relate directly to the theatre safety issues.  Please pass this link on to your school maintenance and management officials, too, so that they can see how facility management relates to theatre safety.

Theatre Safety Presentation at TETA Summer Workshop

"How NOT to Break a Leg" at 11:15 AM, Friday, July 10, 2009.

TETA K-12 Summer Workshops will be held at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches, Texas. The Theatre Safety Workshop will be held at the Auditorium at Nacogdoches High School, about a 10 minute walk from the SFA campus.

For more information about TETA Summer K-12 Workshops go to:
www.tetatx.com