Guess what? - OSHA is looking at theatre shop operations

Below is an article published on the Department of Labor's OSHA.gov web site:

Region 3 News Release: 13-1492-NEW (osha 13-72)
July 25, 2013
Contact: Leni Fortson      Joanna Hawkins
Phone: 215-861-5102      215-861-5101
Email: uddyback-fortson.lenore@dol.gov      hawkins.joanna@dol.gov

Jersey City, NJ, theatrical equipment company cited by US Department of
    Labor's OSHA for exposing workers to workplace safety and health hazards

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Acadia Scenic Inc., which builds scenery for the entertainment industry, with 22 safety and health violations, including two willful. The citations followed an April inspection, prompted by the agency's Health-High-Hazard Top 50 Local Emphasis Program and its Amputations and Combustible Dust Emphasis Program. Proposed penalties total $49,600.

The willful violations, with $28,000 in penalties, were cited for a lack of guarding on hand-fed circular ripsaws and crosscut table saws. A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or with plain indifference to worker safety and health.

The 19 serious violations, with $21,200 in penalties, include the company's failure to keep the workplace clean and orderly; prevent accumulations of explosive dust; provide railings on stairs; establish or implement a written respiratory protection program for workers required to wear respirators; have fire extinguishers mounted and readily accessible for use; and provide an educational program on the general principles of fire extinguisher use and hazards involved for workers expected to fight incipient stage fires. The company was also cited for failing to provide machine guarding for a miter saw; provide spreaders and nonkickback devices on two hand-fed circular ripsaws; properly adjust a work rest on grinding machinery; determine each employee's exposure to methylene chloride; provide appropriate gloves and eyewash facilities for workers using methylene chloride-containing adhesives; and develop and implement a written hazard communication program that includes training for workers exposed to hazardous chemicals. A serious violation occurs when there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

"Each of these hazards threaten the company's ability to provide employees with a safe and healthful work environment, and should be corrected immediately," said Kris Hoffman, director of OSHA's Parsippany Office. "OSHA will continue to hold employers responsible when they fail to protect their workers."

Inspectors also cited the company for one other-than-serious violation, which carries a $400 penalty, for not recording a workplace injury on the employer's OSHA Form 300 Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses. An other-than-serious violation is one that has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.

Acadia Scenic Inc. has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, ask for an informal conference with OSHA's area director in Parsippany or contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's area offices.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

Railing on and on

My friends at Simplified Safety posted an interesting blog entry at http://simplifiedsafety.com/blog/safety-on-the-set-theatrical-guardrail/.  It shows the use of Kee Klamps and schedule 40 pipe to build a guardrail on a theatre set.  It is a well-intentioned application, however, it also clearly shows that the set designer / constructor did not fully understand the building codes and OSHA requirements for railings.

Railing along upstage platform.

Railings are intended to prevent people and objects from falling over an elevated edge.  To be successful they must not only stop someone from falling over the edge should their center of gravity extend past the edge, but they must also prevent someone from slipping under the railing AND they must prevent objects from being knocked / kicked off of the edge.

Translation:

• The Upper Railing must be at least 42" above the platform (per International Building Code and OSHA). The railing in the picture scales to about 36" tall.
• There must be a Toe-board (Kick-plate) that is 4" tall and the bottom of the Kick-plate must be no higher than 1/4'" above the platform.  There is no kick-plate present.
• There must be intermediate railings or infill such that an sphere that is 21" diameter cannot pass through it (this limitation drops to a 4" if the railing is in a public place).  If the top of the top rail is at 42" and is 1.9" diameter, and the kick plate is 4" tall, then this leaves 36.1" of open space.  Installing an intermediate railing midway between the top of the kick plate and the bottom of the upper railing will satisfy this requirement.  There is no intermediate railing present.
• Uprights for Railings must be in place ant no more than 8' intervals.  Just because you have a 20 foot piece of pipe doesn't mean that you can just install upright supports at the ends. The uprights in this application  appear to meet this requirement.

An additional requirement is that railing must support a load of at least 200 pounds pulling any direction.

• Upwards:  Will it pull the railing right up out of the fittings or tear the bolts / pins / screws out?
• Downwards:  Will it buckle and collapse under severe loading?
• Sideways:  Will it collapse in a parallelogram?
• Inwards or Outwards:  Will it support the weight of performers pulling or pushing on it, or falling against it, or leaning over it?

Kee Klamps can be a great tool to build frameworks, railings, platform supports, lighting towers, and many other elements in a theatre production.  As with any tool or fabrication, you must take the time to understand the building codes and do a structural analysis so that your finished product is strong enough to perform safely.

The Building Codes and OSHA do not differentiate between five seconds, five minutes, five days, or five years.  The objects you build, be they stairs, railings, platforms, or whatever must meet the requirements set forth -- regardless of how long they will be in service.

Well, at least it wasn't like this 8' unguarded drop behind the performer . . .

Stagehand Killed By Fall at Rochester Castle Outdoor Concert

July 15, 2010 - Rochester Castle Event Grounds, Medway, Kent, UK.  A man in his 40's fell from the stage and died later at the hospital from the injuries sustained to his head and neck.  The incident occurred about 5:30 PM as the open air concert stage was being prepared.  The Emergency Medical Team received the call at 5:41, and was there within 6 minutes.  They reported that "the patient was bleeding and going into cardiac arrest and was conveyed to the Medway Maritime Hospital."

Police cordoned-off the area around the incident to allow further investigation, and the show featuring Will Young was delayed about 90 minutes.

2002 Pop Idol winner Will Young reportedly said at the end of the show: "Someone's had an accident tonight so let's give him a round of applause and hope he gets better."  He did not know that the man had died and later said he was "shocked and saddened" upon learning of the man's fate.  "I was unaware of the seriousness of the incident until after I left the stage.  My deepest sympathy goes out to the bereaved family."

The cause of the fall and the reason why guard rails did not prevent the injuries are under investigation by the Health and Safety Executive board (HSE) (www.hse.gov.uk).

Chutes and Ladders

Ladder wells can be dangerous places, as they are a transition point from a stable work space and a location where you are on uneven footing and must use your hands as well as your feet. In the picture below you can see a ladder-to-catwalk transition that does not meet the ANSI standard / OSHA required railing arrangement. You have to climb between the railing and the toe board (kick-plate) to make the transition. It is really quite awkward, and therefore, dangerous.

Here is a ladder transfer platform that is clearly marked and has a spring-hinged safety gate.

PS Doors Safety Gate

This is a gravity-hinged safety gate.

Intrepid Industries DG series Safety Gate

As mentioned in other posts, it always a good idea to have both emergency lighting (i.e. 'frog-eye' battery-powered light packs) and photoluminescent marking stripes along your catwalks and ladders so when the lights go out and your battery-pack fails, you still can find your way to the ladder - and down it.

Resources:

Intrepid Industries (www.intrepidindustries.com/Index_Gates.htm)

PS Doors (http://psdoors.com/safetyProduct.php?item=LadderSafetyGate)

ANSI A14.3 - "American National Standard for Ladders−Fixed−Safety Requirements"

OSHA - U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration – "Regulations 29 CFR 1910 Subpart D (Walking-Working Surfaces)"

PIP - Process Industry Practices document "STF05501 - Fixed Ladders and Cages"

Greg Ladanyi Dies From Fall off of Stage

On Friday September 25th, 2009,  Grammy Award Winning Engineer/Producer Greg Ladanyi, President of Maple Jam Records, was touring with music artist, Anna Vissi, whose Greek album Apagorevmeno was his latest completed project.  Just before the show he was crossing a backstage bridge when he slipped and fell 5 meters and hit his head and ruptured a lung.  Ladanyi was rushed to General Hospital Nicosia, where he remained in critical condition throughout the weekend.  He from his injuries a few days later.  He was 57 years young.

More information can be found at:
http://prosoundnews.com/article/24448
www.studioexpresso.com/profiles/GregLadanyi.htm

Whether backstage, onstage, above the stage, or in the audience, one must be constantly vigilant for hazards. Watch your step!  Make sure that walkways and platforms have toe-boards (kick plates) to keep people and loose objects from slipping past the railings.

And when she gets there she knows...

She's climbing a stairway with no hand railings.Not just one like this, but two! One each side of the stage. And note the 'no contrast' step nosings and slick surfaces, too!