Shackle Pin Safety

When working at height, even the smallest of dropped objects can become deadly projectiles.  Show riggers working in arenas and stadiums can sometimes be more than 100' above the floor, so even a shackle pin can achieve a terminal velocity that could penetrate a hard-hat.  Ty-Flot, maker of all things to do with securing your tools, has announced the availability of a safety lanyard for shackle screw-pins.  Set-up with a mini-pivoting joint in the cable, it allows the free rotation of the shackle pin for installations all-the-while keeping it safely attached to the shackle bow when disengaged.  The device quickly installs using one field crimp.

Ty-Flot LAN-SHKL-CR

 When used in conjunction with a safety lanyard attached to the worker, it can prevent dropped shackles while they are being installed / removed, too - just clip your lanyard onto the shackle lanyard.  Check out their Retractable Wrist Cuff Lanyard:

More information at www.Ty-Flot.com

Show me a little tail, please

The crimp oval on the left is done with a bit of the cable exposed above the metal, as it should be.

On the right, we have one that came-up a bit short.  To get full strength out of the crimp it must be compressed down around ALL of the cables.

Copper crimp ovals are preferred over aluminum ovals due to reports of cracks and splits in the softer aluminum.  Check your cable terminations regularly to see that they holding-up and were done correctly.

Common tool manufacturers for compression fittings are:

• Loos Company (www.loosnaples.com)
• Nicopress (National Telephone Supply Company) (www.nicopress.com)

Also notice the split link used to connect the chain back to itself.  This device is not rated for overhead lifting and, therefore, should not be used for stage rigging.

Less junk to carry, less junk to drop

When you climb up over people's heads you have to keep the tools you carry to a minimum, otherwise you'l be doubling your work-out and you may be getting your "thangs all tied in a knot."  The guys at StageJunk aim to make your life easier and safer.  They introduced the Racheting Ultimate Focusing Tool at LDI 2009, and they had it out in full force at USITT 2010 in Kansas City, too.  It continues to delight and amaze those that use it.

This tool is machined from billet aluminum, so it's really strong, lightweight, and dang near bullet-proof.  It'll lighten you wallet by a c-note, but it's worth every penny.  They put a lot of thought into this little bugger:  It fits most focus knobs known to mankind, breaks screw pin shackles loose, fits a wide variety of C-clamp and other cheeseborough securements, and has a built-in continuity tester with an LED indicator for checking lamps and power plugs (not receptacles).  It has a machine-cut knurled traction surface on most faces, too, so it won't slip out of your sweaty hand.  The corners are all rounded so it won't poke you either.

Put this on a lanyard and you'll be carrying a whole lot less up the ladder with you.  Less stuff up - less stuff to fall back down.

Find-out more at: www.stagejunk.com

RigCalc for smart phones and on the web

D2 Flying Effects are riggers that fly people and things.  They are also pretty savy programmers, too.  At their web site you can find RigCalc and a bevy of other software tools for making life on the fly rail easier.

They also have a Rigging Math Primer online at: www.d2flying.com/riggingmath/

There are a bunch of really handy online calculators at: www.d2flying.com/RigCalc.html

The smart phone app looks like this (2 of 4 screens shown):

A really handy app for stackin' steel bricks.

If they add a batten loading calculator to get the needed weight it will be great.

Just $9.99.  Where to get it: http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/productivity/rigcalc_qmvr.html

Also available for the iPhone and Blackberry with links at: http://www.rigcalc.com/
Other related blog entries:

http://theatresafetyblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/in-god-we-trussed-all-others-pay-499.html
http://theatresafetyblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/jr-clancy-releases-irigging-application.html
http://theatresafetyblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/arena-rigging-app-for-iphone.html

Arena Rigging App for the iPhone

OK, you can use it other places you need a bridle, too (except horseback riding).  It's still handy, just as long as you use it on the ground and don't try to use your iPhone while straddling an iBeam.  Keep that loose stuff ON THE GROUND!  It's also handy for checking your ability to do these calculations IBM -(It's Better Manually) for the ETCP Rigging Tests.

Where to get it:  http://www.bridleapp.com/

Other related blog entries:
http://theatresafetyblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/in-god-we-trussed-all-others-pay-499.html
http://theatresafetyblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/jr-clancy-releases-irigging-application.html

It should be well hung when its wall hung.

Not everything gets rigged from above. Sometimes it is necessary to hang a cantelever load off a wall. This speaker weighs about 125 pounds and is supported from below by a steel bracket bolted to the wall, and the top is tied-back with an interesting mix of hardware.
This is a close-up of the top rigging. I could not see how the link chain was terminated to the top of the speaker. There is link chain (not rated for overhead lifting), connected to an aluminum turnbuckle (not moused, not rated for overhead lifting) via an open-ended hook at one end and an open eye bolt at the other; connected to a forged turnbuckle eye; via a stainless steel screw-pin shackle (unknown rating, but clearly not marked) that is not safety-wired (moused). The forged turnbuckle eye that was used to go through the wall should have been a sholder eye bolt with a large diameter hardened flat washer -- you can see how the base of the eye in pulled into the CMU block, possibly cracking it due the wedging forces.
When we go around to the back-side of the wall we find that the installer drilled through from the front and spalled the CMU block, then installed a mild steel flat washer and no lock-washer.
This speaker, and it brother on the opposite side of the stage, were mounted right above the walking paths of all those that came onto the stage. Also of note, although not a safety issue, was that this speaker was pointed straight-out from the wall toward a point about eight feet above the last row of seats -- whatever happened to the idea of aiming a speaker at the people? Obviously installed by someone that did not understand rigging or acoustics!

[Wire] Rope Terminations at Arbors

This picture shows a single purchase cast iron arbor top plate. The wire ropes are not supported by thimbles allowing them to deform and separate strands under load. Additionally, only one wire rope clip was used for termination, in lieu of the required minimum of two. Some of the "Crosby" clips (u-bolt cable clips) are installed backwards with the dead (unloaded) end of the cable run under the saddle (Remember: "Never saddle a dead horse").

The fiber hauling line does not have a thimble either, which acts to buffer the abrasive casting finish against the rope surface. Here is a picture of an arbor bottom plate with a plastic rope thimble (they are also available as a metal type):

This is a very old wire guided arbor with extended eye bolts for attachments (again, no thimbles to reduce the point-load on the rope bending point). You can also see that the top plate is tilted showing that the arbor has been racked and is skewed diagonally.

Here is the top of a double-width arbor (carries two stacks of weight). Again, no thimbles. It appears that the installer tied a clove hitch and then terminated the cable with just one wire rope clip. I don't know where the loose nut (partially hidden) that was laying on top of the arbor top plate came from . . .

And here is a the top of a new arbor that is properly terminated. Note that the load lines can be disconnected without cutting the cable. This makes them much easier to work on and replace if necessary. You can also see how the wire rope cables are not deformed as they bend around the thimble. Also of note is the safety wire (mousing) on the screw-pin shackle to keep it from coming apart. It's unknown why the front-most line was attached with a shackle when the other lines were looped around a through-bolt.