Author:
Anthony Seifritz
FM Issue:
March/April 2018
The U.S. entertainment industry reached a milestone in April 2017. The Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) released its first ANSI-accredited industry standard for inspecting theatrical rigging, both manual and automated.
Naturally, this new, recommended standard has raised questions among facility managers. Why is the standard needed? How will it affect professional venues? Who can help with compliance?
Here is an overview of what to know. Foremost, the new standard – accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) – is meant to help you create a safer environment, and extend the life of your theatrical equipment.
Why a New Standard?
The use of rigging and hoists in theatre and performance spaces is ever increasing. Yet, historically, the people responsible for keeping that equipment and those who use it safe had no formal guidelines, according to Karl Ruling.
As the ESTA technical standards manager, Ruling oversees the program and worked with the industry professionals who developed the new ANSI E1.47 – 2017 Recommended Guidelines for Entertainment Rigging System Inspections. It is the industry’s first written record of current best practices. (Go to http://tsp.esta.org/tsp/documents/published_docs.php and click “ANSI E1.47 – 2017” to download a free copy of this standard for your facility’s management and ownership.)
“Previously, owners or third-parties were using whatever knowledge they had at hand or could make up on their own. This standard sets formal guidelines, which are the consensus of the industry, for routine inspections conducted by the system owner, and third-party inspectors,” Ruling said.
According to the standard, rigging inspections are recommended as a component of theatrical workplace safety programs. The standard offers guidance on inspecting entertainment rigging systems used to lift and support scenery, luminaires, and other equipment overhead in entertainment venues, including theatres, video/film studios, amphitheaters and arenas used for live performances or special events.
The standard addresses four key areas:
- Inspector qualifications and responsibilities/who should conduct inspections
- Inspection frequency and scope
- Inspection process details/how to conduct the inspection
- Inspection report content
Ruling stressed the rigor involved in creating the standard, which was authored by the Rigging Working Group (RWG) within ESTA’s Technical Standards Program. RWG consists of a cross-section of experienced entertainment industry professionals representing diverse interests.
“It took the Rigging Working Group nearly five years to create the industry standard. Every word is there for a reason,” Ruling added.
How are professional venues affected?
The new standard will affect a wide range of venues and personnel across the performing arts: rigging system owners, rigging system inspectors, stagehands, performers, insurance companies, and occupational health and safety authorities. Ruling believes the affect will only be positive.
“Standards prevent accidents, protect lives and property, save time and money, solve problems, inform the industry, and enhance creativity.” Yet, he said, some inspections were not being done – either never or on a very infrequent basis. The standard recommends the frequency of inspections.
In particular, it states that manually operated equipment and motorized equipment should be inspected annually or immediately after equipment or components have been newly installed, altered, or repaired.
Ruling added that the standard’s ethics section addresses one particular issue that had created some inspection resistance from system owners in the past.
“The standard clarifies that rigging inspection is a professional service to be offered ‘in the interest of the safety, health, and welfare of the owners and users of the facilities inspected.’ It rules out using inspections as a sales pitch.”
Who can help with compliance?
As Ruling stated, seek help from experienced professionals. The new ESTA standard provides inspector qualifications and responsibilities. (Many facilities choose rigging inspectors who are certified through ESTA’s Entertainment Technician Certification Program, or ETCP.)
If you need to justify your inspection, I recommend these selling points:
Training. Your staff should fully understand the functionality of your rigging equipment and motion control systems, and how to identify potential problems. Having a solid sense of the systems can make operators aware if something has been altered or damaged and needs attention. Issues can happen as a result of age, accident, equipment failure, or human error. Ask product manufacturers and installers about product-specific training.
Inspection. Qualified rigging inspectors are experts at identifying equipment installations and backstage environments that may be unsafe. By finding potential problems early, inspectors can help minimize repair costs and perhaps avoid expensive damages or injuries. An annual inspection, at minimum, is now the standard recommendation to help ensure safety and reduce liability risk.
Maintenance. A thorough inspection process includes following the new ESTA standard’s guidelines for rigging inspection report content. It may include details on an item that is working, but needs continual monitoring. Or, a part that needs replacement, a system that needs a software upgrade, or a piece of equipment that should be taken out of service.
Whether you need to confirm your facility’s safety or provide renovation rationale, follow the new ESTA standard. Get an inspection to keep your facility at the forefront of venue safety. It’s worth it.
Anthony Seifritz oversees J.R. Clancy’s TIM (Train, Inspect, Maintain) program. To learn about the TIM program, visit jrclancy.com or call 1-800-455-4072.
