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Paul B  
#1 Posted : 15 November 2012 15:42:35(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Paul B

While spending an evening at a local social club, A vocalist in a band fell from the stage (approx 900mm high) He appeared unharmed, brushed himself off and continued with his song. Do normal WAH regs apply to the world of entertainment or are there exceptions for this?
ie; how close they can go to the edge of a stage without requireing edge protection?
Blue  
#2 Posted : 16 November 2012 09:58:26(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Blue

You've Been Framed would never be the same again without having some poor unsuspecting wannabee flying through the air with the greatest of ease.

Betta Spenden  
#3 Posted : 16 November 2012 10:08:13(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Betta Spenden

I did an assessment for this sort of hazard for a local amdram club a few years back. Putting up barriers is not an option. We ended up using fishing line stretched across the stage at a safe distance. Virtually invisible to the audience, it would not stop the fall but it was adequate to alert the artist to the close proximity of the drop. You can only do what you can do.

Crack on.
Phil Grace  
#4 Posted : 16 November 2012 12:44:32(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Phil Grace

What an interesting question!

To which I guess the answer is it all depends upon whether the actors are employed/employees. Or is it more of a Public Liability issue and we need to consider the Occupiers Liability Act liabilities?

But for me it less about which bit of legislation applies and more a case of how can such an event be prevented. I'm not involved in stage productions but I would have thought that it was more a case of rehersals and production/direction and/or the "training" of the actors should all work together to ensure that the on stage action " means that they don't stray too near the edge of the stage.

But accept that it might be more difficult with musicians - although from observation they seem to have speakers, mic stands etc lining up along the front of the stage that I'm surprised someone got close enough to fall!
Phil
SP900308  
#5 Posted : 16 November 2012 13:11:25(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
SP900308

Was he singing 'falling into you' by Celine Dion at the time ?

On a serious note, it never ceases to amaze me that one scenario can be treated so differently from another. For example, a 900mm drop anywhere else (apart from a railway platform edge... another good example) would not be acceptable in a safety context.

I'm sure there are ways of designing such things out SFAIRP but seldom are. Designing this type of issue out could also benefit persons otherwise unable to access a stage of this nature.
PH2  
#6 Posted : 16 November 2012 17:22:35(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
PH2

Some theatres install a strip of small brightly light LED's along the front of the stage facing the artists. These will not in themselves prevent falls, but will help performers better locate the danger area.
Graham Bullough  
#7 Posted : 17 November 2012 02:04:31(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Graham Bullough

The use of strips of LED lights (low voltage) to highlight the presence of the front edges of theatre stages as mentioned by PH2 at #6 seems like a good idea which could be emulated for stages at other types of venues such as as village halls.

Mention of theatres also prompts me to mention that musicians in deep orchestra pits at older tradional style theatres may be at significant risk from people or items falling from the stages and onto them. I saw an example of this happen some years ago while watching an operetta. During a vigorous dance one of the lead performers accidentally knocked over a wooden hat stand located as a prop near the front of the stage at one side. The stand fell into the orchestra pit and a brief pause ensued while the conductor checked and found that, thankfully, nobody had been hurt by the plummeting stand. The performance continued after the stand was put back on stage and probably located somewhat further back from the front edge.
Paul B  
#8 Posted : 17 November 2012 12:54:03(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Paul B

Since the incident occurred I have been told, the the singer could not see in front of him due to the bright stage lights and was dissorientated.
Betta Spenden  
#9 Posted : 17 November 2012 13:46:53(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Betta Spenden

Paul B wrote:
Since the incident occurred I have been told, the the singer could not see in front of him due to the bright stage lights and was dissorientated.


Thats one reason why we opted for the fishing line as a warning.
Phil Grace  
#10 Posted : 17 November 2012 19:18:47(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Phil Grace

SP90 etc wrote:
" On a serious note, it never ceases to amaze me that one scenario can be treated so differently from another. For example, a 900mm drop anywhere else (apart from a railway platform edge... another good example) would not be acceptable in a safety context."

Are we sure that it is being treated differently..? Just becasue a specific set of regulations do not apply is that any reason for a safety professional to turn a blind eye to a hazard. to fail to offer sensible and proportionate risk management advice? Surely as a profession we do not turn away from a hazard simply because there is not a regulation that applies?

I'd guess that there are IOSH members who try to instill best practice into areas such as theatre/amateur dramatics where no legislation applies. But I guess they do not think that a standard guardrail, with intermediate rail and toeboard is the solution for the front edge of a stage!
Phil

Phil
gramsay  
#11 Posted : 17 November 2012 23:02:37(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
gramsay

Phil, your last point hits the nail on the head. Controls that are perfectly ok in one environment aren't necessarily the right ones in another.

Before getting my first full time H&S job, I spent 15 years working on live events (live music, theatre, conferences, etc) in a mix of site-specific and touring productions. The one thing that's drummed into people working on these types of events is practice. If ten people need to simultaneously rearrange a stage in almost total darkness, in 10-15 seconds, while they're all wearing black then it's rehearsed until everyone knows the routine. The floor is marked (invisibly to the audience) to indicate hazards and it's normal for an entire tour to finish having completed thousands of complicated maneouvers like this without mishap. Performers are equally vigilant, so I'm surprised at the incident described - stage lights are always in your eyes, you get used to establishing reference points to keep yourself safe. Training and constant practice makes this all impressively second nature.

Regulation is taken pretty seriously (PASMA / IPAF ticketed staff have been the norm for over 10 years) - http://www.abtt.org.uk/ is worth a look for anyone interested. My membership lapsed a few years ago, but they used to produce excellent codes of practice applying (for example) Work at Height regs to theatre shows and other live events.
HSSnail  
#12 Posted : 19 November 2012 10:40:45(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
HSSnail

Following on from Grahams comment about orchestra pits, on my last visit to the theater I noted a safety net had been strung over the pit to prevent objects/people falling into it.

As others have said different controls for different situations - can hardly have a safety rail across the front of the stage or half the audience would not be able to see.
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