Crew in our theatre can do

[Hughesie]

yes it's going to be another one of those, laugh and be afraid of what we do ever day, and a don't ask where i work moments

a dot point list of things that are against OH&S that crew, who are mostly around 15 carry out everyday in our theatre.

• Operate a AWP (aerial work platform)
• Operate a Counterweight fly system
• Plug in 3 phase power supplies (for dimmers)
• climb to the top of our stage above our fly system and walk across without a harness (over 10 meters up)
• Conduct solo lighting bump in's (administration thing, they don't want people standing around, so if it's a one man job they only want one man)

community thoughts

[icewolf08]

Is there anywhere in the US where OSHA says you can't do any of these things? At least the top three I don't think require any formal certs. I am not sure about working on the grid. Most of the grids I have worked on you would have to be about 3" thin to go through the channel irons. As for loading in lighting alone, does that mean that a DJ can't load in his own gear alone for a gig down there? He has to have help? But really, you shouldn't talk about having crew standing around, because Local 1 may be going on strike because the producers want to change the number of people who get paid to stand around.

[Hughesie]

have a look at this

http://www.alexhughes.bravehost.com/...safetycode.pdf

1.2 Elevated Work Platforms (EWPs)
“Elevated work platforms” include self-elevating work platforms (SEWPs) such as Cougars, Genie Lifts, Maxi-lifts,
Scissor Lifts, as well as Tallescopes, lighting and sound bridges, balconies, etc.
· Equipment must be appropriate to the job and used in accordance with specifications and Australian Standards,
in particular:
o use the most appropriate EWP for the job;
o only operators competent in the use of the particular equipment may use it;
o use equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications;
o if equipment is modified, appropriate risk assessment must be undertaken and an engineer’s certificate
obtained.
· Safe working practices must be used with all EWPs, including:
o never exceed the safe working load for the EWP;
o maintain each EWP in good working order and inspect it daily;

[soundman]

In the states there is no piece of paper that says you can operate a lift or not. There are people that will gladly sell their services to teach people how to operate lifts saftly but I have never been asked for paper work when using a scissors lift. Fork lifts are differnts, thats a day class at a tech school...

[Hughesie]

in australia the 70's and 80's saw to many accidents, so that paperwork was introduced

[Logos]

Also we in Australia live in an increasingly paternalistic nanny state that says that the Government has a duty to protect you from everything and therefore we are constantly plagued with new laws that don't actually acheive anything but simply make our life harder.

Libertarian rant over.

[derekleffew]

Originally Posted by soundman

In the states there is no piece of paper that says you can operate a lift or not. There are people that will gladly sell their services to teach people how to operate lifts safely but I have never been asked for paper work when using a scissor lift...

I beg to differ. At many venues in Las Vegas one cannot operate an AWP without attending THAT PROPERTY'S certification class. Even if you have a "license" from one of the rental houses that teach the course ON THE SAME PROPERTY--if you earned it somewhere else, it doesn't count. It's an insurance thing, I'm told. You've never operated a lift for IATSE, IBEW, or Teamster's in a convention center, have you?

[Hughesie]

logos is right, but i can see why, hum elevated work platform what if i put something between this SCISSOR LIFT ARMS i wonder what will happen, hum what do scissors do again OUCH MY ARM

that is why schools stay away from things like that we have a "genie" awp with goes up in sections, which is safer

[soundman]

Originally Posted by derekleffew

I beg to differ. At many venues in Las Vegas one cannot operate an AWP without attending THAT PROPERTY'S certification class. Even if you have a "license" from one of the rental houses that teach the course ON THE SAME PROPERTY--if you earned it somewhere else, it doesn't count. It's an insurance thing, I'm told. You've never operated a lift for IATSE, IBEW, or Teamster's in a convention center, have you?

Nope not in a convention center but I have in theatres. The few times I've worked in convention centers I've been a hands off gear wrangler. I don't know what kind of certification the lift operators had because I was just there to get the gear and get out. I'm sure IBEW would have had problems with my going up in a lift to pull the points down myself but my lack of certification would have been on the bottom of that list.

[derekleffew]

I apologize if I sounded harsh. It's been so long since I've worked (in a) real theatre that I forget that the rules, practices, and SOPs are very different than those to which I have become accustomed.