How much weight can these bars hold?

[renegadeblack]

I walk into the theatre to grab some stuff and I see a student on stage looking up at the grid (electrical grid, we have no fly system). We have a sort of talent show for students to be named Mr. BHS. He sees me and says, "You're on the tech crew right?"
"Yeah."
"How much weight can these bars hold?"
"Not enough to hold up a human's weight. No one is flying in for the contest."
"But you did it for the musical last year!"
"Yes, we hired a professional rigging company to install a rig."
"Then can I use it?"
"It's gone, we rented it. No one is flying in."

Apparently, he later went and spoke to my advisor with his climbing harness asking if he could use it. My advisor told him what I told him. He isn't the only person who has asked. Why do they want this friggin title so badly? Like, I'm surprised that he would go to so much effort to the point of setting up a fly rig. I loved the moment though, as soon as I saw him in there, I knew exactly what he was looking for, because of that, I was able to shut him down immediately

 

[pianoman55]

Oh students. I remember being asked once if.. in the absence of a pyrotechnic setup.. a student could just light ground-based fireworks in the theatre. That was only after I had informed him that plugging a power strip.. into a power strip.. into a power strip.. and using all available sockets was probably not the best idea.

 

[photoatdv]

Those performer types... I've been asked that a few times too.
"Hey so I want to fly in for ..."
"Sorry we don't have the right equiptment to do that safely"
"How bout if I bring some rope and one of those harnesses maintnance wears on the lifts?"
"Hell No!"

 

[chadillac802]

I worked a gig in a high school a couple of years back and when we went on stage we saw a track with a pully attached to it, when we asked what it was for, the only reply, "Peter Pan" the TD had gone to the local hardware store and cobbed together a way to fly the kids off stage.

They won't let them swear on stage, but fly their kids in an unapproved and very dangerous way? Why not.

 

[renegadeblack]

Might I add that being that I'm only a student and still learning that it was thanks to you guys that I knew to tell him no I would have had no clue about the dangers of a homemade fly rig.

 

[TimMiller]

There are plenty of stories online about people getting killed. There is always at least one a year around christmas time.

A little searching on here and you will find lots about why not to fly in a homemade fly rig. All the way down to the way the harnesses are designed.

 

[tech2000]

Unfortunately, my district outlawed flying anyone at any height in any of our schools...

 

[derekleffew]

Why "Unfortunately" there, tech2000? If you think untrained students flying people without professional supervision is a good idea, you haven't been paying attention.

I suspect if a production had the money and could show that they intended to hire Foy, ZFX, Hall, or other qualified company, an exception to the "law" would be granted.
http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/members/tech2000.html

 

[tech2000]

Why "Unfortunately" there, tech2000? If you think untrained students flying people without professional supervision is a good idea, you haven't been paying attention.

I suspect if a production had the money and could show that they intended to hire Foy, ZFX, Hall, or other qualified company, an exception to the "law" would be granted.
http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/members/tech2000.html

I meant unfortunately in the sense that we can't even hire professionals to come in to fly people under the district's rules!

 

[gafftaper]

Might I add that being that I'm only a student and still learning that it was thanks to you guys that I knew to tell him no I would have had no clue about the dangers of a homemade fly rig.

That is good to hear. More than any other reason, keeping you young people safe is why us old guys spend our free time here.

 

[renegadeblack]

That is good to hear. More than any other reason, keeping you young people safe is why us old guys spend our free time here.

Unfortunately, when I was talking to him the night of the show he told me that my TD, the Head Custodian, the Principal all approved of it (my TD said that he didn't though). He had one of the gym teachers from the middle school who was an avid climber helping him set up a rig. I told him that being as you both are climbers, you should know that climbing gear isn't meant to be used as a fly system. Because he was working with that gym teacher, that was apparently why everyone was saying sure thing. Fortunately, once it got to the Super Intendant, he got shot down.

I have intentions of sending an email to all of those who said yes and telling them why it's a bad idea.

I have tried searching the forum looking for a news article about something similar ending in disaster to no avail. Might someone be able to point me in the right direction? I'd like to add such an article in this email for some additional reinforcement.

 

[derekleffew]

This story http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/news/10362-actor-christmas-pageant-dies-after-25-foot-fall.html was the impetus for this article in Stage Directions: Flying Requires Real Grounding.