Fact or myth

[BillConnerFASTC]

Thanks for reporting. Theatre suffers from good records and reporting - I'm sure abetted by tort law.

I think there are many stories like this. I (and architect, engineers, school, ect) escaped litigation many years ago when someone fell off a 30" stage at a school grand opening open house by virtue of good work by admin in dealing with the parent who fell.

Tell people when they come on stage - or before - that there are fall hazard unlike any other occupancy. Point it out. Tell then again if they go close to it.

 

[TimMc]

We don't build theaters but I cringe every time a performer "invites" the audience on stage. Now the general public, ignorant of the hazards present and frequently intoxicated to some degree, are up there with cables, monitor speakers, microphone stands, moving lights, etc. Trip and fall hazards abound and if someone gets injured we'll be a defendant in the lawsuit even if they just fell off the stage without tripping over something.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

google "falls into orchestra pit" and performers, technicians, directors, designers,and the general public all seem to suffer from this.

The stairs from first row to stage are equally hazardous - often geometry and rails that do not comply with any code or standard - and that's the permanent built pnes. The portable/temporary are much worse usually.

 

[Ancient Engineer]

...then there was the time that skater in that ice show I worked on, skated rapidly down"stage" and failed to turn...

head/feet/head/feet/head/feet/buuuuutttttoooccckksss into the audience...

Much paperwork that day.

We now return you to your previously un-hijacked thread.

 

[Aaron Clarke]

We don't build theaters but I cringe every time a performer "invites" the audience on stage. Now the general public, ignorant of the hazards present and frequently intoxicated to some degree, are up there with cables, monitor speakers, microphone stands, moving lights, etc. Trip and fall hazards abound and if someone gets injured we'll be a defendant in the lawsuit even if they just fell off the stage without tripping over something.

I am campaigning very hard with the community theatre I'm soon to sit on the board with to end the practice of inviting the audience on stage after each performance for the actor meet/greet. Regardless if the pit is open, regardless of the complexity of the set, regardless that the SM and crew and trying to reset the stage for the next show. Just anyone and their unstable mother using crutches is welcome to get on stage anyway they can find. I have gotten a few directors on board, convinced and built a mid span support for the pit cover (2x6 24" on ctr spanning 9'- don't get me started) for when the pit is covered and a lot more stage managers and crews are using some method of marking unsafe edges (small stop signs, traffic cones) for rehearsals, strike. Its hard to knock common sense into someone that's been "doing it this way for decades with no issue".

 

[mikefellh]

Check out the Ontario Safety Guideline for the Live Performance : https://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pubs/liveperformance/gl_live_pits.php

Living in Ontario (Toronto), that's just what I needed!

 

[Carl Rupsis]

Long time Lurker, first time poster. I have been digging around this board as well as the Life Safety Code for the answer. We are finally getting a pit cover over our pit. Its been permanently open (with a 'safety net' about half way down) up until this point. Our stage edge currently has an led safety lighting in it. The edge is raised wood work. With the pit cover going in we have to redo the edge so that the stage is flush with the cover. We will of course have to route out and inset the led safety lighting into the stage floor. My question is there a code on a max distance the led lighting strip can be away from the edge of the stage? Thanks for the help.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Since there really is no code or standard - se my code vs standards article in the wiki here if interested - requiring edge warning lights or anything at edge of stage, no, there is no standard for how far. I usually show it 2 to 3 inches from upstage edge of nosing, so its in the nosing and not in - on my projects - the painted plyron.

I also do around pit so three zones for control - sides and upstage of pit, downstage of pit along stage edge, and the always on stage edge to lrft and right of pit.

 

[Carl Rupsis]

Since there really is no code or standard - se my code vs standards article in the wiki here if interested - requiring edge warning lights or anything at edge of stage, no, there is no standard for how far. I usually show it 2 to 3 inches from upstage edge of nosing, so its in the nosing and not in - on my projects - the painted plyron.

I also do around pit so three zones for control - sides and upstage of pit, downstage of pit along stage edge, and the always on stage edge to lrft and right of pit.

Thank you for the quick reply. Ive been pulling my hair out for the last few hours digging thru code books. We are adding led strip zone downstage of the pit as well. Our pit opening is a weird oval shape so the two zones will actually meet at the corners. And thank you for the link to your wiki, ill definitely be taking a look at that.
Have a good evening