Followspots and the ER

[Schniapereli]

We recently had two shows where our followspot operators were sent to the ER. In both cases they were trying to adjust the height with a lever on the sde. To loosen it, the lever had to twist until it was vertical, and then the followspot came crashing down, and sorta stabbed into their fingers because it was pinched between the lever and the yoke, and they had to go get stitches. One girl's almost had it go through her entire thumb. But, it went to quickly for both that they didn't feel any pain... so I guess that's a little better.

This was because of a lack of training. The first time it happened, the girl asked me on intercom how to make it pan easier, and I told her to turn the knob, and mentioned to not turn the lever, but I thing she was trying to turn the lever out of the way so she could turn the knob. The second time another girl really was trying to adjust the height because it had crashed down, and she has done spot for three years so I wasn't too worried, but I was dashing over to offer her a hand when it smashed down and did the same thing to her finger right as I got there.

Needless to say we have gone through and trained all the crew, and required that there be a helper.

I have pictures from Facebook if anyone wants to see =)

 

[Footer]

What kind of spot lights do you own?

 

[cdub260]

I did that very same thing when I was 16. The followspot stand took a big bite out of my left middle finger tip. I never did fully regain my sense of touch on that finger, though it is now, 18 years later, about 90% of what it was before.

 

[Schniapereli]

It was a Lycian Midget.

 

[theatre4jc]

Had something similar happen to me about 10 years ago when I first started. Broke my thumb. Not a fun show. Didn't tell anyone till after the show ended so I wouldn't get sent to the hospital and miss work.

 

[TheDonkey]

This is why I get someone else to run spot

But in all seriousness, when I first saw a followspot, I automatically saw the lever as a height adjuctment tighting lever, I don't really see how others could not've seen that >.<

(But guess it kinda goes in hand with my saying that that guy standing on the VERY top of the scaffolding wasn't THAT dangerous, it's all based on past experience.)