Strange Staff issue at our HS Theater

[museav]

It often is an insurance issue that keep a student off of ladders and lifts.

+1 and then some. Insurers will often be very particular about what anyone under 18 and anyone not an employee can do and ignoring such restrictions could put the school at significant risk. It sounds like your Assistant Managers may still have some learning and maturing to do related to such aspects.

 

[Les]

It sounds like your school has three too many managers. Too many chiefs, not enough Indians.

Were I the school administration, both the alums would have to go. They're not school employees, thus have no business being there. They're a liability since they're not likely covered by any insurance policy, and in some areas, it is illegal to be on a school campus unless you are a student, employee, or have some other official business being there. The administrators may overlook it, but there is probably a policy in place forbidding it. It may seem like the alums are a Godsend helping out the tech program, but in reality, they are holding it back more than anything. They will have to leave sometime, and until they do, the current students can't mature and take ownership the way that they need to. Schools need that fresh start, even if it is rough for a year or two after one of the "head tech's" leaves. The best way to avoid this is to begin training students very early on so they will be ready for more responsibility as an upperclassman. They graduate, and the sophomores and juniors take their place. Rinse and repeat. Alums really shouldn't be allowed back except on an extremely irregular basis; perhaps to student teach a tech class or give a presentation on college tech and what to expect.

Asst. Mgr #1 is risking a lot if he really did give a set of keys to Asst. Mgr #2. Now, they are both in the wrong, and possibly breaking the law. If one of them so much as loses a set of keys along the way, even that can open up a huge can of worms. I guess that same type of liability comes back on you too, so please be careful. Any under no circumstances should you ever take the keys home with you. That is possession of school-owned property and I don't think you'd want to get caught with that on your shoulders. Especially if the place gets broken in to one night, or something goes missing.

 

[teqniqal]

Wow, this school really does appear to have some management issues. I'll second the earlier post about obtaining a copy of Dr. Dooms book. He has a new trio that was just published, too (albeit, information about actually getting a copy has not yet been published yet, but Randy says he's working on that. Not bad for an 82 year old dude!). (http://www.globalhealthandsafety.ne...avidsons_Eye_On_Theatre_Health_And_Safety.pdf)


The discussion about using a ladder unstead of a lift gets a bit sticky if you dig into it. The OSHA (Portable Ladder Safety) and NIOSH (CDC - NIOSH Publications and Products - Safety Checklist Program for Schools - Portable Ladders for Construction: Self-Inspection Checklist (2004-101)) ladder safety guidelines generally say that you should always have one hand and one foot on the ladder at all times, and that the center of your torso should always be between the verticals. This generally makes a ladder useless in the theatre except for painting or changing a screw-in lamp. Show them that information and maybe they will understand why it is important to establish policies and procedures to facilitate having students on lifts. If done properly, it can be much safer than portable ladders. Fixed ladders (the kind bolted to a wall) are still a pretty functional way to get from the Locking Gallery up to the Loading Gallery (assuming you have them).

 

[lightsandsoundSHS]

Thanks for everyone's help. I'll get back to you if anything comes up!

 

[Ealdnoth]

As to the issue of the keys, any non-employee should not have keys to all parts of a facility for any reason. Lighthouse Repertory Theater (our local all volunteer theater group) uses the local middle school theater (the only one in town...) for our productions. We receive keys to areas we need access to, and have permission to access only those areas. I personally do contract work for the district and have a set of masters, but I will not let anyone into areas they are not authorized to enter. This makes me an "unofficial" key holder in our group, but as I am aware of the limitations placed on our group, the district feels it is appropriate. Note that my keys were issued to me by the district, not the school in question, and the principal of that school has no control over who get keys and who does not. Also, if for some reason I need to be onsite for contract work, I do not allow access to members of our theater group unless it has been prearranged with the district and they are there in their allotted time frame. Even the president of the board of directors! Anyhoo, 1st Assistant may have some strange, archaic arrangement with the administration that allows him access, but if he's using equipment he shouldn't bem then some one higher up needs to be told.