Truss Roof

[Raktor]

You could probably just rent monkeys with flashlights on their backs to climb up there.

They'd need to have their Working at Heights ticket and be appropriately harnessed in though

 

[Footer]

Well, on another note.... do you have the means to get enough power to these new positions? Do you have a safe life (not an A frame) to get to these positions.... how often to people play kickball in this gym.... I would say go with some lighting booms, or rent some superlifts. I would go with the RENT thing, no the buy thing at the moment. It might cost you less and save you some time. Call your local lighting company and have them come out, most have a few riggers laying around and can shoot them their way as well as maybe give you some options that you have not thought of.

 

[Stoldal]

Well the gym is used for just that a gym. The theatre dept takes over the gym for one week, (aka: production week, Tech week). I thinking about renting some stands xor truss. I just dont know where to put them.

I am going to take some pictures today of the gym i help out at, i will post them later.

 

[Thomas]

As per picture, what we did here, and do every year, is climb up there (the hardest part) and using a 2m steel sling looper either U or 9 hang the chain blocks. Only in one position this year did we have to get a little dodgy, but you'll see all that and cringe.

Man I am STOKED we don't have much safety law going around in this country!

If you want to see more photos just ask. PS those G2's were for rehearsals only. JBL 4892 Array was at the business end of the deal, with SRX700 double 18's under them.
.

 

[avkid]

Man I am STOKED we don't have much safety law going around in this country!

Thomas, you scare me.

 

[JD]

Since it is used as a gym, I think that raises a whole series of issues. You have to anticipate things like the occasional ball hitting the fixtures. With proper safeties it would not fall, but you might find yourself needing access to focus a lot!

 

[Stoldal]

Well to the point about a ball hitting the lights, i am only doing two more productions in this gym. One middle school musical and one high school musical. There are no lights that need to be hung on the beam for the middle school musical. The high school musical is going to be the last production in this gym. Next year we move in to the theatre : ). I am looking for something that is safe, and not to costly. The week that we do the production the gym is our, all the P.E. classes have to go outside.

I have a church that well let me borrow some box truss. note that what i do is depended on what the inspectors say.

 

[derekleffew]

As per picture, what we did here, and do every year, is climb up there (the hardest part) and using a 2m steel sling looper either U or 9 hang the chain blocks. Only in one position this year did we have to get a little dodgy, but you'll see all that and cringe.

Man I am STOKED we don't have much safety law going around in this country!...

I don't think that's a prudent attitude, and hope I misread your intentions. Still using green SpanSets, I see. In the US, most rigging companies have migrated to using GacFlex.

 

[Van]

I don't think that's a prudent attitude, and hope I misread your intentions. Still using green SpanSets, I see. In the US, most rigging companies have migrated to using GacFlex.

Not to mention the chain hoists in that picture. I see several but they look like 3/4 ton hand chain hoists. That's a bit scary.

 

[Thomas]

All one ton hand chain hoists. Also you may notice that the blocks are hung with steel, and the bottoms with spanset. Good eyes though. Respect.

Either way, back to the point. If the gym roof looks ANYTHING like this, even at a different, this is a very viable, professional, safe, and cost effective solution, not so? How many Mac2000s, LED walls and Christie Roadsters could a high school want to hang?

Further, anyone care to hazard a guess as to how I got the circled blocks into their positions? And how I got them out! Sure to make some eyebrows move... don't all gang up on me now, this is Africa, and Africa is not for sissies. :-~

Gentlemen, all in good spirits, I assure you.

 

[Footer]

All one ton hand chain hoists. Also you may notice that the blocks are hung with steel, and the bottoms with spanset. Good eyes though. Respect.
Either way, back to the point. If the gym roof looks ANYTHING like this, even at a different, this is a very viable, professional, safe, and cost effective solution, not so? How many Mac2000s, LED walls and Christie Roadsters could a high school want to hang?
Further, anyone care to hazard a guess as to how I got the circled blocks into their positions? And how I got them out! Sure to make some eyebrows move... don't all gang up on me now, this is Africa, and Africa is not for sissies. :-~
Gentlemen, all in good spirits, I assure you.

You don't know what is the SWL of the roof that you are hanging from. Places that are designed to have the beams rigged off are overbuilt for that purpose. Gyms, usually are not. Most arenas have separate grids beyond the ones the hold up the roof strictly for rigging shows. I would probably rig that stuff in a genie If i could, that place looks like its no more then 40'. Monkeying around on beams is not the best idea ever, especially without fall arrest.... which I know you did not have.... I also don't want to how how you operate the chain hoists to take the truss out....

Don't just start hanging points wherever you please. Even a ETCP certified rigger should not go rig in the OP's school without first consulting with an engineer who can calculate the SWL of the roof. The beams might be able to take it, but you don't know the load above the beams... HVAC, how many layers of tar and gravel are up there, how much rust.... etc... especially in an old building. Even though you will only be hanging a few hundred pounds... if you get that one beam that is starting to fail and add a shock load on it just right...

 

[avkid]

if you get that one beam that is starting to fail and add a shock load on it just right...

You end up with.......

 

[icewolf08]

All one ton hand chain hoists. Also you may notice that the blocks are hung with steel, and the bottoms with spanset. Good eyes though. Respect.
Either way, back to the point. If the gym roof looks ANYTHING like this, even at a different, this is a very viable, professional, safe, and cost effective solution, not so? How many Mac2000s, LED walls and Christie Roadsters could a high school want to hang?
Further, anyone care to hazard a guess as to how I got the circled blocks into their positions? And how I got them out! Sure to make some eyebrows move... don't all gang up on me now, this is Africa, and Africa is not for sissies. :-~
Gentlemen, all in good spirits, I assure you.

It doesn't matter where you are in the world or what laws and agencies there are that govern safe working practices. It is important to realize that given most of the audience of CB are students, we don't want to send the wrong messages. Personal safety is one of the, if not the only top priority in our work. You are no use to anyone if you are severely injured or dead.

Please don't take safety lightly!

I won't tell you not to continue working the way you have been, but no one on CB should encourage anyone, especially students, to do anything that is potentially unsafe even for qualified personnel.

 

[Charc]

You end up with.......

<Assuming no one is injured or killed in this accident, please continue reading.>

Er, I think someone got fired...

Edit:
Thomas, if an option such as a genie was not viable, I'd assume the best way would be with a rated fall arrest gear and positioning equipment, so you can work suspended in the air.

 

[Van]

You end up with.......

And this, my freinds, was the work of Professionals In case you don't know it, this is the picture of a Christina Aguilera/Justin Timberlake concert. One electrician actually rode the failing truss down to the deck, no one was seriously injured, thank God, 'cause it happened at a coffee break. if it hadn't been a break there would have been upwards of 40 stagehands and technicians working on deck. The actual failure of this rig was traced back to a failure of the "super truss" system. The roof structures of this venue would not support the load so an ENGINEERING FIRM designed a super truss that would hang over the light rig to spread the load. The Super truss Failed. This was the second time in the same venue that just such a system had failed. If Professional engineers can't get it right what makes you think a bunch of High School kids can?

Thomas, I'm all for taking reasonable risks, God knows I've done things that would make WhatRigger? rip my head off. When I was younger We'd hang a light off of anything. There is, I have to say, a difference between hanging a 15 pound Leko off of a roof truss, and rigging a truss grid. What was your final working load on that grid you had pictured? Was the final total load something within the total capacity of those chain hoists? When was the last time the bolts on the truss system were replaced? Are they Grade 8? 5? 3? Being tough and brave is Great, do it with your own life. Go free climb Kilamanjaro, but you do not take risks with other peoples lives. It's not a question of Machismo it a question of value for human life and respect of your fellows.