An IATSE friend who teaches theatre rigging to apprentices asked me if I would be interested in speaking to his class about rigging safety. I agreed but proposed a larger theme: safety on stage, backstage, and in the shops.
Theaters are inherently dangerous places to work. Change is a constant. Cables are run across floors, traps are opened in the stage floor for an elevator to be installed, and orchestra lifts are at stage level one moment and lowered to the basement the next. Show decks are inches deep causing trip hazards, and sometimes they are raked adding an additional variable height trip hazard. Scenery is being flown in and constantly changed. The most important safety precaution for all theater technicians is to always be aware of your surroundings. Whenever entering a new theater, insist on proper onboarding, including a basic tour and review of the safety procedures and locations of emergency exits.
We often hear the old refrain, “That’s how we have done it forever.” Don’t check your common sense at the door. Precedent doesn’t make a practice right or safe. Always trust that feeling of the hair sticking up on the back of your neck. It represents 20,000 years of self-preservation warning you that danger is near. Always heed that warning. That feeling of self-preservation is telling you to stop and assess the situation. This pause may keep you from getting into trouble or avoid hurting someone else.
You may be confident with your ability in a given situation, but what about the other workers around you? It is important that you are comfortable with the ability of your coworkers. You will have worked with some and trust them completely, however, others will be new to you. There is a network you can turn to when working in the theater, people whose work you know, people you trust. Ask someone you trust to help assess a troubling situation. Our industry loves to solve problems.
As a final note, please learn to check your cell phone at the door. Your phone is a distraction and working in the theatre presents many natural distractions on stage and in the shops, any of which may cause accidents. Don’t invite disaster.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility. Take responsibility for the safety of your theater every day. Mentor and assist colleagues in creating a clean, safe workspace for everyone. Let’s learn to lead with safe practice and common sense.
