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What are the predictors of accidents?  Can you prevent accidents by curing bad behavior?  Simple things to look for in your company / school’s culture that you can change, and as a result, change the outcome of your risk exposure.

• Lust can take any form such as the lust for…

The future fable of the Kobayashi Maru is one that some readers may recognize from the Star Trek movies.  Its basic premise involves a no-win scenario that was only overcome by changing the rules.  This is nothing new to show production, in fact, it is sometimes fundamental to…

Up, sometimes Down, and occasionally at an Angle.  We use ladders for many access needs in the theatre, and occasionally, we use them for props and active set components, too.  Climbing a ladder seems, at least on the surface, an easy task.  Accident statistics, however, seem to tell a different story.  In the workplace, OSHA, in 2011, ranked ladder violations eighth with a total of 3,244.  The AFLCIO…

"Life is what happens to you while you are making other plans."  I find myself having to back-up and regroup frequently.  Not that this is a bad thing - I just consider it part of the process.  How you deal with the unexpected things that come at you in life has a big impact on how they turn-out.

While coming back from the USITT conference…

Back in August of 2011 there was a collapse of the canopy over the stage at the Indiana State Fair (

http://theatreface.ning.com/profiles/blogs/indiana-state-fair-incident-overview-not-your-average-greek,…

Learning about sound, audio mixing, and all the tools that make that possible can be a bit daunting at times.  It seems like there are so many aspects of the subject that one can’t learn it all.  Like anything you may be…

Sometimes it takes a bit more radical approach to get your students attention.  Nothing wrong with making learning a bit more fun, is there?  Writing a set of  emergency plans for various scenarios that might transpire in your theatre can be a bit tedious, but if you enlist the help of your students under the guise of fun, you might get a good idea how to get the plans started.…

Fumbling in the Dark:

A Discussion of Appropriate Work and Backstage Lighting

Darkness backstage is a necessary evil for technicians working to support performances. Stages, catwalks, and grids often have insufficient lighting for load-ins, builds,…

Secret Agent number 86, Maxwell Smart (played by Don Adams in the TV series, and Steve Carrell in the movie), was famous for saying “Missed it by that much!”  Sometimes, we’re not so lucky, and we end-up getting…

Another part of your PPE inventory that is often overlooked is proper footwear when working around the shop or onstage.  There seems to be a universal lack of concern as I see this at all levels of venues from elementary schools and churches all the way up to University and professional facilities.  Stage and shop floors are rife with hazards that range from small sharp objects like fasteners (tacks, screws, nails,…

Last week I offered a handy bit of info about choosing gloves as a part of your PPE inventory, and this week we’ll take a look at eye safety and the associated PPE.  March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month, and this is important not just in the shop, but in all aspects of your life.

Although scientists are working feverously on the…

We take many parts of our lives for granted, and we don’t typically realize how important they are until one of them gets injured or goes missing.  When it comes to body parts, our hands tend to fall in that category.  How would you cope if one or both of your hands were missing or out of commission? Providing proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to guard against injuries can help, however, the selection of PPE for…

If you can’t be replaced, you can’t be promoted.  Actors have understudies, and most positions in a production have an assistant or 2^nd.  Plan your work environment in a similar manner.  Keeping secrets about how things are done…

It's been a busy week here at TheatreFace, so rather than whipping-up something more, I'm going to refer you to three very interesting conversations already in-play.…

OSHA knows who’s been naughty and who’s been nice (and safe).  The Deputy Director for OSHA’s Directorate of Environmental Programs, Patrick Kapust, provided the new list of the top 10 violations for fiscal year 2011 (October 1, 2010 to…

Following the weather-induced collapse last summer of the stage canopy at the Indiana State Fair, the Indiana State Legislature announced today that a Senate Bill was authored that addresses the need to have outdoor entertainment structures inspected before use.  The bill was passed and forwarded to the House for consideration. …

2012-01-11 - UK - The Standing Committee on Structural Safety (SCOSS) has published a 4-page Alert on Temporary Stage Structures that discusses the ramifications of the numerous stage structure collapses that plagued the entertainment production industry over the past few years.  More information at:…

I went out to get in the car today and found that one of the tires was decidedly flat on one side.  “No big deal,” I thought, “I’ll just put on the spare and take the flat one to the tire shop for repair.”  After a bit of grunting and groaning to get out a jack, bust loose the stuck lug nuts, and remove the defunct tire, I proceeded back to the trunk and retrieved the micro-doughnut spare tire.  I put it in place and…

I was recently reading through the State Board of Education web site and I found that there are numerous rules and regulations stated therein that can be utilized to effect safety improvements.  If you are looking for leverage, this is a good place to start.  Cite your administration the rules that they are supposed to enforce.  It can be more effective than whining, and it shows that you have researched the…