Tragic Concert Accident in Korea

http://www.news.com.au/world/asia/south-korean-official-apparently-committed-suicide-hours-after-16-die-in-concert-accident/story-fnh81fz8-1227095048807

Soho Theatre Accident in London Court

This is a tragic story from London.  The financial impact of creating a safe working environment can last well beyond the closing night of a performance and for theatres that operate as non-profits, potentially devastating.

A workplace hazard analysis with the risks clearly communicated to all (employees and volunteers alike) is just one simple and inexpensive step that could have prevented this tragic accident.  Signs and locks are particularly helpful in theatres, where architectural logic is sometimes thrown out the window in order to create a functional performance space.  Our industry needs to embrace the idea of risk assessment and hazard analysis for each new set as though it were an entirely new workplace.    

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/stagehand-at-london-theatre-paralysed-after-falling-through-unmarked-unlocked-trapdoor-9784148.html

eCigarettes and the Health of the Actor

The New York Times reported today that the FDA is finally going to begin regulating eCigarettes. From a health and safety standpoint, eCigs seem like a better solution than real cigarettes, be they tobacco or herbal. I have always been bothered by the lack of health data on eCigs and subsequently have limited use to the zero nicotine cartridges. It seemed like the biggest hazard has been from exploding batteries and the brand used in our theatre has an overheat switch that shuts off the battery if more than seven seconds of load is placed on it. A deliberate choice to limit the amount of risk.

On the up side, an eCig has no flame and an actor can sell the act of lighting a cigarette with an empty Zippo. Also, the current audience member has become so accustomed to smoke-free indoor environments that the smell of a cigarette elicits a negative reaction. On the down side, we are asking an actor to ingest something that has no objective data declaring it either safe or unsafe.

Have an Exit Strategy - Individual Fire Safety

The Office of the Texas State Fire Marshal created a tool called Have an Exit Strategy to help inform the public on fire safety. There is information about the Station Nightclub Fire including a short simulation/recreation of how patrons attempted to escape the building on that fateful night in February 2003. 

Have an Exit Strategy

Safety Guidelines for Performers

I was in the process of preparing for the company safety meeting for our upcoming production of Les Miserables and I came across this resource for performers published by the International Federation of Actors. It is a beautiful publication with some very useful guidelines and is probably the closest thing to an internationally recognized set of safety standards for performers.

http://www.fia-actors.com/en/actsafe.html

Mid-America Sound Corporation settles with Indiana OSHA for $50,000

http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/a838027d01ba4badb8b51edf8fd1c1fd/IN--Indiana-Fair-Stage-Collapse

http://www.pollstar.com/news_article.aspx?ID=810496

NFPA Looks Back At The 1941 Strand Theatre Fire in Brockton, MA

http://www.nfpa.org/newsandpublications/nfpa-journal/2014/march-april-2014/news-and-analysis/looking-back