# Greenroom Showers (Signs)



## tech2000 (Apr 10, 2009)

The greenroom at my theater has a shower on each, the mens and womens side of the room. The past (at least) 6 or 7 years the shower rooms were used for prop storage because we didn't have enough storage space. I recently cleaned each out and now that the shower rooms are cleared out, we are going to use them for what they were intended for, however, I want to put up signs on each of the doors stating the rules for use because being a high school, I know some of the students may take advantage of the empty room.

If anyone has any rules I could add, that would be great as I want to post it monday.
The first one I put down was "Only one person may occupy the showering room at a time."

Thanks!


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## soundman (Apr 10, 2009)

I would check with the athletic department and see what rules they have, they might require sandles to prevent the spread of athletes foot and the like. If your worried about people hooking up in there you would need a solution that you could lock from the outside with out others being able to lock a student in there while still letting the student lock themselves in.


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## Footer (Apr 11, 2009)

Keep them locked unless a show needs it, period. I have showers in my dressing rooms and they never get used, one has been converted into a paint sink area another one is just storage. 

Unless someone really needs the shower for a show (large hair change or something), leave it locked.


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## chris325 (Apr 19, 2009)

Without strictly monitoring the use of these showers, your theatre could get in serious trouble with your school district if something happened. I agree with Footer, it should be kept locked unless absolutely necessary.


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## cprted (Apr 19, 2009)

tech2000 said:


> The first one I put down was "Only one person may occupy the showering room at a time."


Some may call me jaded, but I don't think a sign is going thwart the raging hormones of teenagers.


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## tech2000 (Apr 19, 2009)

cprted said:


> Some may call me jaded, but I don't think a sign is going thwart the raging hormones of teenagers.



Quite true


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## gafftapegreenia (Apr 20, 2009)

cprted said:


> Some may call me jaded, but I don't think a sign is going thwart the raging hormones of teenagers.



That was my thought.


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## Footer (Apr 20, 2009)

At the school I work at... well... stairwells have been used. I don't think a sign is going to stop anything.


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## gafftaper (Apr 20, 2009)

Signs are useless... padlocks on the other hand work wonders.


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## photoatdv (Apr 20, 2009)

At my school it has been used if it is reasonably private and can be entered without the use of powertools...


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## tech2000 (Apr 20, 2009)

We're going to try to get maintenance to put deadbolt keyed locks on the 2 showers and 2 bathrooms in our greenroom.
The showers will stay locked unless a renter says it will be needed, and the restrooms will stay locked until a renter's time starts.
Hopefully they can install them!


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## willbb123 (Apr 27, 2009)

I just saw this sign on Futurama and it seems perfect. 



Seriously though, a padlock is the best option. A sign isn't going to stop anything.


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## avkid (Apr 27, 2009)

willbb123 said:


> Seriously though, a padlock is the best option.


 That is a very bad idea, anyone can lock a padlock and they are easily lost.


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## willbb123 (Apr 27, 2009)

avkid said:


> That is a very bad idea, anyone can lock a padlock and they are easily lost.



Well from the OP, its probably going to be locked most of the time. When ever it needs to be unlocked, just lock the padlock onto the ring.


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## cdub260 (Apr 27, 2009)

The padlocks we use cannot be locked without a key.

Now with that said, your local fire marshal may have something to say about you using padlocks on the exit from the showers.


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## avkid (Apr 27, 2009)

A deadbolt keyed on both sides is the answer here.


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## tech2000 (Apr 27, 2009)

avkid said:


> A deadbolt keyed on both sides is the answer here.



That's what they have on all the staff restrooms throughout the school. along with another that can only be unlocked from inside the room to prevent anyone walking in on them!


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## lieperjp (Apr 27, 2009)

I use several Masterlock brand padlocks that require the key to be in it to lock. And, the lock cannot be left open without a key, so it has to be locked to remove the key. Only $6.00 at Menards... Hope that made sense...


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## avkid (Apr 28, 2009)

lieperjp said:


> I use several Masterlock brand padlocks that require the key to be in it to lock. And, the lock cannot be left open without a key, so it has to be locked to remove the key. Only $6.00 at Menards... Hope that made sense...


 They're called key retaining, believe it or not.


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## TheGuruat12 (Aug 30, 2010)

When we have the pit apron up, under it is a favorite spot.

I would second the lock idea, probably just a double-keyed deadbolt, and only unlock it when there is a responsible adult supervising, and even then, only when needed.


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## MNicolai (Aug 30, 2010)

(Prefaced by recognizing this thread is a year old, but still a relevant discussion for our school facilities managers/directors here at CB)

I guess I graduated from of those liberal public high schools, but the only problem we've had with high school dressing rooms has been the republishing of one photo of one student in his boxers onto Facebook. Since then, there's a clear understanding that no phones (since almost every phone these days is a camera-phone) are allowed in dressing rooms. The high school drama department, as a student body, took that very seriously and the students self-enforce this policy.

As a general rule, the dressing rooms are locked except for during events, but that's primarily to reduce custodial problems. Dressing rooms that are locked for two weeks are dressing rooms that don't need to be cleaned for two weeks. The entire arts center is actually alarmed off from the rest of the school during school hours. The people who need to pass from one side of the alarmed doorways to the other have keys for the alarm, but aside from that student traffic into that wing is usually supervised by a director for a rehearsal.

We have not had any problems with inappropriate use of showers. In fact, our last show was Metamorphoses and as the technical director I required everyone in the 40-person cast plus a few people on crew to shower before and after each rehearsal and performance. On one hand, it was to reduce the amount of debris each night that would contaminate and dirty-up the pool. It was also to make sure no one spread any rashes or illnesses through the run of the production. (45 people in and out of a single pool of water each night can become quite the hygienic nightmare if you don't take the appropriate precautions.)

With a large cast plus crew and a good 12-15 days of showering before and after each performance, we had no problems at all. Granted, some people would shower at home and then show up to get their makeup put on; the showers still saw regular use.

As a stagehand/scenic designer, it's nice having a shower on site. I use it regularly on long days so that after I get sweaty, gross-smelling, or have been working with lots of paint or chemicals, I can shower quickly and get some of the sawdust out of my hair before I go home. I keep a change of clothes in my car for just such an occasion, and we keep the dressing rooms stocked with shampoo, conditioner, and body wash (as to avoid a single bar of soap being wiped on many, many different bodies). Although I usually keep some extra shampoo, a bar of soap, and deodorant in my car anyways.

I think it's relevant to point out that for several decades, students regularly used the showers in large, naked groups, at just about every school in the country. While many schools do not require students to shower any more after standard gym classes, many athletes and extracurricular athletic teams still do. For that matter, school locker rooms are usually left unlocked during all hours of the day (unless locked during classes to reduce theft). The only difference between my dressing rooms and the athletic department's locker rooms is that my dressing rooms are cleaner and only have room for one person in a shower at a time while the school's showers are intended to have several people showering at once.

Protect dearly what you will, but the more rules and signs you post, the more students will take that your rules and signs as personal challenges. Also, for the love of everything decent, no parental supervision in dressing rooms. It's one thing to have parents assisting with costumes and makeup, but I've known the people who ironically seem to always end up on guard duty to be some of the creepiest people around -- parental supervisors make students feel more awkward than protected anyways. Supervision may be more necessary for elementary and middle school groups, but high schoolers aren't going to "accidentally wander into the wrong dressing room with their cameraphone out." If someone does, they deserve a good sexual harassment suit, but the threat of this happening is just as likely as someone sneaking into the opposite sex's bathroom or locker room during the school day. Unless your school has a policy in place to prevent that from happening, coming up with your own master plan is a moot point.


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## LekoBoy (Aug 30, 2010)

#1 rule about showers:



#2, If you do drop the soap, just leave it their!


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## DuckJordan (Aug 30, 2010)

Its actually very frowned upon at least in south Dakota to take showers in large groups in high school unless you are in Sports or such, it also has to have at least two adults in the room at all times. These days its very, very easy for someone to sneak a phone into a shower and show it to the world.

So as with a lot of situations that come up from theater, that you should check with your local administration, seeing as how they hold all the cards.


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## Tex (Aug 30, 2010)

Footer said:


> At the school I work at... well... stairwells have been used. I don't think a sign is going to stop anything.


In fact, they'd probably do it on the sign...


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## Studio (Aug 30, 2010)

avkid said:


> A deadbolt keyed on both sides is the answer here.


 
Wouldn't you want something more like this on the inside of the shower door so someone isn't locked inside and an emergency happens, or they just don't have/lost the key.

The Keyed part would still be on the outside. (Think Front door of a house)


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## techfreek (Aug 31, 2010)

Footer said:


> At the school I work at... well... stairwells have been used. I don't think a sign is going to stop anything.


At my high school, it was designed with some pockets in the back of the theater (some you can't even see into unless you turn a corner) and they have occupants who go their quite often during lunch.


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## museav (Aug 31, 2010)

cdub260 said:


> Now with that said, your local fire marshal may have something to say about you using padlocks on the exit from the showers.


Very good point, unlike a storage area a shower is likely considered an 'occupied space' and you are going to have a difficult time putting a lock on the door of any occupied space without having panic hardware on the inside or it being a 'fail safe' electronic lock. So padlocks, deadbolts that require a key from both sides, etc. may not be an option.

The party that installs the locks and controls the access will probably be liable for anyone intentionally or accidentally locked in the space. When I worked at a large amphitheatre one of the last things we did each night before locking up the public spaces such as restrooms, which in this case were separate buildings, was to make sure that no one was in the spaces before we locked them. We tried to have both a male and female staff member available for this at every event in order to avoid potential problems there. We were always very careful, I certainly did not want to show up the next day to find that someone had been stuck in a restroom overnight, much less injured or killed, as a result of my locking them in.


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## photoatdv (Aug 31, 2010)

My high school had the type of locks with a key on the outside and a mechanism on the inside like Studio said. Worked quite well. Not one could accidently get locked in places, but couldn't get in if it was locked from the outside. Also look the door handles with locks. Most of them only open from the key side if unlocked but will always open from the inside.


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## 2mojo2 (Sep 19, 2010)

Folks, the phrase to remember when ordering locks for schools is CLASSROOM FUNCTION.

A classroom function deadbolt is different from the one on your front door at home.
It can be Unlocked from the inside, but not Locked.
Suppose a student is accidentally locked in a dressing room
>You want him to be able to get out, 
you don't want him to be able to lock himself in.

A classroom function leverset can be left with the outside handle locked or unlocked using a key.
The inside handle will always operate, allowing one to leave.

Any commercial lock supplier will recognize the phrase. The kids at the Home Depot will not.


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## Studio (Sep 19, 2010)

2mojo2 said:


> Suppose a student is accidentally locked in a dressing room
> >You want him to be able to get out,
> you don't want him to be able to lock himself in.



The only thing I see wrong with this is that since is a shower you want someone to be able to lock the door from the inside (without a key) to prevent someone from entering while they are showering/changing.


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## MNicolai (Sep 19, 2010)

Studio said:


> The only thing I see wrong with this is that since is a shower you want someone to be able to lock the door from the inside (without a key) to prevent someone from entering while they are showering/changing.


 
Get a door knob/lock that shows occupied/unoccupied status. If the person inside locks it, it shows occupied status. If it shows occupied status because someone is in there or because it was left locked for awhile, someone with a key should knock before entering.


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## kiwitechgirl (Sep 19, 2010)

Studio said:


> The only thing I see wrong with this is that since is a shower you want someone to be able to lock the door from the inside (without a key) to prevent someone from entering while they are showering/changing.


 
Just put a bolt on the inside of the door...


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## MNicolai (Sep 19, 2010)

kiwitechgirl said:


> Just put a bolt on the inside of the door...


 
I've got this great joke!

How many people does it take to overthink a door knob?


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## Les (Sep 20, 2010)

Schlague calls that "classroom function" an emergency escape feature (or some sort). The one I bought for my bedroom (obviously not suitable for this particular use) can be locked with a key from the outside, or a small thumb wheel from the inside; but you can always get out without unlocking anything. Only problem is that this makes it quite easy to lock yourself out of your own bedroom in the middle of the night, forcing you to call a 24-hour locksmith to let you in (cheaper and easier than replacing the entire door jamb and moulding I guess). Stop 'em with a Schlague. 

...Just go to the hardware store, find their commercial locks section, and get one meant for restroom doors. There are several types to choose from. 

As a Lowe's employee, I resent the 'Kids' reference


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## Chris15 (Sep 20, 2010)

There IS a difference between classroom function and escape function. Classroom you can't lock the door except with a key from the outside, escape function can be activated by an internal turnsnib, pushbutton etc.

Oh and for reference, it's Schlage.


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## Les (Sep 20, 2010)

Chris15 said:


> There IS a difference between classroom function and escape function. Classroom you can't lock the door except with a key from the outside, escape function can be activated by an internal turnsnib, pushbutton etc.
> 
> Oh and for reference, it's Schlage.


 
Thanks for the correction. Something about that looked a little 'off' but it was pretty late and I had just come back from working an all-day wedding. 

Note that I don't work in hardware. hah.

I guess you wouldn't want an ordinary "restroom" lock unless you can lock it with a key from the outside. Somewhere along the lines I had forgotten the goal of this thread [[security, not privacy]]. Classroom Function it is.


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## CSCTech (Sep 26, 2010)

I might be missing something, but I would suggest having a classroom funtion handle on the main door to the showerroom. And on each shower, install bathroom stall doors. 

Seems pretty simple to me


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