# Ergonomics of Moving Light cases



## Allana (Jul 12, 2019)

Moving Lights are heavy.
What is the best way to add/remove a light from a road case without muscle strain/getting injured? Is there any hope for short people?

Some cases require a lift which is definitely outside your ideal lifting range and there isn't enough room for more than 2 people to work on it. Some cases involve a slide out door (these are better!) but those are always the heavier lights and it never fails that the lamp-head will get caught on its entrance so a lot extra lifting and wiggling before actually being able to let go.

The lighting manufacturers are not the same companies who made the road cases so is it the road case manufacturer's poor design and thus liability?
I want a video of someone removing a light from a box with the best posture that education can buy. Who do I ask for that?


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## sk8rsdad (Jul 12, 2019)

I suppose one could use an engine hoist, block & tackle, chain hoist, or something like that to provide some mechanical assistance to the process. There's also the option of moving the road case to some place where 2 or more people could wrestle it out of the road case, put the fixture on top of the closed lid, then wheel the road case with the fixture atop back to where it is needed.

In my venue we have the option of lowering the motorized battens and lifting the fixture straight out of the road case which can reduce the effort when a heavy fixture comes with half-couplers.


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## macsound (Jul 12, 2019)

For small conventions or outdoor events, we would often have one moving light hung vertically on pipe and base. We'd just lay the pipe across the road case, using a chair on the base end if necessary to make more horizontal, tighten the clamps, remove chair and angle lift to vertical.


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## danTt (Jul 12, 2019)

Just do it like you do hampers--dump the case upside-down and shake until the light comes out.

Oh, and always make sure they are rental units, this parts important.


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## Amiers (Jul 13, 2019)

danTt said:


> Just do it like you do hampers--dump the case upside-down and shake until the light comes out.
> 
> Oh, and always make sure they are rental units, this parts important.



Taking a note of how they treat rentals in NY check!

Out in the wild where is no good way to get a light out except with care and an extra hand. 

In the shop think smarter and get a chain hoist or something mechanical and let that do the lifting for you.


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## What Rigger? (Jul 13, 2019)

Team lift (meaning get another set of hands), _every_ time you (or anyone else) need it. Don't wreck your body for your gig.


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