# Bad rigging in school theater!



## longbordr13 (Dec 20, 2011)

I am dealing with a problem of the sorts too. We have a theater that was built in 2009 by a bunch of yoohoos. Our cat walk rigging is none existant so they decided to hang 27 source fours from a hand rail. It is super flimsy and some of the lights are even hung improperly! I was recently re aiming some of them when I found one not even hung using the clamp! It was resting on the conduit right below it! All that was holding it was the safety cable! Upon further inspection I found the reason they never hung is correctly was because the bent the bolt in the clamp! We now have the school district coming out to fix this. What do you suggest we can do for good and strong rigging? I am open to any ideas ans suggestions to give to the teacher. 

Thanks,
Griffin Hartz


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## MNicolai (Dec 20, 2011)

Have someone call in a professional to perform a full review of the theatre's operations. Any errors that gross are indicative of greater problems elsewhere in the theatre. You may qualify for a free rigging inspection, but don't make the phone call yourself. Ideally someone attached to the theatre or building & grounds crew should be calling for the inspection. If you go ahead and call someone on your own accord, your purpose will be defeated in the political nightmare that will follow.


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## MPowers (Dec 20, 2011)

Just a quick word on semantics. It's not rigging on a permanently installed catwalk. If it is a "catwalk" that flies up and down, it's called a bridge. 

Now to your issue. Hanging units from a hand rail is not, in and of itself, a bad thing. What the hand rail is made of and how it is installed and attached to the building structure can be a BIG issue. What is your "hand rail" made of? How is it fastened to the structure and how often? 

For your use, the best material to hang lights from is 1 1/2" Schedule 40 pipe. NOTE: pipe is measured inside diameter. For an FOH catwalk use it may be threaded for couplings and flanges, it does not have to be spliced internally like a stage batten that flies over head. The pipe does have to be supported at intervals no greater than 10' apart. The pipe does have to be fastened solid so that it cannot roll or turn. There should be no other railing, pipe, conduit etc. below the pipe for at least 28", 45" if you expect to ever hang a 5 or 10 degree Unit or movers. There should be no wire mesh or other "safety" devise between the rails or pipes in the area where instruments are to be hung, any mesh or safety wire must be a minimum of 45" below the pipe and 30" in front of the pipe.

Fastening may be by U bolt, Welded bracket, Kee Klamp fasteners, Direct welding, purpose designed pipe brackets from a stage lighting company (best).

You should contact a stage equipment company in your area to come out and conduct a facility safety inspection and make recommendations. Where are you located? I will be happy to help you find someone there.


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## Footer (Dec 20, 2011)

Both posters have great points. 

Flatly, there is no off the shelf "catwalk hanging kit" that you can go get. Parts exist, but every job is different. There are guys who work for your school that could probably do this. When I taught at a High School I had a facility guy that after I explained to him what I needed and why I needed it, he did a great work. However, without the direction these guys could mess up things more then they help them. No matter what, someone from a theatrical house/local university theatre dept will need to come out and take a look. I'm sure it will be an easy fix, it just has to be right. If you need help finding someone, just let us know where you are in either this thread or by PM. Odds are there is a trusted CB member near you that might be able to help you as well.


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## museav (Dec 20, 2011)

longbordr13 said:


> I am dealing with a problem of the sorts too. We have a theater that was built in 2009 by a bunch of yoohoos. Our cat walk rigging is none existant so they decided to hang 27 source fours from a hand rail. It is super flimsy and some of the lights are even hung improperly! I was recently re aiming some of them when I found one not even hung using the clamp! It was resting on the conduit right below it! All that was holding it was the safety cable! Upon further inspection I found the reason they never hung is correctly was because the bent the bolt in the clamp! We now have the school district coming out to fix this. What do you suggest we can do for good and strong rigging? I am open to any ideas ans suggestions to give to the teacher.


The people building the venue likely did not perform the current hang and you probably need to blame that on some 'yoohoo' working in the theater. In fact it may or may not have been intended to hang lights from the catwalk rail. And while unlikely, I can even see the 'conduit' you referenced possibly being the pipe that is actually supposed to be used to hang the lights. Before deciding what is wrong or what to do it may be worthwhile to first identify what was intended.


MPowers said:


> JThere should be no other railing, pipe, conduit etc. below the pipe for at least 28", 45" if you expect to ever hang a 5 or 10 degree Unit or movers. There should be no wire mesh or other "safety" devise between the rails or pipes in the area where instruments are to be hung, any mesh or safety wire must be a minimum of 45" below the pipe and 30" in front of the pipe.


I have seen problems with code officials on this as they may see the pipe as a safety railing for the catwalk with the associated maximum spacing requirements, which typically precludes that large of an open space between rails.


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## MPowers (Dec 20, 2011)

museav said:


> ...............I have seen problems with code officials on this as they may see the pipe as a safety railing for the catwalk with the associated maximum spacing requirements, which typically precludes that large of an open space between rails.



This is an old and ongoing issue between AHJ's/architects and Theatre consultants/users/technicians. I once had an architect insist that he had to put a 4" square steel mesh between the pipe hanging rail and the rail below it because the gap between them was too big for code. I politely pointed out that it would be a tad difficult to hang a lighting instrument there with the wire mesh. They didn't listen and they paid to have the mesh added. Then the owner tried to use the space and they paid weekend double over time to have a crew come in and take it back out in time for the grand opening of the space. 


There is an International Building Code exception to railings.See exception 5. 
I posted off of the exceptions since so many deal with theatres, arenas, etc. It also points out the uniqueness of our spaces. Where else but a stage can you hoist loads over people's heads? Lighting catwalks and loading bridges seem like the very definition of "special purpose runways". To paraphrase, there are no business buildings like show business buildings.

"1013.1 Where required. Guards shall be located along
open-sided walking surfaces, mezzanines, industrial equipment
platforms, stairways, ramps and landings that are located
more than 30 inches (762 mm) above the floor or grade below.
Guards shall be adequate in strength and attachment in accordance
with Section 1607.7. Where glass is used to provide a
guard or as a portion of the guard system, the guard shall also
comply with Section 2407. Guards shall also be located along
glazed sides of stairways, ramps and landings that are located
more than 30 inches (762 mm) above the floor or grade below
where the glazing provided does not meet the strength and
attachment requirements in Section 1607.7.
Exception: Guards are not required for the following locations:
1. On the loading side of loading docks or piers.
2. On the audience side of stages and raised platforms,
including steps leading up to the stage and raised platforms.
3. On raised stage and platform floor areas, such as runways,
ramps and side stages used for entertainment or
presentations.
4. At vertical openings in the performance area of stages
and platforms.
5. At elevated walking surfaces appurtenant to stages
and platforms for access to and utilization of special
lighting or equipment.
6. Along vehicle service pits not accessible to the public.
7. In assembly seating where guards in accordance with
Section 1025.14 are permitted and provided."

The NFPA Life Safety Code is similar:

12.2.11.1.6 Locations Not Requiring Guards. Guards shall not
be required in the following locations:
(1) Guards shall not be required on the audience side of
stages, of raised platforms, and of other raised floor areas
such as runways, ramps, and side stages used for entertainment
or presentations.
(2) Permanent guards shall not be required at vertical openings
in the performance area of stages.
(3) Guards shall not be required where the side of an elevated walking surface is required to be open for the normal
functioning of special lighting or for access and use of
other special equipment.

I'm sure most of us who regularly inspect theatres see that most lighting catwalks do not have OSHA compliant guards. The number of catwalks that have provisions like a track or zip line is growing, though the use of it not so much. Most modern lighting (a.k.a Source 4's) of 19 degree or more, seem to function fine in a 22" clear space between rails, so often that does not cause concern versus the building and fire codes 21" and OSHA's 19" sphere rule. If we leave adequate space for 10 and 5 degree units or movers, then it is a different story.

Bottom line, the codes do allow for lighting bridges and catwalks to be built in a usable manner, but you have to be vigilant during the planing and constriction stage and present the correct information at the right time to the right people.


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## museav (Dec 20, 2011)

Michael, thanks for posting the relevant text. I agree, it is definitely a matter of coordination and getting the right info to the right people as many/most Architects, Structural Engineers and AHJs will initially balk at the idea.


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## gafftaper (Dec 21, 2011)

Hey Griffin, the short answer is you need an expert to inspect your building. There is no other safe answer to this question. Like Footer said tell us where you live either here publicly or privately via PM to Footer and/or myself. I know three great CB members who live in LA and just south of LA who I'm sure would be happy to help you find a good person to inspect your facility (heck they might even be willing to do it themself). But we need more info to get you that advice.


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## tprewitt (Dec 21, 2011)

MPowers said:


> .... The number of catwalks that have provisions like a track or zip line is growing, though the use of it not so much. ...


 
Thanks for the factual posting.

I'm a big proponent of adding fall arrest to all of these locations. In most instances it's easy and cheap to install and it's fast and easy to use. The problem is our collective attitude toward using it, (mine included all too often.) As busy as work gets, we'd crucify a stage hand that said, "I didn't put safety cables on the lights because it takes too long." but same stage hand leaning off same catwalk without a safety harness, perfectly acceptable? I'm pushing to have Stage Hand 2.0 come with a pre-installed black oxidized D-ring permanently attached to his back. His over-all service life might improve remarkably.


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## gafftaper (Dec 21, 2011)

tprewitt said:


> I'm pushing to have Stage Hand 2.0 come with a pre-installed black oxidized D-ring permanently attached to his back. His over-all service life might improve remarkably.


 
That's not a bad idea at all. By the way welcome to the Booth Ty! I haven't had a chance to welcome you yet, it's great to have another Rigging American hanging around here.


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## longbordr13 (Dec 21, 2011)

museav said:


> The people building the venue likely did not perform the current hang and you probably need to blame that on some 'yoohoo' working in the theater. In fact it may or may not have been intended to hang lights from the catwalk rail. And while unlikely, I can even see the 'conduit' you referenced possibly being the pipe that is actually supposed to be used to hang the lights. Before deciding what is wrong or what to do it may be worthwhile to first identify what was intended.
> 
> 
> I have seen problems with code officials on this as they may see the pipe as a safety railing for the catwalk with the associated maximum spacing requirements, which typically precludes that large of an open space between rails.




The conduit is tightly packed together and is only thin metal conduit. I dont mean to sound defensive or rude but I grew up with a studio background. My dad has been in local 728 for 17 years. I have the knowledge to see that this is not were lights were meant to hang. And as for the "yoohoo" comment. Since 2009 the lights have never been moved and I am the only person who has gone up there to aim lights. Once again this is not meant to make me sound like a know it all. I respect all of your answers and that is why I asked the question on here. 

thanks for the feed back, and keep it coming,

Griffin


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## MPowers (Dec 21, 2011)

tprewitt said:


> ............I'm pushing to have Stage Hand 2.0 come with a pre-installed black oxidized D-ring permanently attached to his back..........



They come from the same clone farm that puts out Actor 2.1 with mic plug in their ear and the antenna and battery pack lead coming out their.....well.... another orifice. ;-)


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## ScottT (Dec 21, 2011)

MPowers said:


> They come from the same clone farm that puts out Actor 2.1 with mic plug in their ear and the antenna and battery pack lead coming out their.....well.... another orifice. ;-)



If I ever have to get Cochlear implants for whatever reason, I'm asking for a digital input and output!!

(Having said that take are of your ears kids! You'll thank me later!!)


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## derekleffew (Dec 21, 2011)

tprewitt said:


> ...I'm pushing to have Stage Hand 2.0 come with a pre-installed black *oxidized* D-ring permanently attached to his back. ...


Oxidized, or anodized?


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