Minimum Age To Operate Confetti Canons

[FlashPointTech]

Hi all,

 

Had a question at work which caused a divided opinion: What is the minimum age to operate a confetti canon?

 

What are your thoughts?

 

Thanks,

Tim

[Jivemaster]

Pyro or not?

 

Pyro 18 now, by law

Gas powered inc electrically controlled gas blown. 16 - 18 with adequate supervision for a "young person" in the meaning of the act (HSWA). OR 18 unsupervised. However you still have to have confidence in the firer's suitability if you are insuring it.

[FlashPointTech]

Thanks, that a very useful reply.

 

We were thinking of the gas powered ones.

[Jivemaster]

It's close to impossible to bring under 16s into a theatre environment to work legally. After that it's your call as to whether they are insurably competent.

[dashroom66]

Sorry to dive in with another question, but...

 

For schools .etc (ie not paid) is there a legal minimum age for compressed gas effects (like the confetti cannon)

Obviously with appropriate RA and stuff - just looking for anything in law that gives a min age in addition to that.

 

 

Oh, and this is just out of curiosity :-)

[Jivemaster]

In a school with school children doing the work at a school show, it's entirely up to the teacher(s) in charge, and their managers up to the head to determine whether a person is competent or a risk the the staff's career prospects. Remember, one incident and a teacher or several may lose their jobs and pension etc, no-one risks that sort of thing.

 

Richard Branson KNEW he would be successful by the age of 12 and was successful by the age of 14. Nowadays I see 14 - 18 year olds who don't know how to cross a road.

[kerry davies]

Can anyone link to the recent topic we had about a continental band emasculating their bass guitarist with a misplaced confetti cannon? I can't find it but seem to remember they were experienced guys who just made one slip ending in near disaster, if you get my drift.

 

Jive is right that there is no "legal age" in schools but the Risk Assessments are far more stringent when "children" are involved in any activities. Students should not be asking this sort of question since they have teachers who are legally responsible.

[dashroom66]

I feel really sorry for teachers doing tech in schools

 

H+S done by people with no idea about events productions, who's job it is to find "safety issues" with carrying pencils

Having to deal with ridiculous requests/expectations on no money (inc for H+S stuffs)

The mixture of students - some who might work in the industry in their breaks, others who can't operate a pair of scissors

 

 

Then you have students nagging "why can't I do X, they do it at Y school.... this is all H+S ######"

 

"yes little child, it is all ###### - but If I don't then I will get suspended, and I need to eat"

 

And the same again when it isn't ###### - but X annoying pupil doesn't get it

 

 

 

*definitely not saying that all H+S stuff is ###### - it definitely isn't, but it is often used as an excuse for it (and to enhance somebody's ego), and schools are more susceptible than most

 

Sorry, that was a bit off topic :-)

[Jivemaster]

Schools are strange places, academies even more so. A local academy had a Sunday hire to a Church, but the idea of the Church having a font with a cup full of water in was "an unacceptable drowning hazard" so the whole series of bookings was cancelled. Was it H&S or was it madness? Are people like this fit to teach children?

[Brian]

Are people like this fit to teach children?

 

Ah, but that's the thing isn't it? They are trained, and employed, to teach not to carry out risk assessments.

[kerry davies]

The use of the phrase "Health and Safety" for anything that is not a situation involving workers and workplaces where HASAWA applies riles me no end.

 

Should we use it where schoolchildren are concerned or should we use "child welfare"? Is "well-being" a more accurate descriptor? Teachers do have to make RAs for activities because they are "at work" the young people are not. The caretaker of the village hall may be at work, the local kids dance group are not.

 

Anywho, Happy Solstice to one and all and the final question of this "year" is;

Do confetti canons stand any chance of becoming bishops now that women have made the breakthrough?

[Tom Baldwin]

Do confetti canons stand any chance of becoming bishops now that women have made the breakthrough?

 

I think that one's still up in the air, Kerry.

[OllieDuff]

1419133157[/url]' post='513714']

I feel really sorry for teachers doing tech in schools

H+S done by people with no idea about events productions, who's job it is to find "safety issues" with carrying pencils

Having to deal with ridiculous requests/expectations on no money (inc for H+S stuffs)

The mixture of students - some who might work in the industry in their breaks, others who can't operate a pair of scissors

 

 

Then you have students nagging "why can't I do X, they do it at Y school.... this is all H+S ######"

 

"yes little child, it is all ###### - but If I don't then I will get suspended, and I need to eat"

 

And the same again when it isn't ###### - but X annoying pupil doesn't get it

 

 

 

*definitely not saying that all H+S stuff is ###### - it definitely isn't, but it is often used as an excuse for it (and to enhance somebody's ego), and schools are more susceptible than most

 

Sorry, that was a bit off topic :-)

Preach. I was working in an educational establishment recently (covering a vacancy), and when drawing up terms I included a clause saying that if I show up for work and the kit they supply isn't safe and fit for purpose, they can't compel me to use it, and if that means I can't work, they still owe me for days worked - basically, so they can't make me choose between safe working and getting paid. They insisted that I drop the clause, because they have an "excellent internal H&S culture". Lo and behold, a few weeks later I flag an issue with their QA tower (one of the struts looked like it was being stressed in a funny way), and the reply from the maintenance office was "make sure you use the outriggers". No follow up beyond that email which didn't even ATFQ.

 

I also pointed out areas where students were banned from doing certain things (climbing ladders under supervision, touching the dimmers in any way) which could with proper risk assessment be modified so that interested students could actually do some lighting work under supervision. The reply from the H&S committee was that "there's no way that that could possibly be safe". Naturally, no one from the theatre department was at that meeting, and no one there had event production experience.

 

The kids were all right though, and perfectly happy to op sound, follow spot and what have you, and keen to do more hands on work if they could. Hopefully the new permanent venue tech will be able to change things for them.

 

 

[slipstream]

Can anyone link to the recent topic we had about a continental band emasculating their bass guitarist with a misplaced confetti cannon? I can't find it but seem to remember they were experienced guys who just made one slip ending in near disaster, if you get my drift.

 

 

http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/231979/metal-bassist-ruptures-testicle-on-stage-finishes-show/

[top-cat]

Do confetti canons stand any chance of becoming bishops now that women have made the breakthrough?

 

I think that one's still up in the air, Kerry.

 

It's all been blown out of proportion.

 

*definitely not saying that all H+S stuff is ###### - it definitely isn't, but it is often used as an excuse for it (and to enhance somebody's ego), and schools are more susceptible than most

 

 

 

Sadly that is not confined to schools. "Because of health and safety" has become the invariable excuse for why you can't do anything, when people simply cannot be arsed to find a proper solution or a safe way of doing it. The HSE Mythbusters series is good evidence of this fact.

 

Preach. I was working in an educational establishment recently (covering a vacancy), and when drawing up terms I included a clause saying that if I show up for work and the kit they supply isn't safe and fit for purpose, they can't compel me to use it, and if that means I can't work, they still owe me for days worked - basically, so they can't make me choose between safe working and getting paid. They insisted that I drop the clause, because they have an "excellent internal H&S culture".

 

Well that makes no sense doesn't it. the whole point of such clauses is that if your H&S is perfect, you won't even have to worry about it.