How much damage can 500g/1Kg NEQ do

[aky.phoenix]

Hi, I'm one of the pyrotechnicians in a 200 seat student run theatre. We only have a couple of productions a year requiring the use of pyrotechnics (often a few gerbs and a couple of micro mines), and usually stored for 1-2 weeks as the show needs.

We store pyro in a padlocked cabinet in a locked room when we can and otherwise in a small, padclocked ammo crate. In the past we've never stored more than 500g NEQ, but then I came along, bought a few giant fire balls and suddenly we had a little under 1Kg :)

 

So my question is how much damage could this amount of pyro do?

We'd arbitrarily limted ourselves to 500g NEQ in the drawer and the rest in a larger ammo crate.

[Dave m]

What are the cabinets made from?Are you in the uk?Has anybody had training in pyros?

[Jivemaster]

Proper storage depends largely on the specifications made by your formal law. You do need to tell us where you are in the world before anyone can offer relevant advice.

[kerry davies]

is a clip of 200 grammes in a cardboard container. A kilo is getting into

. If you are unlucky enough that the circumstances align it can be a very serious incident.

 

You shouldn't be using pyro without training and storing 1kg for months at a time in a student theatre environment is just silly. I am surprised that your insurance even allows overnight pyro storage .... unless of course you haven't told them?

 

I know I shall regret this but what exactly are the reasons behind you buying "giant fireballs" for a student run theatre?

[Ynot]

The OP's profile DOES cite the Winston Theatre, and a quick Google gives this as the likely venue in Bristol. A 204 seat university theatre.

 

My main question would be to ask whether there is a salaried house tech for the venue, as it really should be their responsibility to manage the pyro situation - both from a storage and a handling/operation point of view. Whilst being a university venue, at least the students are going to be over 18s and so deemed appropriate to handle pyros IF PROPERLY TRAINED in the safe use thereof - however, hving checked the membership roster of the ASP, the OP does not appear there, so one can only assume that he's yet to do one of Lincoln's fantastic training days.

 

If you were in my venue (similarly sized, volunteer run) you wouldn't be allowed anywhere near pyro unless you had completed the course, (and I have prevented several people over the years who've tried to do so without the Lincoln 'ticket').

 

So, to the OP I would have to echo that (unless you've done the course under a name that differs from the one on your profile here) you cease and desist in ALL pyro activity until you (and all the other 'pyrotechnicians' who work there) have gotten down and done the course run by JustFX.

 

To be honest, the question you've asked is in fact one of the topics covered by Lincoln in detail.

 

This is just one of those areas where without proper guidance and knowledge it's too dangerous to leave to chance - as is clearly demonstrated by these 'Giant fire balls' which whilst they pique my curiosity don't sound like the sort of effect suitable for such a small stage space!!

[bigclive]

With a modest quantity of pyro I'd be wanting to divide it into smaller portions kept in separate and well spaced metal cabinets fitted with generous vents so that if something did go off it could vent without turning the cabinet into a behrm. (Ehr mehr gehrd.) Any left over after a run and not being used in the foreseeable future should be gratuitously blown up for merriment or used as presentation material in pyro training.

[Blue Room Admin]

We've been contacted by the University to say that they are aware of this and are dealing with the issue.

 

To save pointless speculation, this topic is now closed.