Steve Macluskie Posted January 25, 2003 Share Posted January 25, 2003 Question for discussion: If I have a stage design which has an acting platform at 2m and the HSE working at height regs say I must take precautions to prevent a fall of 2m or more, by guard rails etc, what happens if I lower the platform height to 1m 99cm? Is everything suddenly ok at 1cm lower? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryson Posted January 25, 2003 Share Posted January 25, 2003 The good news is: the new Temporary Work at Height Regulations (2003) which are still in consultation, (not law yet) make no mention of 2m as a limit. They use the rather more helpful term of "a distance that is likely to cause injury." So your 1.99m platform probably still needs some form of protection. They also don't proscribe that you must have a handrail if you can justify by risk assessment that you can't have one for operational reasons (sightlines, etc) but have sufficent other safeguards. Overall, aside from a few glitches, it's a good piece of H&S legislation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicktaylor Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 From memory BBC regs say working at over 6 feet, in old money, is working at a height and therefore suitable safety measures should be applied. This appears to coincide with the 2 metres. It is a while sice I worked in OB engineering so am a bit hazy on such things now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topper Posted February 3, 2003 Share Posted February 3, 2003 With regard to it being a stage - I'm assuming its a theatrical set here - you can justify that the safety measure you've put in place to avoid using handrails is the fact that the cast have rehearsed extensively on the piece of set and are aware of its size and where they'll fall off it!!! You can also take measures such as discretely marking the edges of it in glow-tape (for those blackout moments) or I have seen LED's incorporated into the edges of staging and masked so that they are only visible from an actors point of view - and not by the audience... With these measures in place and the usual things i.e. the piece of set is under constant supervision by a member of stage management and there is always a first-aider on site in the event of an accident - you can surely justify the removal of handrails... Just my opinion on the subject (and I am no expert) - if anyone disagrees please post because I obviously want to know if this practice is flawed and therefore open to me being sued one day!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted February 3, 2003 Share Posted February 3, 2003 I would say that you have basically hit the nail on the head. Obviously, if the platform was particularly high, or the action on it particularly physical (fight, dance routine etc) you might need to consider further precautions such as putting the performer in a simple harness with a fixed lanyard to prevent them being able to get close enough to the edge to fall.Oh - the first aider would be there any way of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robloxley Posted February 3, 2003 Share Posted February 3, 2003 With regards to a lanyard, what bit of your set or otherwise are you going to attach it to that is rated for fall arrest purposes? Also, if you fall from >2m I think you'll need some serious first aid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted February 3, 2003 Share Posted February 3, 2003 With regards to a lanyard, what bit of your set or otherwise are you going to attach it to that is rated for fall arrest purposes?You miss understood. I was suggesting a restraint rather than arrest system. The system would be designed only to restrain / prevent the person from getting close enough to the edge to fall off. As such only minimal rating is required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 3, 2003 Share Posted February 3, 2003 There is a vaguely applicable article on the ABTT web site: ABTT Article An HSE inspector expressed concern about the drop off the front of the stage into the orchestra pit. The relevant bit is that he didn't require precautions to be taken during performances (white or luminous line goes without saying, though). The height of that drop wasn't stated. So, if your situation is similar (platform size and access being the critical factors, as well as height), I expect you'll be OK. But you must do a risk assessment, of course, and asking your local HSE office for guidance is always a good idea. P.S. Anyone like to predict the year when stages will have to have railings across the front??!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted February 3, 2003 Share Posted February 3, 2003 P.S. Anyone like to predict the year when stages will have to have railings across the front??!!!They probably already should during fit ups. Particularly if the pit lift is up and down like a yo-yo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 3, 2003 Share Posted February 3, 2003 They probably already should during fit ups. Particularly if the pit lift is up and down like a yo-yo.I meant during shows!!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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