Tom Newman Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Hi There We had a new lighting bar installed at my school by a lighting installation company in late 2006. I am directing an event within the following month and need to know the weight capacity of this bar, so that I can plan what fixtures to hang from it. I initially checked for weight testing certification stickers on the bar, which were not present. Following this, I telephoned the installation company who have stated that they would not have weight tested the bar during its installation. I would appreciate it if someone could provide a link to a reliable company that offers weight testing at a competitive price. Kindest RegardsTom Newman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the kid Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Have a search about I'm sure there has been a topic or two before. I previously have Contacted Unusual Rigging and a couple of others about doing it and If I recall the cost was going to be quite a bit, more the £?000's (That was 04/05 time) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew C Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Pass this up to the school authorities. It is their responsibility to provide a safe system of work under H&SAW act and specifically LOLER. They, or the county, will have contracts with companies that can deal with this issue. In fact, what they may do is go after the installers under LOLER for failing to mark a SWL on the bar. Accepted that "hanging" is not specifically equal to "lifting". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnhuson Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Accepted that "hanging" is not specifically equal to "lifting". Exactly, fixed lighting bars are not lifting equipment and are therefore not covered by LOLER, PUWER are the applicable regulations here are if I'm not mistaken there is no requirement in PUWER to provide a SWL for such a thing. It is good however that the OP is looking to ascertain the safe working load of the bar before hanging equipment for which it may not of been originally designed. Pass this up to the school authorities. It is their responsibility to provide a safe system of work under H&SAW act This however I do agree with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew C Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 fixed lighting bars are not lifting equipment and are therefore not covered by LOLER,As yet we don't quite know how this one is held up though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Edwards Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 All suspended aparatus should really be tested with a static proof load when installation is completed. I would have thought this should really be performed by the installation company. Being the ones with the most intimate knowledge of the fixings and anchor points, they would use this to be able to calculate the safe working load the most accurately. If the company had not been commissioned to do this then at the very least it should have recommended that it was undertaken before using the bar. Accepting that there may not be ay specific legislation covering fixed bars, I would have thought that any self-respecting installation company would want to in some way certify there work. If nothing more than to cover their own backsides should the whole lot come down due to ignorant overloading. Remember this is a school and may not always have staff who know exactly what they are doing. Either way this lighting installation company was negligent, in my opinion, and should be named and shamed. Get the professionals in and hope that they don't condemn it. edit grammar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Newman Posted April 14, 2008 Author Share Posted April 14, 2008 Hi All Thanks for your replies so far.I am already consulting with the school site manager regarding the issue, as I believe that the bar should be weight tested before we decide to hang anything which could be a sufficient hazard. As far as I am aware, the lighting bar is fixed, and therefore cannot be classified as lifting equipment. As a independently funded grammar school, the school has very limited funds available, and therefore, in my opinion, has failed to invest sufficiently in ensuring the aforementioned installation is safe. This is also probably due to lack of experience on behalf of the school, as mentioned in a previous post. Indeed, I will suggest to the site manager that he contact the local education authority regarding the installation so that they can provide guidance on this issue. I believe the company who installed the lighting bar was Lancelyn Theatre Supplies (Oxford); I provide this name not to "name and shame", but instead to try and help clarify the situation. After telephoning their installation team a couple of days ago to ask if they would have weight tested the bar, one of their representatives ensured me that it would not have been, and that I should contact a specific person within the company for further information on the installation. I have emailed the suggested person, and have not, as of yet, recieved a reply. Once again, thank you for your continued support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnhuson Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 fixed lighting bars are not lifting equipment and are therefore not covered by LOLER,As yet we don't quite know how this one is held up though... A fair point Andrew but that's why I added the caveat about it being fixed. Either way this lighting installation company was negligent, in my opinion, and should be named and shamed. I'm not prepared to make comment on the specific installation as I haven't seen it, but playing devils advocate I'm wondering on what basis you make the decision that the installer was negligent in the work they have carried out. Surely to be negligent they must of carried out work which contravenes some sort of legislation and as discussed, IF this bar is a fixed installation then there is no legislation which stipulates they must provide a SWL. I appreciate that this is conjecture until the OP replies as to how the bar is supported but I fell that statements like negligent should not been made lightly. EDIT Since the OP has replied whilst I was composing my reply I guess it's no longer conjecture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ike Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 In reality load testing fixed bars is really quite unusual. A more cost effective solution would be to ask the original installer how much you can hang from it or get a rigger to come in and have a look. Doesn't need to be any more expensive, complicated or time consuming than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianl Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 whilst I would not necesarily expect a company installing a bar to weight test it, I would expect them to have designed it to support a specified load. they must have done a design that specifies:intended swl of the barsize and rating of fixings (be it wire, chain or shackles etc)method of atachment to your buildingtotal weight of instalationswl of the part of the building they have chosen to attach to (calculated or estimated) asuming they followed their design then your bar is safe for the SWl they designed it for, when you get to talk to the right person I'm sure they will give you an answer the only reason I could see for weight testing the instal was if it used any chemical anchors to attach to your roof. if it is all done with rated bolts / beam clamps etc then I don't see the point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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