Questionable rigging

[Kevin Ross]

Hi,

 

 

 

Thought I would ask a question here as I’m by no means an expert on rigging. Last night I was doing a gig at a venue that shall remain nameless (for now) they have a peavey system with 1 top over 1 sub each side i.e. a classic speak on stick job. The venue is an old small barn with brick walls and a high roof. Most of the time it was a struggle mixing in there if there were not a lot of people. I suggested a while ago that they look to get some kind of flown system so they could aim the speakers down into the crowd and keep it off the walls/roof.

 

 

 

Anyway I went back there and they have flown their 2 tops off an exposed roofing joist and as far as I can see there are a few problems.

 

 

 

1. They have flown them by using a shackle on the lifting handles of the cabs (the cabs have no fly-ware)

 

2. No secondary safety chain

 

3. The chains are screwed into the joists and right angles on these little D-ring type clamps

 

4. The joist is as old as the building (1800’s) and does not have a SWL printed on it for obvious reasons!

 

 

 

The whole lot is flown maybe 15’ in the air and looks a bit suspect to me. I want to know is it legal to fly cabs in like that? As I always thought it was a big no no to fly cabs from their handles

 

 

 

I will post pictures when I get back home

 

 

 

p.s mods feel free to move this if it is not in the correct forum

[Matt Pengelly]

If that were me I would have been out of there like a shot. Leaving aside the fairly important points 2-4, if the cabs don't have flying points on them, it's a fair bet that they shouldn't be flown!

 

It's incredibly lucky that nobody has been hurt yet.

 

You need to tell the venue in question to get this sorted ASAP before somebody is seriously injured or worse. If they are dismissive of the risks then it's your duty to get the HSE involved as this sort of DIY rigging will completely invalidate any sort of PLI should an accident occur and somebody decides to make a claim.

[Pete McCrea]

1. They have flown them by using a shackle on the lifting handles of the cabs (the cabs have no fly-ware)

 

Your quite right- unless marked as otherwise, then the handles should not be used for suspension of the cabinets.

 

2. No secondary safety chain

 

Not strictly a requirement. Where suitable provision has been made for the safety factors in the selection and application of the rigging hardware, then they can be omitted. i.e. if the cab weighs 20kg, and each point, steel and rigging kit can take 100kg, then I'd be more than happy with two points on it, as there is significant capacity.

 

3. The chains are screwed into the joists and right angles on these little D-ring type clamps

This might be ok, it might not. It depends on how and what has been done.

 

4. The joist is as old as the building (1800’s) and does not have a SWL printed on it for obvious reasons!

 

Fixed installations don't, as far as I'm aware, require it. It would be prudent for the installer to have had the structure checked to ensure the is the available capacity for the flown item, and that the method of fixing it would have the suitable strength.

[Kevin Ross]

Thanks for all the replies, I think I will send the sound guy a quick text message along the lines of “That rigging is not safe and I think you should get it taken down until you can either buy some flying yokes for those speakers or some speakers designed for flying” Put the ball in his court and see what he does.

 

I don’t hold out much hope as when we were first discussing a flown system I asked what he was going to use to delay the subs to the tops as they would be 20’ apart, he replied “Ohh its ok the tops have a longer speaker cable to go through and that will delay them”, he also has no crossover and uses the natural roll off of each cab.

 

Wish me (or more to the point any punters that stand under the speakers) luck!

[Rob_Beech]

The speakers aren't suited to flying, no flyware is available. HOWEVER. They do have a pole mount, so a bespoke (professionally made) bracket that utilises this will be fine. Secondary coupling is advised also.

 

 

Rob

[Matt Pengelly]

As Rob suggests, perhaps something like THIS tilt adapter from K&M alongside a secondary protection method might be more suitable than the measures that have been taken thus far?

 

I wouldn't hold out too much hope either way though given what you've said about the rest of the install!

 

Personally, I would be adding this place to my black list until all of these potentially lethal issues are sorted.

[Brad123]

I agree with Matt + Rob... But I would definetly be adding the venue to the black list for a while... That's a time bomb with it's own mind ready to blow...

 

Brad.

[Light Console]

I have seen a peavey speaker flown about 10' up with one wood screw going into the top of the cabinet through the metal work of a suspended ceiling, and one handle held up by a coat hook screwed to the wall. Needless to say, it came down rather sharpish! The handle had bent. I have some low quality pics somewhere, I'll try and add them in a moment....

 

Edit... here we go, how not to do it!

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

[Brad123]

Erm... "Original" Rigging methords... How NOT to save a life...

[Maddison]

1. They have flown them by using a shackle on the lifting handles of the cabs (the cabs have no fly-ware)

 

2. No secondary safety chain

 

3. The chains are screwed into the joists and right angles on these little D-ring type clamps

 

4. The joist is as old as the building (1800’s) and does not have a SWL printed on it for obvious reasons!

 

Well; point 4 isn't necassarily a problem. If the joist is sufficent to hold up a building, then it can probably take the weight of a couple of speakers. However, you would need a structural engineer to tell (or indeed to "tell") you that to cover yourself/the venue.

 

However, the method of attachment sounds very John Wayne. As others have said, you have a duty to do something about this.