Rigger

[daveevans]

Hi All

 

I have worked along side various in-house riggers in arenas etc when I have been setting up lighting & sound rigs.

 

Is there a course to go on to get a qualification in rigging where you get a certificate.

 

Cheers

Dave

[johnhuson]

Currently there is no such thing as a qualified rigger, there is a course being worked on by people like Chris Higgs, which will lead to a qualification (believe it's a BTEC) but as far as I'm aware its not available yet.

 

There are training courses out there, I highly recommend the Total Fabs course, I did it last year and it was very useful. You do get a certificate at the end of the course but it can only really be considered as proof of some degree of competence, not a qualification.

 

HTH

[daveevans]

Hi

 

Cheers for the information, I'll have a look at that.

 

I guess I'll find some info on there website.

 

Cheers

dave

[T.D.]

Some of the riggers I've worked with have their Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA) training, however as it's name suggest this is for hanging around on dangly bits wearing a harnesses, not how to calculate safe working loads for your shiny bit of truss. It's serious stuff and to become qualified to level 3 (supervisor) you need to log 1000 hours under supervision (ie employed). I 'believe' this is recognised as a formal qualification though.

 

Total Fabs course is well known in the industry and may be more applicable to your needs.

 

IRATA's website is www.irata.org

Total Fabrications is http://www.totalfabs.com/totalflash/traini...ingframeset.htm

 

Hope this helps

T.D.

[gil-galad]

IRATA is all well and good (I was qualified once but have let it lapse) however it does require the work you are doing to be designed around IRATA's guidelines.

(This may not make sense but it is hard to explain) The other main issue is that if only you are qualified then it is of no use, you would need to be trained to supervisor level and everyone else to level 1.

Until a formal qualification in entertainment rigging is available in this country your best bet is to do the TFL course as well as the PCM motor school.

Other courses such as rope access and rope rescue courses are also available and although most peoples view of riggers involves walking the beams the use of MEWP's is becoming far more common and so the need for rope access and rope rescue is greatly reduced.