Lighting an event is not just about impressive effects or wild light shows, it is also about keeping the perfumers, crew, and audience as safe as possible from huge lighting rigs and other equipment.  Accidents happen, and as a professional lighting company, it is our job to ensure that our lighting rigs and equipment is always 100% safe on every occasion.

Because we work on a wide variety of high-volume projects and events throughout the US and internationally it is always important to us that we always operate under the highest level of safety.  If you are worried about the safety of any lighting devices at your event, follow our checklist to ensure that you are always protected:

1. Plan your lighting in advance

Just throwing a few tripods on stage and hoping for the best is never going to have the successful outcome you are looking for. It’s not just the way they look that will be a problem, but without proper planning, there is nothing to stop your performers from crashing into them or tripping over dangerous cables.  A lighting plan will not only ensure that the lighting looks on point throughout the production, but also ensure that every piece of lighting equipment is safely positioned on the stage, well maintained and safe to use.

2. Check your equipment

This should obviously go without saying, but sometimes the pressure of pulling together a live event can see important safety checks overlooked.  At the very least, you should ALWAYS check the condition of the following:

Plugs

The cable clamps should hold the cable outer sheath firmly; the color code should be correct, and the wires should be fully inserted.  You should also ensure that the terminals are always tight.

Lighting Bars

Check that the lighting bars have at least 3 fixing points so that the bar can remain in position if one fixing fails.

Safety Chains

Always fit a safety chain directly between the luminaire and the bar or suspension point. You should also be sure the never simply rely on just a hook clamp or bolt and check that all accessories such as barn doors, color frames, and color changers are secure and cannot fall out of the guides.

Fire Precautions

Some lights can get incredibly hot and pose a risk of catching fire.  That is why you should never enclose a spotlight in scenery, and always ensure that the spotlight is at least 0.5m from the nearest flammable object. To protect yourself further, you should always be belt o locate the position of the nearest fire extinguisher when working on stage and find out how to use it in an emergency.

Fuses

When a theatre lamp reaches the end of its life, the filament frequently collapses on itself, causing a short circuit which blows the fuse. When this happens, you must never replace it with a larger one.  Always replace the fuse with one of the same size. If a fuse does fail, there could be a problem with the circuit so be sure to investigate this further before you change the fuse.

3. Cable safety

Even if your electrical lighting equipment is in tip-top condition, having a performer trip over an exposed cable can result in injury and upset your production.  Always ensure that extension cables are tidy and are not left trailing across an entrance on stage. It is particularly easy to trip over a trailing cable in the darkness, and if that cable is connected to a spotlight on a tripod stand, it could result in an accident.

4. Rigging Procedures

Climbing up high above the stage, with a spotlight in one hand and a color filter in the other is never a safe way to proceed.  Climbing rigging should be left to professional lighting crew only, but even then, they should look to use a tower that can be firmly locked in place, or at the very least a secure locking ladder with a fellow crew member stood at the bottom to prevent it slipping.

Call in The Professionals

Of course, the safest way to ensure that your lighting equipment is 100% safe for any event is to hire a team of lighting professionals to supply and work the lighting for you.  Here at Frank Gatto & Associates, we can provide top of the range lighting equipment that is planned and operated by fully qualified and highly experienced members of staff.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds.  If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com 

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