[SML] Genie lift safety

[Bill Sapsis]

Randy.  It’s a pretty safe bet that no one on this list is going to admit to using a genie improperly.  But many of them do.

At an appropriate point in my rigging seminars I’ll ask for a show of hands from the people who know someone who fell off a truss or who have even heard of such an accident.  There have only been a handful of people who have their hands in all the years I’ve been teaching.  Ask for a show of hands from people who’ve heard of or seen a lift fall over and there will be at least a half dozen people…in each class.

I am purely speculating…I don’t have any stats on this at all…but based on my experience I would suggest that more people get hurt every year from lifts falling over than have been hurt/killed in falling accidents…..ever.

You note that the TD "wants to get a feel for what the "Industry Standard" is before making any changes to our policy”.   What the hell does the “Industry Standard” have to do with anything?  The manual says don’t do it.  The manufacturer didn’t put that clause in the manual to make things more difficult for you.  They want to protect you.  (and from yourself, it would seem).  So do what the manual says.

You and the TD are grownups.  You need to take responsibility for your actions, not try to point to some mythical “Industry Standard” as an excuse for doing something foolish and  wrong.  

Buying a new genie is not going to be the answer for most organizations.  They simply do not have the funds.  Reading the owners manual and abiding by it is cheap.   Everyone can, and should, be able to do that.

The safety awareness in the entertainment industry these days, boys and girls, is such that there’s really no tolerance for foolish behavior. Don’t put yourself and your co-workers at risk just to save a little time.  Eventually you will come to regret it.

Getting off my soapbox now.


Bill Sapsis
bill at sapsis-rigging.com
http://www.sapsis-rigging.com
+1.267.278.4561   mobile
+1.215.228.0888   x206


On Feb 20, 2015, at 1:07 AM, Randy Storms via Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:

> I've worked in a lot of places where moving a genie lift with the mast extended (operator in the bucket, outriggers extended but loose) was routine.  The Operator's Manual, of course, says that's a no-no.  We are reviewing our Accident Prevention Plan and the topic came up.  The TD wants to get a feel for what the "Industry Standard" is before making any changes to our policy.
> 
> What sayeth the list?
> 
> 
> ____________________________________________________________
> For list information see <http://stagecraft.theprices.net/>
> Stagecraft mailing list
> Stagecraft at theatrical.net
> http://theatrical.net/mailman/listinfo/stagecraft_theatrical.net

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://theatrical.net/pipermail/stagecraft_theatrical.net/attachments/20150220/ccff2571/attachment.html>