[SML] FOH hang and focus safety improvement needed

[billn at peak.org]

Our local community theatre (160 seats) has fixed seating. The lights are hung
from pipes that are fastened by floor flanges through the ceiling into the
structural wooden beams. The heights of the pipes varies from about 16 feet to
21 feet above the floor. There are 3 or 4 pipes that are of concern. The pipes
are roughly 24 feet in length.

Hanging and focusing lights is not safe. A standard step ladders will not fit
in between the rows of seats, so we have an extension ladder with hooks on the
upper end to hang over the light pipe to secure it in place. Besides it being
rather difficult to set in place, often the latch between the two sections
cannot be fastened as the bottom must fit between the seat rows.

Since it is a strictly volunteer theatre, the lighting designer is usually
also the person hanging and focusing lights and usually can only do so when no
one else is in the building to call for help in an emergency.

I don't see us installing really heavy moving fixtures, but we might someday
be able to afford a couple.

I can think of two options to improve the safety.

The first option is to use get a Genie Super Straddle plus a Genie DWP series
lift of minimal height (20 feet?). This would be slower to set up and use than
the second option and I am not sure that the aisles are wide enough. It is
probably also less expensive - always a concern.

The second option is to replace the fixed pipes with truss and fly them with
either cable or chain winches. We would then bounce focus them - or at least
lower them far enough that a shorter step ladder would reach them. The
structural engineer that examined the attic area stated that the ceiling beams
were strong enough if we mounted the rigging to span two of them. I would
prefer the hoists to be in the attic - since if they are below the ceiling, we
would lose quite a bit of trim height - which is already marginal.

What I would like is advice on the best way to handle this. A rough idea of
costs would be nice. For the truss option, what kind of truss - ladder,
triangular or rectangular?

I have no idea what the second option would cost. I also have no idea who to
approach in the Pacific Northwest to get quotes. So I am looking for
recommendations for reliable rigging companies or contractors doing that sort
of work.

I am also wondering if we should get a structural engineer experienced in
theatrical rigging to verify the comments by the SE we had look at the
building, as well as possibly design the rigging and oversee the installation.
If so, how much would that be likely to cost?

Thanks in advance for any wisdom that can be provided.

Bill