[SML] Venue/Landlord pay millions for Circus Rigging error

[Lou Poppler]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/21/us/circus-acrobats-injured-settlement.html

In Rhode Island in 2014, at a Feld "Ringling Bros" show, eight acrobats fell
after a rigging failure.  (IIRC the entire rigged assembly supporting the
acrobats was suspended from a single carabiner which was cocked slightly
so that the load was not oriented along the long axis.)

Later that year, OSHA issued a $7,000 fine — “the maximum fine allowed by law”
— to Feld Entertainment.  Last Monday, lawyers for the acrobats settled
a lawsuit with the owner and operator of the arena where the performance took 
place, for $52.5 million (Rhode Island Convention Center, and SMG).

The acrobats' lawyer said: "There are safety standards and safety features 
that were supposed to be in place for every event, no matter whether it’s 
the circus, or whether you’re dealing with, you know, college basketball,” 
Mr. Mandell said. “Those were not used, they were not utilized for this 
performance, and so that is where our claims against the arena derived from.”

My interest in all this, as a retired local crew high rigger (or sometimes
lead local rigger) is to suggest that we might need to be more assertive
about complaining, when we see the touring riggers or show management
rigging something in a questionable manner.