This Arbor Day, we would like to share information about an incredible program doing good all around you. The United States Institute for Theatrical Technology is promoting their Rigging Safety Initiative and needs your help.
The Rigging Safety Initiative promoted by USITT and their founding sponsor JR Clancy, offers schools an opportunity to improve the safety of their rigging systems. Every $1000 donated makes a school safer by providing inspections and safety training. One hundred percent of donations go towards the initiative. Every donation helps, no matter what amount you can spare. What better way to celebrate Arbor Day than to ensure the safety and security of our arbors and our school children?
In this day and age of technology and safety consciousness, there is no excuse for runaways or rigging accidents. Putting crew, performers, and audience at risk is not acceptable. USITT is working to ensure our schools and students are safe.
Nearly everyone at StageSpot has his or her own safety story (or lack thereof). We generally have more stories the longer we’ve been working in theatre. YouTube has a plethora of videotaped examples. One stage accident has nearly 800,000 views. If each of those viewers donated just a dollar, 800 schools could be inspected. If we can help spread the word and make one more school safer, one more student aware, and bring one more rigging system up to standard, there may be one less accident in our future.
If you still aren’t sure what we are speaking of, please feel free to take a gander at J.R. Clancy’s Facebook page. They seem to be able to constantly update their page with frightening realities that are present in our venues today.
Taking a few extra moments to make sure your knot is tied correctly, spending a little extra money to get a proper clamp, or putting in just that little extra time to make sure the rail is loaded properly makes all the difference in a positive outcome.
By taking the time to educate our youth we will ensure that there are more people out there in the future that understand, respect, and practice all rigging safety. Beyond teaching our youth, PLASA is working diligently to educate and certify current riggers through their ETCP certified rigger program. Certifying our current professionals and using them to educate our youth will help to ensure proper techniques for years to come.
If you can, this Arbor Day, please donate to help our schools. If you cannot, please share this story and encourage others to help.
