Scary stage

[Shez]

I ask the question why did the manufacturers take the time to put all those holes in the uprights?

I suspect so that their height can be adjusted. Like this.

[WiLL]

I suppose we should all be very glad that we're talking about why this stage was refused (as I would have done) rather than asking why wasn't it refused after it collapsed and killed people.

[gibbothegreat]

Actually, dry conditions might be just as much bad news as wet - if that flightcase doesn't have it's brakes on, one good gust of wind could be enough to drive that into one upright - I reckon it would take the merest tap to collapse one of those, and once one went, the rest would follow like dominos.

 

I did encounter pretty much exactly this kind of construction this at a festival stage once (although not using these particular brands): we ended up losing the entire fit-up day whilst it was rectified, and didn't get onstage until 7am for a 12 noon opening gig. That was a laugh...

[Stuart91]

The other question to ask in a situation like this is: Given the state of the staging legs (an obvious, visible fault that's relatively straightforward to put right), what other potential problems could be lurking unnoticed? I wonder what sort of attention has been paid to the overhead rigging, the power distribution, the pit barrier? If they can't cross-brace their legs in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, what other vital parts could be missing from other safety-critical equipment?

 

A few summers ago there was a really instructive thread on the old ProsoundWeb forum. The band engineer (for a Top 40 act) posted about the stage at a county fair. It was a disaster waiting to happen. His band chose to play under it but keeping a very close eye on the weather conditions. A day or two later the roof collapsed in a minor overnight rainstorm. The most damning photograph showed the collapsed stage, but with the pop-up gazebo over the monitor board still intact, and the plastic lawn chairs for the audience all upright.

 

Unless the bands refuse to play on/under dodgy stages, deadbeat promoters will continue to hire cowboys.

 

I wonder if "How to spot a deathtrap stage" would be a worthwhile addition to the programme at the Plasa show?

[Roderick]

Very good point Stuart.

 

I always teach people to look out for indicators about how a venue or site is managed.

There are a few really easy things to start with:

- Are the exit signs lit? If not then the maintenance probably takes second place and not much attention to emergency procedures.

- Are the fire extinguishers current (they will all have a tag that shows when they were tested last) - If more than 6 months then there isn't much attention to fire fighting safety

- Open an exit door, if you can, and see what is on the other side. Another indication that emergencies are not taken seriously if you can't reach clear space from that door.

 

Finding a stage like that is a clear indicator that things are not right. And yes, I would start checking power supplies, overhead rigging (well, get someone who knows what they are looking for to do that) and the list above.

[gibbothegreat]

In a interesting development, I got a personal message in response to my thread above. it would be fair to say that the general tone was one of disapprobation with my point! but specifically, they reckoned that legs of this sort had great strength to resist being 'tapped out,' "especially with so much weight on them." I've written back encouraging them to post this and their experience publically, but in the meantime - is that right? I'm not a trained engineer, but my understanding is that the greater the load the greater the potential destructive effect of any load that is anything other than directly lateral.

 

 

 

 

As it happens, I have seen exactly the scenario of a steeldeck collapse with four unbraced legs. This was an amateur production many years ago (early 90s), and a friend's wife in the cast asked me to come in to the dress rehearsal and and look at this because she had a hunch that it wasn't safe. As part of the set they had a single steeldeck on steel legs that I would guess were around 7' tall with wheels at the bottom. This was wheeled around the stage to be used in various positions, often with elements of set and/or people on top at the time (and no hand-rail!)

 

As non-confrontationally as I could I gave my opinion that I didn't think this was safe, but it would be fair to say this wasn't well received by the company's production manager, and no change was made other than grudgingly to add a hand-rail. They carried on with the dress, and in one move where there were around 9 people on top one leg hit another piece of scenery - and folded like a cheese straw. It wasn't moving particularly fast, and the collision looked fairly innocuous, although it was enough to throw the people on top off balance (I was actually on one side talking to the club's president and secretary at the time, giving my opinion that they had a real problem here and in my opinion needed to stop this until they could get a professional opinion of how to make it safe - but my main worry was in fact the balance of the folk on top, I hadn't expected the kind of collapse that occurred.)

 

 

 

 

 

[Roderick]

Ian, I can quite confidentially say that they are wrong.

The manufacturers' manual clearly states that cross bracing should be used in this situation.

See section 8 - page 4

 

But just when you thought it couln't get worse, here's a picture of what they did to 'fix' it:

http://sphotos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1063747_10151756652931424_153852818_o.jpg

[Roderick]

I am not an engineer, not a stage builder nor a rigger but I have been in this industry for 35+ years. One of the reasons I am still here is because I take safety rather seriously.

One look at that stage would have eliminated the need to open the truck doors.

It is not so much that a displaced leg could cause the whole structure to fail, it is because when you see such obvious oversights, what else has been done incorrectly?

The manual is pretty clear about it:

A. Diagonal bracing is required on stages with

heights over 30". Brace each corner and every

third bay along each side. Use 3/8 x 2-1/2" hex

bolts and wing nuts. Internal braces should be

placed in the same row as perimeter bracing.

B. Double diagonal bracing should be used on

heights over 48". At least one of the braces

should span the connection between the

1-1/2" leg and the 1-3/4" telescoping sleeve.

and

E. Multi-Stage should be braced every 2-3

decks as shown when bracing is required.

(Note the common leg bracing method is

shown below.)

You have to download the manual for the pictures.

 

The assumption: "They fit into long steel sockets which prevent them moving much more than 5º each way. " is also incorrect.

The sleeve that holds the legs is 3". And lets not forget that this stage is build on a dirt floor with a much lower coefficient of friction that a concrete floor.

 

To be honest, I doubt that a rolling case pushed by wind would displace a leg. But as it (barely) stands, a nudge by a forklift would cause the whole to slide sideways and collapse.

[Stuart91]

The other assumption here, of course, is that all the components which are present are in reasonable working condition.

 

Any flaws or damage, or incorrect assembly, would make a collapse even easier to achieve.

[Roderick]

Good point.

 

I believe we can with some certainty say that the manufacturers' bracing seems to be absent from site.

And a stage built by someone who believes that cross braces can held in place with C-clamps would make me question their knowledge about the condition of the other components.

 

The big question that remains is: how do we stop this shoddy workmanship from happening time after time?

As this sample shows, when a professional crew arrives on-site then there is at least half a chance that things may be fixed or the show cancelled.

But what if this stage was for the local am-dram? Or the dance school having their annual show? Who would have picked up this abomination?

 

I don't have the answers and look forward to suggestions.

[paulears]

Looking back to the old Tallescope saga, remember one of the big problem areas was when the manufacturers guidance was dispensed with in favour of a new way of operating. Here, the issue seems very clear. The manufacturers specify one brace for one height, and two braces for another. What could be simpler? The decision to not use the proper bracing was made against the advice from the manufacturer. If the thing had collapsed they'd not have had a leg to stand on (sorry, couldn't resist). The 'repair/fix' just shows the fact the organisers have not understood the structural issue at all, in terms of forces. Anyone with a pair of steelies could kick the timber out from the clamps with no damage to the leather! Ludicrous, and probably legally, a stupid reaction. As I understand it, it shows they have accepted there is a risk, and they have attempted to reduce an acknowledged risk with an inept fix. Crazy stuff!

[sleah]

Anyone with a pair of steelies could kick the timber out from the clamps with no damage to the leather!

 

The 'bracing' won't do anything at all. As the stage collapses, the joints would simply 'slide' out of the way :o

 

Those clamps are providing no stability whatsoever however you look at it. My view is that it isn't even an inept fix - it is no fix!

 

 

The only option upon seeing that is to get in the van and go, whilst reminding the organisers that if they don't pay your full fee you will see them in court - twice, once to claim payment, once as witness to their negligence.

[musht]

It does actually get scarier, it was signed off as safe by an engineer:

 

"By 4:45 p.m. — 15 minutes before gates were opened the public — a structural engineer with Furman and Hilpert Engineering Inc. of Inverness certified the stage’s safety"

 

http://www.chronicleonline.com/content/benatar-stage-not-safe

[gibbothegreat]

It does actually get scarier, it was signed off as safe by an engineer:

 

"By 4:45 p.m. — 15 minutes before gates were opened the public — a structural engineer with Furman and Hilpert Engineering Inc. of Inverness certified the stage's safety"

 

http://www.chronicle...-stage-not-safe

 

 

With the caveat that we don't know at what stage the photos were taken, it could be that proper bracing was supplied and fitted - although I'm not convinced they could have got the pads underneath the legs. But even so, if the engineer only signed it off at 4.45pm, 15 minutes before doors open, there's no way under the sun that gig was ever going to happen. If the organiser hadn't got all that was necessary done by around 1pm, they never had a chance.

[kerry davies]

Thanks Musht, things becoming clearer. 1000 ticket sales, prices at; Grandstand - $20, Infield (bring your own chair) $35, VIP seating - $75 and Tampa locals signing off Tampa locals work for a band on $60K does not compute.

 

A case of the production budget, if there was one, being the chocolate fireguard of the promotion. Doesn't last long and leaves a sticky mess of suspect colour.