Minimalist stage lighting for outdoor production.

[Jivemaster]

In an established premises the licensing officer and the EHO and the fire officer have already seen and approved the plans of the building with features like fire fighting and exits (etc) well defined and illuminated and drawn onto plans. These are then approved for a specified number of people.

For a temporary event all of this has to be decided and drawn to plans then the approved plans have to be realised on the ground. With half an indication of "doing it on the cheap" the Fire Officer will be there 30 minutes before start time and they have the authority to instantly stop your event.

You, because you have insurance, will be a primary target for claims if there is hurt or injury unless the organisers have lots of good insurance.

[Stuart91]

On 5/25/2024 at 5:11 AM, kerry davies said:

Even those events funded and equipped by the local council often saw LO and EHO inspections.

My favourite episode around this was a community-run festival. The local council were supporting it, providing some steel deck and a crew to assemble it. 

Meanwhile the licensing department of the same council were trying to get the event shut down, as no licence had been applied for. There were too many punters on site by this point, so it went ahead anyway. 

By the end of the day the main organiser had been taken away by the police because he was selling booze without a licence and refused to stop when politely asked...

[Jhon wisl]

Is this the kind you mean?

[paulears]

I'm old now, and discover my ways of thinking and working have changed from finding ways to get around obstacles, to be pointing out the obstacles I used to get around. Worse, I'm frequently working at the totally responsible end of the safety spectrum, and also forced to work at the ignorant end. This is worrying me more and more, because very often I'm now the oldest person - and I'm noticing enforcement and litigation constantly links age with responsibility. When something goes wrong, age points EVERYONE to me. It is now 20 years since my last FAW training. Yet every time something happens, a real first aider isn't available. People come to me because I will know if something is dangerous, and who they need to sort it (even if I have no expertise in that area). The crazy councils in my area fight with each other, let alone applicants. 

Schools believe all sorts of ridiculous things nowadays, I suspect it's because as academies, everything complex and buildings related is handled outside the school. It leads the staff to be unaware and untrained outside teaching. They won't know about the rules for outside activities. My personal experience of attempting to sort things is met with disbelief. When I get worried by events I have no control over, I have contacts who can 'accidentally' get involved early enough to sort them - as in the phone call from an 'organiser' telling me an official has been in touch and is asking for X, can I sort it, when they actually ignored me when I pointed it out. 

I now have my own test. The Judge Judy one - I imagine me standing in her court, with her common sense over-view. When presented with being senior as in the person to ask. I just do what I could justify afterwards if it went wrong. So far, it's working. Do it, justify it, forget it. (sounds like a railway message?)

[adam2]

The "season" for this series of productions has been and gone. The season was four weeks, two performances cancelled due to heavy rain.

Np specific insurance or licences were taken out, the school stated that this was covered by their existing insurance.

The local fire brigade visited and pronounced the whole operation to be "very low risk"

The basic lighting worked fine, and for one performance was supplemented by 12 volt black light CFLs.

[sunray]

58 minutes ago, adam2 said:

The "season" for this series of productions has been and gone. The season was four weeks, two performances cancelled due to heavy rain.

Np specific insurance or licences were taken out, the school stated that this was covered by their existing insurance.

The local fire brigade visited and pronounced the whole operation to be "very low risk"

The basic lighting worked fine, and for one performance was supplemented by 12 volt black light CFLs.

Thanks for the feedback, well done for what sounds like a successful event.