What do you do if project management fails to ensure the safety of theatrical production teams?

Ask yourself why the initial risk assessments were not appropriate. This is something we come across in our industry. Having risk assessments in place at the early stages of a production lifecycle is important. This starts at the design stage. So many accidents we investigate on shows could have been avoided had the risks been designed out in the first place with experienced industry specific safety experts.

Identify the potential risk, evaluate risk level/category, establish hazardous zone, training and awareness is key to safety of team, use available resources, assign responsibilities amongst team members, initiate gaurds and barrier, develop safe procedures, use previous examples and lesson learned to training team members, stop the unsafe activities and eliminate the unsafe conditions, if not able to stop or eliminate then replace or change the conditions or activities, put on additional barriers, there's always a safe way of doing things, think creative, attitude towards safety should always be positive, morality in every work is important, helping each other is a better way of developing positive culture, understanding core values.

Realizar un revelamiento de los sectores mas críticos donde puedan existir la probabilidad de sufrir accidentes. Luego confeccionar Matriz de Riesgos tomando como punto de partida aquellos con nivel de Riesgos mayor hacia los de menor riesgos, identificando todas las posibles causas de eventos no deseados y aplicando en cada caso los controles efectivos que aseguren asi un desarrollo de las actividades en un marco mas seguro. Socializar con todo el personal involucrado lo surgido como resultado de la matriz y sus acciones.

Influence Project Managers by explaining to them the risks involved in working unsafely and how changing to safe working practices will allow the show to go on in so many ways.

The challenge we often have as safety consultants on productions is getting the creative teams involved. Once involved in the process we generally find they are amazing and open to changing plots or sets etc, however once a show is up and running the challenge is always getting them in the room.

A good way to achieve this is to use your union reps. These people will be experienced and trained and understand the real risks being faced by performers / technicians / stage management / musicians and all other departments. However you remember to then listen and respond to what you hear.

Look at injury prevention techniques also. This could involve a simple change such as introducing a mandatory supervised warm up (which we have recently introduced on a west end show) to reviewing the lifting techniques on various different performance plots.

Evaluate the current safety measures in place within the theatrical production to identify areas lacking in safety protocols. Express concerns about safety shortcomings to the project management team, emphasizing the need to prioritize safety for all team members. Revise and enhance safety policies and procedures in collaboration with project management to address any deficiencies. Provide comprehensive training and workshops on safety practices, emergency protocols, and hazard awareness for all team members. Establish routine safety inspections and checks throughout rehearsals and performances to identify and rectify potential hazards. Foster an environment where team members feel comfortable reporting safety concerns or incidents.

There is never enough safety in a theater production, but never skimp on a good risk&safety concept and management. The concepts vary from country to country, in many countries these tasks are taken over by the senior technicians who receive additional training, in others there are risk&safety engineering offices that support the theaters in permanently supporting their safety protocol and participate in the inspections of each production. It is important to instruct all employees& artists in the risk& safety management of the theater and the production so that everyone knows what to do and what to pay attention to. And one more thing: Contact those responsible immediately if you notice a risk gap so that you can protect your colleagues.