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Health and Safety is a crucial part of theatre, as theatrical spaces can be extremely dangerous. However generally the risk is moderated in uk theatres to the point where the chance of becoming injured is low.

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It is important for the DSM to arrive before the call time as this allows them to prepare the space for the rhersal.

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Often when working in theatre there will be a lot of manual labour, if not careful there is potential to ruin your back. Try to avoid manually lifting if at all possible and use machinery like forklifts and pallet jacks to your advantage.

If you have to lift items such as cases there are some steps to make sure you are safe.

Always make sure you are able to lift the object and if in doubt ask for help.

Make sure the path in which you are taking the item is clear.

Lift items with your knees not your back.

Make sure that you can see where you are going

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The prompt book, is a master copy of the script and score, containing all the actor movements and technical cues. It is used by the deputy stage manager and stage manager to run rehearsals, it is then later used to control the show. Sometimes it is known as the 'book', prompt copy or even 'the bible'. The member of stage management who is cueing the show is 'on the book'. Aswell as all the important show information the prompt copy also outlines contact lists for all the stakeholders in the production, information about the the venue and emergency procedures.

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The DSM ensures the equipment that is needed throughout the rehearsal is prepared and functioning. They may have to work with the venue to correct errors.

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Comms or sometimes reffered to as 'cans' is a comunication system that is used backstage in places of entertainment.

Unlike traditional walkie talkies comms is not one way, allowing you to transmit (talk) whilst others are, this allows people to interrupt during emergencies or to cut off conversations.

Specific language is used on comms to ensure that everyone is clear and aware of what is going on:

LX - Lighting department uses LX on comms this allows the cues to be called clearly.

Sound - These cues are often given to a sound n.02 who fires the tracks or qlab cues, however often the DSM is in charge of controlling these instead.

Auto - Automation cues are cues that are sent to a person operating a automation desk and controlling motorised parts of the show.

Fly - Fly cues are to tell the people working on the fly floor, when to make scenic changes that are controlled by flys.

Set - used to tell crew onstage about when the movement of set occurs.

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Another role of the DSM before the rehearsal space is used is ensuring that the space is safe. Cabling is a key one, ensuring that the cabling for equipment is kept trip hazard free and is neat and tidy.

An important part of health and safety is keeping fresh air flowing throughout the space, this ensures that the actors do not feel ill dues to adverse temperatures or high C02 Levels.

The dsm must check that the fire escapes are clear and unlocked before a rhersal begins ensuring the safe and clear path in the event of an evacuation.

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The DSM will spike key positions that are pointed out to them by the director, aswell as spiking where props and set will be positioned.

Marking out the stage is a key part during rehearsals, this allows the actors to get there bearings as to there positioning onstage.

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The book is laid out with the script on one side of a A4 folder and the cues on the opposite side, there is then a line between the cue word and the cue.

Sometimes standbys are writen in the script to give the DSM a reminder to standby the operator.

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Sometimes DSM's decide to use a prompt copy in a digital format, for example on an iPad. This allows them to have a backlit copy without the use of additional lights and the dsm even sometimes uses a page turner foot pedal.

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The governments HSE sets out guidelines for health and safety and manual handling in theatrical venues.

These guidelines can be found above.

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Information to assist people who run theatres in controlling the risks to those working in the theatre or attending productions.

What you should know:

Health and safety law applies to theatres as it does to other businesses. The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and related legislation places duties on employers, employees, the self-employed and those in control of premises.

The majority of injuries in the theatre industry are related to work at height and manual handling.

What you must do:

Work at height

There is a legal hierarchy for selecting equipment for work at height, based on using the safest possible method of work that can reasonably and practicably be used in the circumstances:

do not work at height – use auto focus or bounce focus lights, bring scenery items down to ground level for adjustment etc

work from an existing place of work – use gantries, bridges or catwalks, a trampoline system etc

work positioning – use fixed length lines to prevent falls, MEWPs etc

fall mitigation – use airbags, nets, inertia reel harnesses (which require a rescue plan)

systems of work – use ladders, Tallescopes, Zarges etc

Further information on working at height can be found in the ABTT Code of Practice for the selection and use of temporary access equipment for working at heights in theatres[1].

Manual handling

There is a large amount of manual handling involved in theatres, especially for travelling shows. Many loads are awkwardly shaped, heavy and often difficult to move in sometimes very confined spaces. This movement is often also done under time pressure. More than a third of the injuries reported annually to HSE are related to manual handling. These tend to be long-term injuries, which can have serious implications for those involved. Reducing the amount and severity of manual handling is a legal obligation. For more information, see:

Manual handling at work: A brief guide[2]

Legal duties

There are legal duties on:

employers

employees

the self-employed (freelance)

people in charge of premises

Employers

Employers must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of their employees, while not exposing others to health and safety risks. As an employer, you must have systems in place to ensure that the risks presented by the work are assessed and either eliminated or controlled. There are a number of ways this can be done. Further help and information can be found in: Health and safety made simple[3].

Employees

Employees can expect their employers to take all reasonably practicable measures to ensure they can work without risk. Employees then have a duty to work carefully and co-operate with their employer to make sure both are complying with their respective legal duties.

Self-employed (freelance)

Self-employed people have duties to ensure they work safely so that their activities do not create risk to themselves or others. Remember, 'self- employed' has a different meaning in health and safety matters to that used in tax matters. Both employers and the self-employed should make sure they know their legal status and obligations under health and safety law.

Person in charge of premises

Any person who allows people not employed by them to work in premises, such as a theatre, has duties to make sure:

the means of getting in and out are safe

all plant and equipment within the premises is safe and does not present a risk to health. This includes the electricity / gas and water supplies etc

1. Code of Practice for the selection and use of temporary access equipment for working at heights in theatres
https://www.abtt.org.uk/

2. Manual handling at work: A brief guide
https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg143.htm

3. Health and safety made simple
https://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/index.htm

4. Manual handling at work: A brief guide
https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg143.htm

5. Electrical Safety for entertainers
https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg247.pdf

6. More resources
https://www.hse.gov.uk/entertainment/theatre-tv/resources.htm

7. HSL Report on the stability of Tallescopes
https://www.hse.gov.uk/entertainment/pdf/tallescopes.pdf

8. Association of British Theatre Technicians
http://www.abtt.org.uk/

9. More resources
https://www.hse.gov.uk/entertainment/theatre-tv/resources.htm

10. Adventure activities
https://www.hse.gov.uk/aala/index.htm

11. Safety bulletins
https://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/index.htm

12. Local Authority Unit
https://www.hse.gov.uk/lau/index.htm

13. Construction 2015
https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/cdm/2015/index.htm

14. Voluntary organisations
https://www.hse.gov.uk/voluntary/index.htm

15. Mythbusters
https://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/index.htm

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Focuses on the entertainment and leisure industry which covers a wide range of activities, from fairgrounds to film locations and from sports facilities to play areas.

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The Lighting plot is a document that the lighting designer creates first, this document details each cue in the show, how it should look and what focus is needed. Additionally in more complex shows the document may include details of triggers.

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All lighting systems start with a console, this is essentially a computer, running a custom piece of lighting control software, which outputs signals to the lighting fixtures/ dimmers via dmx or network. One of the most popular lighting control consoles in theatre is ETC EOS.

ETC EOS allows easy cue stacking and tracking allowing users to put together simple or complex shows, with complex rigs and custom macros.

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Sound is one of the most important aspects of live theatre, mistakes, or hardware failures can ruin shows. This is why having good equipment and a skilled sound engineer is vital to a successful show.

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Qlab is a piece of software run on mac os that is used across theatre and live events throughout the world, it is a piece of software which handles audio, video, and network cues these allowing qlab to control virtually anything.

The software can be downloaded from: https://qlab.app/

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'on comms' used by anyone for announcing that they have joined comms.

'standby' used by the dsm to ensure departments are ready to fire cues.

'standing by' used by operators to tell the dsm that they are standing by.

'(department name) GO' used by the dsm to tell the operators to fire cues. The operator then fires the cue at the G of go.

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Originally comms was a three pin system allowing one unit to act as the 'master' this powers the beltpacks and provides audio input and output. The beltpacks were then connected via 3 pin xlr audio cables, this allowed both power and audio to be daisy chained and split throughout the system.

Modern comms systems such as clearcomm IP allows clear and crisp communication over the network. This means that comms systems can be deployed anywhere that the venues network is, allowing flexibility for touring shows. Additionally digital comms systems allow users to communicate in private 'rooms' therefore negating the problems that come with having private conversations via comms.

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Here is a short video of a DSM calling a show from the prompt book. In this video the DSM is using a digital version on his macbook.

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DSM - Calls cues for production of Hairspray

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Above is a moving light rig plan, this is created by the lighting designer and programmer to tell the build crew where to place the moving lights.

On the bottom of the layout is a table contraining all the fixture icons and what fixture model it is, this ensures that the right fixtures are rigged in the right places.

On the left of the layout sheet is the gobos that are going to be placed inside the fixtures, this means that the warehouse team can ensure that the correct gobos are in the correct order. This way all of the gobo wheels will function in the same way.

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Making smooth scene changes is a key part of any professional theatrical performance. Scene changes are carried out often in the dark therefore crew must be efficient and careful to keep the change silent both visually and audibly. Sometimes theatrical sets of loadbearing capacity have to built and dismantled during parts of a show, therefore the stage crew must take extra care to assemble the pieces properly

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Theatrical scenery is often flown in shows, this allows the scenery to be hidden above the stage, avoiding the scenery filling the wings. Sometimes cloths are not able to be flown, therefore they can be mounted on tracks above stage allowing stage crew to pull them on and off stage.

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A flood is the most simple of Theatrical Lighting fixtures, a lamp and reflector in a box. This creates the 'flood beam' and allows light to be spilled over set or scenery.

Floods have the least amount of control out of any lighting fixture and are the simplest, there is no beam shaping or direction control, this makes them great for lighting set and scenery, but not great for lighting actors.

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A fresnel is a soft edged spotlight which offers more angle control on the beam than a flood. The fresnel beam is adjustable because you are able to move the lamp and the reflector, closer or further away. Most fresnels include a barn door, this allows the user to adjust lit area and only light the areas of stage they want.

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A profile fixture sometimes known as a source four, is a fixture with a lens (sometimes two) , shutters, gobo holder,

The lens allows the user to adjust the beam size aswell as how hard or soft the edge of the beam is. Sometimes some fixtures such as source fours have two lenses this allows the user to achieve a wider range of beam angles and edge qualities.

The shutters allow the user to, shape the beam output, to for example light a door on a piece of set.

The gobo holder allows the user to place a small metal gobo into the fixture and project its shape onto stage.

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A Parcan fixture is a basic fixture, it is one of the original lighting fixtures. A parcan unit produces a very intense light quality, therefore are very popular in festivals and theatre alike.

In order to change the beam angles, a different lamp must be used. Different lamps have a varying level of diffusion, the common thing with pars is they create an elliptical shaped beam, this can be adjusted by rotating the lamp.

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Moving lights are fixtures that have automated abilities. These moving lights in the modern day are by far the most popular in west end theatre and live music events.

A traditional moving light has a yoke which allows it to move on a pan and tilt axis. Aswell as many other built in features, these vary from fixture to fixture.

Moving lights are always controlled by DMX as this allows up to 512 channels per XLR DMX cable (a universe). Sometimes advanced fixtures can use more than 512 channels per fixture, this is when manufacturers have to use ARTNET to send the dmx data via traditional ethernet networks. ARTNET can carry up to 32,768 universes (16777216 channels) over a single ethernet cable.

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Here is a great video of explaining the sound mixing process for hamilton on broadway.

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Adam Savage Explores the Sound Mixing of Hamilton!