Theatre Safety Manual Page 1 of 74 Revision: 1 Dated: September 19, 2016 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 4 SET CONSTRUCTION ........................................................................................................ 5 RIGGING ............................................................................................................................................... 5 PAINT FRAME ........................................................................................................................................ 6 POWER AND HAND TOOLS ..................................................................................................................... 6 LADDERS .............................................................................................................................................. 6 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) ........................................................................................... 6 LIFTING AND MATERIAL HANDLING ......................................................................................................... 7 CHEMICAL HAZARDS ............................................................................................................................. 7 HOUSEKEEPING .................................................................................................................................... 8 STORAGE OF MATERIALS ....................................................................................................................... 8 PROP SHOP ........................................................................................................................ 9 POWER SAWS ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Set Construction ROOM …................................................................................................................... 10 Fabric ROOM ....................................................................................................................................... 12 CRAFT ROOM ....................................................................................................................................... 12 LIGHTING ........................................................................................................................... 14 FIRE RISKS .......................................................................................................................................... 14 ELECTRICAL RISKS ............................................................................................................................... 14 RISK OF FALLING FROM HEIGHTS .......................................................................................................... 15 OVERHEAD LIGHTING ............................................................................................................................ 15 BATTENS – PIPES WITH LIGHTING INSTRUMENTS ATTACHED ................................................................... 15 DIMMER ROOMS AND BOARDS .............................................................................................................. 15 FOLLOWSPOT ...................................................................................................................................... 16 INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND STORAGE .......................................................................................... 16 AUDIO ..................................................................................................................................17 ELECTRICAL RISKS ............................................................................................................................... 17 RISKS OF FALLING FROM HEIGHTS ......................................................................................................... 17 SUSPENDING AUDIO EQUIPMENT .......................................................................................................... 17 NOISE LEVELS ..................................................................................................................................... 17 INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND STORAGE .......................................................................................... 17 SPECIAL EFFECTS .............................................................................................................18 ATMOSPHERIC SMOKE, FOG, AND HAZE ................................................................................................ 18 LASER AND STROBE LIGHTS .................................................................................................................. 18 OPEN FLAME, PYROTECHNICS & EXPLOSIVES ........................................................................................ 19 PYROTECHNICS ................................................................................................................................... 20 EXPLOSIVES ........................................................................................................................................ 21 SNOW, CONFETTI & FOAM .................................................................................................................... 21 PITS, TRAP DOORS & CHANGES IN ELEVATION ...................................................................................... 21 FLYING & RIGGING PERFORMERS AND OTHER OBJECTS ........................................................................ 22 SUSPENDED ITEMS ABOVE THE AUDIENCE ............................................................................................. 22 Page 2 of 74 Revision: 1 Dated: September 19, 2016 COSTUMES ……………......................................................................................................23 CONSTRUCTING, MODIFYING, AND REPAIRING COSTUMES .................................................................... 23 WEARING COSTUMES .......................................................................................................................... 26 STORING COSTUMES ........................................................................................................................... 26 COSMETICS – THEATRICAL MAKEUP ............................................................................28 SELECTION ......................................................................................................................................... 28 APPLICATION ...................................................................................................................................... 28 REMOVAL OF MAKEUP ......................................................................................................................... 31 STORAGE PRACTICES ......................................................................................................................... 31 GENERAL SAFETY GUIDELINES ............................................................................................................ 32 SPECIAL PROPS ................................................................................................................33 WEAPONS .......................................................................................................................................... 33 LIVE ANIMALS ..................................................................................................................................... 37 FRONT OF HOUSE .............................................................................................................41 ADVANCE PREPARATION ..................................................................................................................... 41 PERFORMER SAFETY AND HOUSE RULES ………………………………………………….………………… 43 PRIOR TO EACH PERFORMANCE: ......................................................................................................... 44 EMERGENCY LIGHTING AND EXIT SIGNS ……………………………………………………………………… 45 WHILE THE PATRONS ARE PRESENT .................................................................................................... 46 FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY ………………………………………………………………………………. ………. 46 AFTER THE PERFORMANCE .................................................................................................................. 54 SET DECONSTRUCTION – STRIKE ..................................................................................55 MAKE A PLAN ...................................................................................................................................... 55 KEEP IT SAFE ..................................................................................................................................... 57 THEATER MAINTENANCE ................................................................................................60 AWARENESS THROUGH INSPECTION ..................................................................................................... 60 ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ...................................................................................................................... 63 SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ................................................................................................................. 63 EMERGENCY RESPONSE …………………………………….............................................64 EMERGENCY RESPONSE ……………………..………………………................................................................