You might think that after all of the tragic outdoor festival events of this summer that show organizers might be even a little concerned about how the show goes on, but apparently you would be wrong. It’s business as usual. Nary a forethought towards safety. Oh yes, there are police to keep the peace, and . . . well, that's it. Nothing else.

Here are some pictures from a small music festival (post Indiana State Fair, Pukkelpop, Tulsa, and Ottowa). There are basic simple things that anyone can (should!) do to see that trip hazards, falling / flying object hazards, and electrical hazards are minimized. The next time you are aware of your community planning an event, take a moment to get involved and put an emphasis on safety. The cost is little and the impact can be huge.

Here is a portion of the lighting over the stage canopy.

• The stage lighting instruments (PAR cans) are not equipped with safety cables (although some were see to be looped around nearby truss elements not securing anything, so cost and availability wasn’t an issue).
• The light bars were attached to the roof truss without any safety cables.
• The power wiring to the PAR cans is provided with standard orange and yellow low temperature thermoplastic insulated extension cords. Not only is this aesthetically distracting, it is also not in compliance with the National Electric Code. NFPA 70, Chapters 520.58(A)(1) & 525.20(A) Wiring Methods clearly states (and is substantially similar to the requirements for stages and studios) that “Where flexible cords and cables are used, they shall be listed for extra-hard usage.” This means that the cable jackets are made from a thick, high temperature insulation that will not melt or be easily damaged. Should the ‘cheap’ cables be accidentally draped across the hot lights, the cable jacket insulation can melt and bring the power conductors in direct contact with the metal case of the light.
• In this particular circumstance, the entire canopy structure was electrically insulated from the earth except via the 14 gauge wiring for the stage lights. This was in violation of NFPA 70 chapter 525.30(3) Equipment Bonding which states that “The following equipment connected to the same source shall be bonded . . . Metal frames and metal parts of portable structures, trailers, trucks, or other equipment that contain or support electrical equipment.” Yes, this means that stage framework, canopies, trusses, etc, must be explicitly bonded to the grounding system.

Here is a view of the control booth area.

• The Pop-Up canopy is the common type that weighs little and if caught by the wind will blow-over and be carried-off to strike anyone in its path. The addition of some ballast weights to each corner would keep it from becoming a projectile if the wind gusts. Probable Cost: Four 50 pound bags of concrete mix, four steel anchor loops, and four lengths of ¼” wire rope with terminations. All of it can be re-used at the next show.
• The audio, lighting, and power cables run out to the booth area was just laid over the grass and not marked in any way. It was easy to trip over, particularly as the show ran towards evening, and it was not secured at either end. A serious snag and trip event would have yanked the sound mixing console right off of the road case and smashed it onto the ground. NFPA 70 chapter 525.20(G) Protection says “Flexible cords or cables accessible to the public shall be arranged to minimize the tripping hazard.” This is usually best achieved by utilizing cable covers similar to those sold by YellowJacket (www.yjams.com) or Checkers (www.checkersindustrial.com).

Here is a view of the corner of one of the event support space tents.

• The steel spike that is used to anchor the tent from wind movement is left exposed to passersby. The sharp metal edges can inflect serious cuts to inattentive persons passing the protruding metal. Further injuries can occur should someone trip and fall onto the exposed steel pin (Remember: This is a music festival – people are consuming alcoholic beverages and possibly other disorienting substances). Construction sites are required to cover exposed rebar ends so that workers are not impaled upon this type of hazard. Why should a concert / festival venue be any different? Cover these types of hazards with protective guards!
• The electrical cord is, well, disorganized, to say the least. It presents a significant entanglement and trip hazard, which combined with the nearby tent stake, could result in a serious injury.

Was that all I saw? No. The list was really long. Too much to cover here, but you (hopefully) get the point. Safer shows are a benefit to everyone, after all, the ambulance crews want to stick around and enjoy the show, too!