Chinese Standards and Safe Use of Stage Machinery

XU Qi

(Stage Equipment Department, NCPA, Beijing 100031, China)

Chinese Standards and Safe Use of Stage Machinery

XU Qi

(Stage Equipment Department, NCPA, Beijing 100031, China)

This paper introduced the domestic stage machinery standards and the situation of introducing foreign standards, as well as the connection between stage machinery safety and a plurality of links such as process configurations, third party monitoring, operation and maintenance, stage equipment and risk assessment.

stage machinery; performance safety; standards; process configuration; third party monitoring

1 Chinese stage machinery standards

In modern society of large-scale industrial production, all kinds of standard has become an indispensable and important guidance documents for production. In order to ensure product quality, increase productivity and ensure production safety, manufacturers consciously or unconsciously follow the standards. Standard is the result of people’s production practice, social practice and scientific experiments over years. But in a certain period of time, it serves as norms and guidance for human activities. Facts have proved that the more developed industrial countries, the more and stricter quality control standards have been adopted.

1.1 Definition of stage machinery standards

Years ago, Duan Huiwen wrote two articles "Talks About Stage Machinery Standard-Setting", "More Talks About Stage Machinery Standard-Setting”, published in the “Entertainment Technology" in 6th issue in 2004 and 3rd issue in 2006. It defines that the stage machinery standard is the general term for a series of standards, including:

·Venues (theater and studio) accident prevention norms;

·The overall design specification of stage machinery;

·Individual equipment (parts and components) design specifications;

·Use and maintenance of stage machinery and equipment;

·The test and detection procedural norms of stage machinery.

Basic norms or standards for trade and industrial development, including:

·Theater and stage machinery jargon

·The main stage machinery and equipment series spectrum

1.2 Status of Chinese stage machinery standards

With vigorous promotion by China Entertainment Technology Association, a series of stage machinery industry standards have been released:

WH/T 27-2007 Stage Machinery -- Acceptance and Test Procedures

WH/T 28-2007 Stage Machinery -- On-Stage Equipment Safety

WH/T 35-2009 Venues Equipment Technical terms

WH/T 36-2009 Stage Machinery - Under-Stage Equipment Safety

WH/T 37-2009 Stage Machinery -- Operation and Maintenance Guidelines

Standards to be launched:

Stage Machinery -- Fire Barrier Curtain (National Standards)

Stage Machinery -- Design Guidelines

Stage Machinery -- Performance Parameters

The following standards are covered in the nonprofit industry research project "safety technical standardsof arts performing venues” in 2011, led by the State General Administration of Quality Supervision and Inspection:

Part 1 General Safety Technical Norms

Part 2 Stage and Audience Area Safety of Makeshift Venues

Part 3 Stage Mechanical Safety

Part 4 Stage Lighting Safety

Part 5 Stage Sound Safety

Part 6 Stage Artistic Facilities Safety

Part 7 Stage Video Security

Part 8 Stage Curtain Safety

Part 9 Stage Communications and Oversight Safety

Part 10 Theater Process Safety

2 Import of Foreign standards

With the development of the performance industry, some foreign performance-related standards have been introduced and translated, such as: Austrian ?ENORM series of standards, the German standards DIN 56950, which drives the development of domestic WH/T series of standards. In recent years, a large amount of machinery and equipment are used in large-scale performances. With foreign entertainment projects, such as the introduction of Shanghai Disneyland, a complete standard system of entertainment industry has been brought into the China. In 2014 6 issues of "Entertainment Technology" published “the German Performing Arts Safety White Paper", which describes the complete safety standard system of German performance activities. Learning and research of introduced standards is not enough. The show industry should take into account international standards and consider how to adopt international standards. For example, which standards can be used without any change? Which standards need to be modified before they can be used? What parts need to be changed? (E.g. some similar elements, some elements to be increased or to be decreased or modified, etc.). We must thoroughly understand the premise of foreign standards. This is a necessary and insurmountable task. But it also requires manpower and material resources.

Currently standards are mostly stage machinery, lighting, sound equipment category, regardless of performance effect or performance safety. Take stage machinery as an example:

(1) The stage machinery design, safety, use and acceptance have been developed;

(2) Safety standards are under development;

(3) Almost no single device;

(4) Even though more complex devices are used in the performances, the design, production and acceptance standards have not changed.

3 Safe use of stage machinery

In a good performance, the ultimate stage lighting is simple; the ultimate stage sound is imperceptible; the ultimate stage machinery is safe to use. This safety concept is associated with its setting, funding, design and processing, installation, commission, acceptance, test, staff training, performance use, operation and maintenance and others.

3.1 The stage machinery safety and process configuration

As a show venue, the stage rigging equipment is required and must be insured. In a conventional theater, for example, on the basis of limited funds, the order of investment must be, first, the stage equipment, thenorchestra pit lifts, the main lift station, the side and back stage equipment. The configuration of these devices must be in accordance with the relevant national standards and industry standards, particularly in relation to safety devices, to ensure safe and reliable equipment operation. At the most basic configuration of the fixture body, the simpler features, the more reliable. It can also leave sufficient space, loads, power consumption and basic conditions, such as running water and anchor points, which gives wider room of creation for stage artistic equipment design.

Most domestic theaters receive troupes. Tour production need to suit different theaters. Although many theaters are equipped with stage machinery, a tour project lighting, sound, props, choreography and other personnel rehearse together from the project establishment until on the stage. They are more willing to change scenes manually or electrically since they are familiar with the story content, music rhythm, and actors. Conventional way of set change is preferred by the troupe than the mobile scene sheet and theater wagon with no doubt; large and featured scenery can be easily moved electric or manual wagon with a simple guide on stage. That's why the under-stage machinery usage is not high. Therefore, an appropriate stage process and investments come first. We should pursue simplicity and be focused.

3.2 Stage machinery safety and third party supervision

Currently, there is a lack of qualified third party to review the design documents, mostly relying on the manufacturer's self-test and self-discipline. Stage machinery project implementation phase generally have supervision, such as civil and mechanical supervision, but also professional consultation and supervision companies. In the most important part of the project -- acceptance and test phase, the common practice is limited to the presentation of equipment but lack of experimental test data, such as: equipment with load testing. Duan Huiwen-led WH / T 27-2007 "Stage Machinery Acceptance and Test Procedures" has been enacted for eight years, and now the China Science and Technology Institute of Art and China Special Equipment Inspection and Research Institute have professional bodies including stage mechanical test. What is urgently needed is to include stage machinery into national special equipment testing projects. Like elevators, lifting equipment, stage machinery needs to increase supervision in aspects of staff qualifications, equipment inspection frequency, test content and other norms.

3.3 The stage machinery safety and operation and maintenance

Needless to say, the stage machinery safety and proper operation and rational maintenance are inseparable. In the show projects, lighting, sound operator can use the console with good mobility to rehearsal, get familiar with story and music. But stage machinery console is fixed in the theater, even if the extensive use of machinery and equipment involved in the performance stage of the project, actions can only be synthesized and implemented by technology. Stage machinery operating system of each theater is not the same. Though the troupe stage machinery staff are familiar with the plot, but in a short time, it is not easy for them to grasp the stage machinery operating system. As a result, in most cases, CUE compilation and operation are done by theater staff. In some cases, troupe is operating the device according to the story and the theater staff is only responsible for compiling the CUE. The most important and direct reason for theater staff to operate stage machinery is because the operation of stage machinery has a big impact on stage safety. There are many unpredictable factors, which requires operators to be familiar with the stage and keep a continuous monitoring.

3.4 Stage mechanical safety and choreography devices

In a show, stage machinery is set in the choreography among theater fixtures; in the assembly and disassembly process, stage machinery is the lifting and transportation equipment to serve the choreography, lighting and other professionals. In the theater project, usually lighting, sound is operated by troupe technician. But stage machinery is operated by theater technical personnel. In many projects, the troupe staff only start tolearn choreography, lighting lifting and stage setup when they arrive at the theater. Stage machinery work is performed at the end of the project implementation. It’s difficult to have the opportunity to fully communicate with the user at the initial period when conflict between performance and safe use of stage happens, it’s already too late. Of course, the best way is to achieve smooth performance and ensure safety equipment. But not every project has such a happy ending.

As a choreography equipment professional, in addition to understanding the basic configuration of the theater stage machinery and equipment, they also need understand the basic structure of equipment, technical parameters, and principles of safety devices. Then they can reasonably apply stage machinery to match the performance. Take the boom, commonly used in stage, for example, different loads, different nature of the hanging load, such as: point load, line loads, different hanging position, allows the different hanging load distribution. Generally professional stage machinery manufacturers show them prominently above the stage. Improper lifting of scenery makes rod deform, resulting in collision between hanging scenery and lighting devices.

3.5 The stage machinery safety and risk assessment

Risk assessment is to understand performance setup beforehand, and it even starts at the stage choreography model. It learn all device units from stage design drawings and performance information, equipment and devices to move on the stage, and these objects and actor relationship. The core is risk assessment. The sooner you start the assessment work, the better risk factors can be addressed in the design phase. For example, the change of scene requires the use of multiple stage machinery and equipment; there are performers on the mobile device. Through a risk assessment, risky points can be noted, such as, how devices are fixed on the mobile mechanical equipment; how actors move and position on the device.

In European and American theater management, risk assessment is a special written document and an important and indispensable document in theater safety system, which describes each potential risk in the performance and explains how to reduce or eliminate these risks and ensure safety performance. It is the guiding document for emergency event on the stage. According to the assessment report, the production team can accurately understand potential risks during the project implementation, increase the degree of attention and even adjust the programs. Risk assessment mainly rely on the theater stage management and stage machinery team. Ensuring the stage machinery has necessary safety measures are the responsibility of equipment manufacturers. Safe operation is the theater operator's responsibility. With the development of science and technology, theater-invested stage machinery is more automated. Risk assessment requires expertise in more and more aspects. We must constantly improve safety standards.

Xu Qi：

Vice-minister, professor of Engineering of Stage Technology Department, National Grand Theatre, member of Performance Stage Facility Standing Committee of China Entertainment Technology Association, magazine editor of Entertainment Technology. She is engaged in non-standard machinery and equipment design in Design & Research Institute of Nonferrous Metals in Beijing (now known as ENFI, LTD.) for 12 years. She began to participate in design, bidding, installation, commissioning and completion of inspection and acceptance of National Grand Theatre since 1998. She worked in theatre stage technology management for the National Grand Theatre since 2007. She hosted culture industry standards Guidelines for the Stage Machinery Operation and Maintenance, is the editor in chief of the National Grand Theater Stage Machinery Technology and Operation Management, China Entertainment Technology Professional Series of Stage Machinery Engineering and Mechanical Design Stage.

（編輯 張冠華）