Inspections     Is your backstage equipment safe to operate? Are ropes frayed? If there were an emergency, would your fire safety curtain perform as it should? Identify backstage hazards before an accident happens.
	Make safety a priority. Schedule an annual inspection of your school’s theatre to uncover faulty equipment and hazardous situations that could eventually develop into life-safety issues. Ensure safety. You are responsible for the safety of your students, faculty, and audience. From ropes that move lighting overhead to flame proofing of curtains, it’s imperative everything is in proper working order. Reduce liability risk. Most states require an annual inspection of your entire facility. In any case, make annual inspections of your theatre a standard procedure inspections of your theatre a standard procedure in your loss/accident prevention program. Protect your investment. Thousands of dollars are invested in your theatrical equipment and replacements are expensive. By identifying problems early repair costs can be minimized. J.R. Clancy can help you find a qualified rigging specialist in your area to inspect the condition of your backstage equipment. You’ll be provided with a clear, written assessment so you can easily address any necessary repairs or replacements that that need to be made. Ultimately, you’ll have greater peace of mind knowing your theatre is as safe as possible. Don’t forget the training. An annual inspection is just one component toward a safe entertainment facility. In addition, staff and students should be taught “the ropes” by instructors knowledgeable in the field of stage rigging and theatrical equipment. If you would like to have your theatre inspected for safety and have a qualified rigging specialist contact you to discuss an inspection contact Tom Young at 1-800-836-1885 (9-5 EST) or email him at tomyoung@jrclancy.com. Don’t forget to ask about backstage safety training programs for staff and students.
	Things To Look For
	There is no substitute for a yearly inspection by a trained professional, however there are danger signs you can look for:
	Training records - who's trained and authorized to use the rigging equipment? Users of any heavy, moving equipment need to be trained. There should be written documentation of who's been trained, and who is authorized to use the rigging equipment. People who are not trained and authorized must not use the equipment.
	Are Safety Instructions Posted? If not, contact the rigging systems installer or manufacturer and get their warning notices and instructional signs.
	Do you have operating Manuals? Everyone using the system should be familiar with the rigging system operations manual. If you can't locate these, contact the rigging systems installer or manufacturer and get the manuals for your system.
	Arbor spreader plates in place? Spreader plates should be located every two feet in the counterweight arbor. In case of a runaway these will help keep the weights in the arbor by preventing the rods from bowing. Make sure there are labels on the arbor backbones indicating spreader plate locations. Need Labels? (link to page where you can order labels)
	Arbor collars locked? The locking collars should be on top of a spreader plate at the top of the counterweights. The set screws should be tightened firmly. If the set screws are missing, buy replacements.
	Worn wire rope?
	Worn hand lines?
	Wire rope terminations?
	Funny feel when you pull a set?
	Record of last inspection?
	Rope locks adjusted properly?