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Ramps, Safety, OSHA


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Watching Bluecoats this year was a thrill. Then I'll be darned if, about halfway through one viewing that parental instinct kicked in unexpectedly. Geeze, those ramps are HIGH. What if a member falls off one of those? They could really hurt themselves.

And then, darn it again, the work place industrial safety instinct kicked in. If these members were not volunteers, but rather employees of the Bluecoats, OSHA regulations would require them to wear fall protection at those heights. Can you picture harnesses and lanyards?

Well, I'm glad nothing ever happened (as far as I know). But, imitation is a strong force in the marching arts. How many high school bands will be using ramps this fall or next?

Anybody have any thoughts on how the safety aspects of "going vertical" could be addressed? Heaven forbid someone should topple off one of these ramps and get seriously injured. That would change perspectives on using this type of equipment.

OSHA does not have jurisdiction for member safety in drum corps.

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OSHA does not have jurisdiction for member safety in drum corps.

As I stated in the OP

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What were the white "T" bars that Bloo added to the top platform front of the slides from about the Allentown regional on? What purpose did they serve?

Hockey Dad has raised an issue some other corps are hoping DCI will have to answer in the off season due to insurance and other considerations from DCI, venues, etc.

Otherwise 2017 will see, jetpacking snares, ziplining brass lines, bass drummers catapulting across the field, The Game of Quid'dch as a show theme, and new thinking that Crown's trampolines were definitely old school.

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those T-bars look like mic stands.

I going to guess OSHA has no bearing on this because these are not employees, but also, they've like never been to a show or been called in... yet.

in entertainment we have things like outriggers, counter & ballast weight, safety harnesses...etc because we are constantly in inherently dangerous situations. and someone has already gotten hurt long before the rule was made because they said "no problem, I can do that" before they've thought about all the factors.

In drum corps, while we practice over and over and over to make sure these things don't happen, MMs sign waivers, etc etc etc... But I'm guessing scaffolding or some other prop hasn't fallen on top of anyone yet has it? that's really, and unfortunately what it would take to restrict any sort of these set pieces, that... and a lawsuit.

until then everything is cool right?

Edited by C.Holland
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What were the white "T" bars that Bloo added to the top platform front of the slides from about the Allentown regional on? What purpose did they serve?

Their purpose was holding up microphones. They were there all season.

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those T-bars look like mic stands.

I going to guess OSHA has no bearing on this because these are not employees, but also, they've like never been to a show or been called in... yet.

in entertainment we have things like outriggers, counter & ballast weight, safety harnesses...etc because we are constantly in inherently dangerous situations. and someone has already gotten hurt long before the rule was made because they said "no problem, I can do that" before they've thought about all the factors.

In drum corps, while we practice over and over and over to make sure these things don't happen, MMs sign waivers, etc etc etc... But I'm guessing scaffolding or some other prop hasn't fallen on top of anyone yet has it? that's really, and unfortunately what it would take to restrict any sort of these set pieces, that... and a lawsuit.

until then everything is cool right?

Thanks, Chris.

Oh yes, several corps have lost staff temporarily to falling scaffolding collapses, Genesis drum major is on Youtube for his amazing recovery when his podium collapsed at an exhibition, and many old timers like me were startled to see Coats do their successful blind trust jumps in Tilt because we remember other corps having to eliminate them in earlier times because wet grass, poor shoes, etc. did not make them successful or safe attempts. And then there was the bloody experience of DCI percussion judge Charlie Poole at a show in CT when he ended up as part of a saber toss.

Interesting times for a dynamic but very human activity.

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Their purpose was holding up microphones. They were there all season.

Thanks.

I didn't notice them until the Regionals where I was sitting higher up and at a different angle from my usual field level seating.

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Thanks, Chris.

Oh yes, several corps have lost staff temporarily to falling scaffolding collapses, Genesis drum major is on Youtube for his amazing recovery when his podium collapsed at an exhibition, and many old timers like me were startled to see Coats do their successful blind trust jumps in Tilt because we remember other corps having to eliminate them in earlier times because wet grass, poor shoes, etc. did not make them successful or safe attempts. And then there was the bloody experience of DCI percussion judge Charlie Poole at a show in CT when he ended up as part of a saber toss.

Interesting times for a dynamic but very human activity.

And until someone complains and takes it to the authorities for any reason. You likely won't see OSHA in drum corps.

mostly because people just accept you could get hurt doing this activity.

FWIW i'm not advocating for osha, safety bars...etc. I merely advocate for being smart and thinking through all of the options with how you use a prop, and how you design it to be safe and teaching your MMs to be safe performing on it. Ive been in many a show that was OSHA-fied and an actor still managed to hurt themselves.

Edited by C.Holland
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in the hypothetical, who has the authority to step in and tell a corps they can't do something they are planning to do on account of safety?
I imagine that onsite a show-runner has final authority to step in and tell a group they can't perform if they are going to do something deemed unsafe.

but if rumor gets out in training that a corps is planning on doing something incredibly dangerous, does anybody know for certain if DCI has the authority to say 'no, you won't be allowed to perform at any of our shows if you do that' ?

I don't think we're near that point, I imagine most corps directors care about the health and wellbeing of their members...TILT was probably the closest I've seen, and I heard that they had an extensive 'can we do this safely' trial period before locking anything...but it's something of interest

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I find it interesting that Hockey "Dad" the emphasis on Dad started this thread. At an early show in July, I sat in front of a mother and father who had s child in Bluecoats, and when the ramps came out and their child, either a snare or color guard member, was at the top, there was an audible gasp from them. It was a great show, one of my favorites, but Bluecoats should be very grateful no one was hurt. Crown should be grateful too in regards to the stagecoach but also the trampolines in 2014.

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