Work environment safety and ergonomics in depth
How to take care of yourself, your colleagues, and the audience
A good technician's job is not visible — the audience just experiences a concert that just works. But behind it is a workplace with heavy lifting work at height electricity and time pressure. Therefore safety and working environment are a big part of the trade and it is something you practise from the first weeks at school.
§Rigging and working at height
When sound and light are hung above a stage, they literally hang over people's heads. A rigging that fails can have fatal consequences. That's why rigging—hanging equipment in trusses and rigs—is one of the most safety-critical parts of the trade. You learn to assess weight, load capacity, and suspension points and ensure that nothing can fall.
- 01Know the equipment's weight and the support's load capacity before you hoist something up
- 02Use approved equipment and check wires, chains and shackles for damage
- 03Cordon off the area during work so no one stands under a load in the air
- 04Never work alone on critical lifts — four eyes see more than two
§Current and electricity
You pull cables and connect equipment to power all the time, often under time pressure and outdoors in rainy weather. Electricity is one of the most dangerous things at an event site because mistakes can affect both you and the audience. You learn to work systematically, use residual current protection correctly, and keep your hands off work that requires a licensed professional.
§Heavy lifting and ergonomics
Speakers light cannons cable drums and stage modules are heavy and a typical day consists of many lifts. This is where many technicians over time get back shoulder and knee pain if they are not careful. Good ergonomics is not something you think about once — it is something you do every single time you lift.
- 01PLACEHOLDER_108
- 02Use aids such as sack trucks, hoists and ramps when you can
- 03Be two for heavy things and plan the lift before you take hold
- 04Change working posture regularly — repetitive lifting strains as much as heavy lifting
§Noise, light and long days
High noise is part of the trade but persistent loud noise can permanently damage hearing. Good earplugs are standard equipment not a sign of weakness. Powerful light sources can dazzle and long days leading up to a premiere or festival cause fatigue which in itself is a safety risk. Breaks fluids and sleep are part of working safely.
§A shared responsibility
Safety at an event site is not just the individual's responsibility — it is something the whole team carries together. You must dare to say if something looks unsafe even if it delays things. A good work culture is one where it is quite normal to stop and double-check before power is applied.
“The show will be good — but it must never be good at the expense of someone getting hurt.”