Safety when hanging things over people's heads

Safety is not a brake on your craft — it is part of your craft. You work with heavy equipment at height, with electricity and often under time pressure. That is why it is in this trade that good habits and clear rules save people from getting hurt.

When you hang equipment it must be able to bear far more than its own weight with good margin. You must know the weight of what you're hanging and know the limits of what's holding it. Never guess — always check. A coupling or wire with damage must be discarded not used 'just this one time'.

Light and sound draw a lot of power. You must understand distribution, fuses and how to avoid overloading a circuit. Wet weather at outdoor events and electricity do not go together — protection against water and correct grounding is not up for discussion.

Lifts, ladders and rigs mean you often work up high. Fall protection, cleared work areas and agreements about who can stand where make the difference. Tools must be secured so they cannot fall on people below.

• 01Use hearing protection at high noise — hearing does not come back
• 02Intense light sources can blind and heat — avoid looking into them
• 03Heavy lifting must be shared and done with good back posture
• 04Long days require breaks so concentration holds during the shift

You are rarely alone. Safety is something the team creates together: you tell each other, keep zones clear, and stop if something looks wrong. It takes a little time to do things right — but far less than an accident.

“The best technician is not the fastest, but the one whose production never causes an accident.”