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I am on a Texas based show. We play in the Wyoming and Colorado area during the summer, but spend the greater part of the year in Texas. Any trips this way? That would be awesome, but I wouldn't think of asking. Only because it seems you would truly enjoy such an experience do I even put this out there. If you come this way, I am sure we would be glad to have you.
Thank you to everyone for all the great suggestions and references so far. I am soaking this up.
“The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” ~Mark Twain
Butterfly, where are you? I do travel sometimes for other reasons and perhaps it might be possible. I wish I had the resources to be able to just visit any show that wanted to try something different and give them whatever I could.

The fact that you are taking this seriously and looking for ways to provide meaningful and useful information to the crew folks is admirable. In all the years I spent on traveling shows and at theme parks, safety training ranked very high on dreaded events -- not because it was unnecessary, but because the classes or meetings were often so dull and uninteresting that it took a lot of effort to pay attention and then try to relate the information to my actual field work.

I had the misfortune to have to sit through an eight hour seminar on bolts and fasteners given by a high ranking member of the American Fastener Institute and this guy spent at least six hours on the physics of bolted joints. I really don't care that a bolt works by being elongated and the reactive force of that elongation is why a bolted joint holds, I needed to know how to be sure I had selected the proper bolt for the job (believe me bolted joints are a nightmare to deal with due to material grading, reuse, type of load appled, and a host of other factors). People working in the field don;t kneed a lot of detail, just the basics to know what they are doing is correct.

Warren
That is kind of the idea behind the videos. I will give them a scene to play out, and ask them first to do something wrong intentionally. I will not give them any ideas. I want to see what they think of, so I can see what they hold in highest priority. Then, we will talk about it, and tape it done correctly. That way when the tape is used as a safety training aid, we will still be able to discuss what they viewers see as mistakes and see what they catch.
Besides, who doesn't enjoy a chuckle as time goes by at what their friends looked like back in the day?
Warren, it's too bad you aren't closer. I would love to have such an informative meeting with a new face at the front keeping it fresh. Sounds like it would be great for both sides.
“The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” ~Mark Twain
The Ohio dept. of Ag showed a movie using various inspectors from across the country in role playing just as you described, it was hilarious.
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Originally posted by butterfly in reverse

I appreciate that. Send it along. Thanks.



I have e-mailed you the handbook, attached as a .PDF file. Let me know if there were problems receiving it --
This is actually a tough one. Most of the topics that need to be covered in all types of safety training are, in reality, quite dull and hard to spice up to keep attention yet still get the message across. Things like fall protection and assembly safety and OSHA rules are best just dealt with but when it comes to your company's approach to guest safety and those times where your crew has to interact directly with guests, try some role playing with everyone involved including management. Create a real life scene from things that actually happen on your midway with people in roles they do not normally hold, let the scene play out, and then while you have coffee or something let the players review what happened from the point of view of their real job and how it could be better or safer. I've been suprised sometimes at how much people get into this and then they stop and think. Put someone from the office as the ride operator, put the ride operator in the role of the patron with a few too many beers, and let the electrician be the office manager. Soemtimes you get some really amazing results.

When you can, have someone from outside the show come in and offer their experience and views. I would enjoy doing a session on rigging and fall protection for a show for two reasons. One is that I would learn from the show crew what their real issues are and how they feel and then could use my experience in the live entertainment industry to help them find solutions that would work for them but still meet the requirements and keep them safe. Sometimes the best solutions come from those who have to deal with the issue. I would actually volunteer to do this for a show here in town.

Keep up the effort. The industry has to continue to improve in this area and make it a great and safe place to work.

Warren
I appreciate that. Send it along. Thanks.
“The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” ~Mark Twain
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Originally posted by butterfly in reverse

Anything helps, just don't put yourself out over it. You can send to my email (safetychick04@yahoo.com) or you can pm me if you have it on paper and would prefer to "send" it. I appreciate any ideas, suggestions, or constructive comments. Thanks so much.



I have it in PDF format (requires Adobe Acrobat 5.0 or better) but I can email it to you. It's no big deal, I already wrote it long ago, but it covers alot of 'midway common sense' that few people in the industry ever exhibit.
Anything helps, just don't put yourself out over it. You can send to my email (safetychick04@yahoo.com) or you can pm me if you have it on paper and would prefer to "send" it. I appreciate any ideas, suggestions, or constructive comments. Thanks so much.
“The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” ~Mark Twain
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Originally posted by butterfly in reverse

For the most part Safety Meetings on my show are my responsibility. I am wondering if anyone may have some fresh ideas for keeping them interactive and making them more fun, with safety still a priority. If you are going to suggest games, be specific please, because I feel we have about done em all...



If you would like, I will forward you a copy of the operational procedures I wrote for GAS/GAC if that might give you some ideas...