Overview 

This standard is about supervising a rigging team. You will need to interpret and where necessary consult and adapt the rigging design and then supervise the preparation, marking out and installation of rigging and de-rigging to make sure that it is carried out safely and efficiently.

This standard is for anyone involved with overseeing rigging and derigging for live productions.

Performance Criteria

You must be able to:

1. gather and interpret information about requirements to understand the plan and method statements
2. identify any constraints that may make the requirements difficult to achieve and suggest viable alternatives
3. present these constraints at appropriate times
4. specify compatible equipment and components from rigging plans
5. check the assembly of rigging equipment and accessories for lifting meets requirements
6. obtain authorisation from appropriate engineers and venue management staff to use structural members in buildings for rigging points
7. select rigging points or supports that comply with rigging plans
8. identify problems or incidents, taking action to resolve them or by referral to others in line with requirements
9. ensure risk assessments comply with health and safety and organisational requirements
10. devise rigging plans and make suggestions which meet venue and structural considerations when required
11. ensure suitable components are selected based on structural suitability, load capacity and design considerations
12. calculate loads to be applied to rigging or support points identified on plans
13. check and confirm suitable access arrangements are made for working at height in line with safety requirements
14. assess existing structures or fixings for suitability obtaining reports from authorised people to establish suitability
15. use information from reliable sources to confirm that information provided by others for calculation purposes is correct
16. check that rigging points being used are those identified and approved by authorised people
17. oversee the safety of work on site, making sure risk assessments, method statements and rescue plans are communicated
18. take action in line with organisational processes in response to any unforeseen risks or unsafe working practices by others
19. schedule work in ways that enhances the safety of others
20. provide information to persons responsible for constructing structures and fixing to the fabric of the supporting structure
21. define work areas in line with plans with sensitivity to the venue and other contractors
22. oversee the installation of rigging, making sure it is carried out in an efficient way and in line with safety requirements
23. check that rigging of secondary suspensions is correct and in line with operational procedures
24. control any deviations from plans or rigging designs so that rigging and derigging continues to meet production requirements
25. provide advice on the selection and use of equipment and accessories in line with rigging principles, good practice and organisational procedures
26. provide information relating to the specifications of the lifting equipment and accessories used
27. make sure that de-rigging is carried out in line with safety requirements and that all equipment and accessories are stored and the site is left clean and tidy
28. keep records in line with organisational processes
29. sign off and hand over completed work to appropriate people

Knowledge and Understanding

You must know and understand:

1. the current legislation, regulations and organisational procedures your team needs to comply with
2. the process and protocols involved in carrying out a risk assessment in line with legislation and organisational procedures
3. how to interpret risk assessments that you have not carried out yourself
4. the importance of ensuring pre-use checks of lifting equipment, accessories and PPE are carried out
5. the technical specifications of lifting equipment and accessories for lifting
6. how to calculate angular forces for example bridle legs, how to use load tables and the relevance of load conditions on structures
7. how to calculate the loads and distribution of proposed loading on structures
8. the basic principles of structural steelwork design and the effects of loads on buildings
9. the rigging requirements of the production and how to apply that knowledge to the context of the venue
10. how to devise rigging plans and method statements if required
11. how to assess the demands of the production in order to schedule elements of rigging work
12. how to interpret the rigging design into a list of equipment and resources
13. the principles of safe working load, working load limit, simple statics and rigging materials and their compatibility
14. the importance of communication to rigging teams
15. when it is important to communicate constraints, needs and opportunities
16. the importance of gaining authorisation to use structural members for rigging points or supports
17. the principles and best practice in rigging methods and techniques
18. the deviations that may occur and the solutions that may be available
19. the specifications required to rig adequate secondary suspensions
20. implications of providing accurate load information to the venue and to any persons responsible for making attachments
21. how to check that lifting equipment and accessories are compatible and aligned
22. the requirements for keeping records, signing off work and handing over work in line with organisational procedures