SAFETY ALERT OVER TEMPORARY STRUCTURES
08 February 2012
The Standing Committee on Structural Safety (SCOSS) has warned that stages may not always be built strongly enough to cope with all the heavy lighting equipment. Even if they are, drapping banners across structures can increase wind loadings to an unexpected degree and risk catastrophic collapse.
The warning was prompted by recent collapses of temporary stage structures in the USA and Europe during entertainment events, resulting in numerous fatalities and injuries. Reasons why the failures have taken place have not yet been published, although initially wind has been reported as a contributory cause. The temporary structures which have been involved in these collapses appear to be similar to those which may be used in the UK.
The safety alert, which is available in full online, provides best practice guidance for event promoters, contractors and local authorities.