Action on theatre health and safety
The Theatre Safety Committee is to produce an Incident Enquiry Form as an aid to improving theatre health and safety.
The document, which will be made available to everyone working in theatre from January 2009, will enable reports of incidents (accidents and near misses) to be made on a confidential basis.
The industry believes that better data collection will help everyone concerned to learn much more about the prevention of accidents from the incidents which occur.
The Theatre Safety Committee (TSC) is a cross-industry body which brings together theatre specialists, trade unions and employers.
Commenting on the initiative, Willy Donaghy, Arts and Entertainment Division Supervisory Official, and BECTU’s representative on the TSC, said: “BECTU welcomes this positive development. We hope that the information gathering exercise will help to improve the health and safety of theatre workers throughout the UK.”
The press release from the TSC is reproduced below.
Press release
Theatre cross-industry committee produces Incidents Enquiry Form
A document for recording Incidents (accidents and near-misses) in the Theatre Industry for analysis of cause and effect has been adopted by the influential Theatre Safety Committee (TSC). From January 2009 it will be available to everyone involved in the theatre industry.
The purpose of the form is to help the theatre industry understand the type and number of accidents and near-misses in the industry. The purpose is absolutely not to attribute blame but to learn from what has happened in the past in order to try and avoid repeats in the future. The industry wants to establish the causes of near-misses as well as accidents so that they are not repeated and so as to avoid inappropriate enforcement action by officers who may not understand the industry's working methods. Learning from the past can help prevent an accident. The form is not, however, a substitute in any way for any statutory or contractual obligations nor any in-house reports.
Speaking on behalf of the TSC, Chairman Howard Bird said: 'The Committee believes confidential reporting of near-misses will help us understand how to avoid the same happening again and perhaps prevent a serious accident. We believe that the industry as a whole will benefit from this analysis. Submission of the form is anonymous so we hope that this will encourage people, who might usually be reticent, to come forward and share their experiences without fear of retribution.'
The form will be distributed throughout the TSC membership in both electronic and paper versions.
Ends
For further information please contact Howard Bird, Chairman, Theatre Safety Committee: [email protected]
Notes for editors:
1.The Theatre Safety Committee is a cross-industry body that monitors developments and disseminates information relating to health and safety in the theatre industry.
2.The members of the Theatre Safety Committee are: Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT), Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BECTU), Equity, Independent Theatre Council (ITC), Institute of Entertainment and Arts Professionals (IEAP), Musicians' Union (MU), National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA), Society of London Theatre (SOLT), Stage Management Association (SMA) and Theatrical Management Association (TMA).
Thursday 20 November 2008