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Is your meter lying to you? Can welding cable be used in event applications? Does electricity always take the path of least resistance? Is it ok to plug a power strip into another power strip? What about extension cords? In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast Danielle welcomes back author, ETCP Recognized Trainer, ETCP Certified Entertainment Electrician, and all-around fabulous human Richard Cadena. He discusses his most recent article in Protocol Journal and challenges Danielle to a game of “Lies, Damn Lies, and More Lies”. If you work regularly with electrics, you MUST check out this episode. Is Your Meter Lying to You? (Protocol)Richard Cadena WebsiteEntertainment Services & Technology Association (ESTA)

What is harm reduction, and how does it apply to live events? In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and special guest host Tami Richter chat with Stefanie Jones, harm reduction advocate and founder of the Safe Partying Program. They discuss how harm reduction principles can create safer events, strategies for implementation, training resources, the line between support and encouragement, and more.  NOTES: Dancesafe TripSit Safer Partying Checklist (Drug Policy Alliance) Harm Reduction Circle Fireside Project

It’s been a year since we last discussed insurance on the Pod…what’s changed since then? In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and Steve welcome Rochelle Brotter-Wayne (Reel Media) and Peter Tempkins (HUB International) for a look at the current state of the event insurance industry. Topics of discussion include the role of your insurance partner, how claim size and frequency influences rates, COVID’s impact on availability of coverage, workers compensation, the benefits of insurers getting out in the field, and more.

Many of us got our first taste of “the life” in our high school theater program. What if there was a framework for developing and evaluating the skills and knowledge we acquired back then? In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, Danielle sits down Kristi Ross-Clausen and Dana Taylor, two developers of the USITT BACKstage Exam (Basic and Comprehensive Knowledge Exam for High School Technical Theatre Students), designed to evaluate the knowledge and work readiness of technical theatre students at the high school level. They discuss the rationale behind its development, structure and topics covered by the program, how it differs from the existing eSET exam, and more. Notes: BACKstage Exam for High School Students (USITT) Essential Skills for the Entertainment Technician (eSET) Event Safety Access Training (ESAT)

Conference season is in full swing, which included the successful return of the USITT Conference earlier this month. In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and Steve talk with outgoing USITT Executive Director David Grindle about lessons learned from at this year’s event, adjusting to changing COVID protocols, new program features, CTE training for high school students, improving diversity in the theatrical trades, and much more.

The USITT Conference is this week, and what better way to celebrate then a new Event Safety Podcast episode on Broadway touring?! In this episode Danielle and Steve talk with NETworks Tours Senior Production Manager Hector Guivas about safety at touring theatrical productions. Discussion topics include using modeling to enhance safety, working across diverse and often challenging venues, coordination with house teams, show stop planning, and how COVID as changed productions and the touring environment.

To the bridge! In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, we expand on last episode’s conversation about the Incident Command System with a look at where the ICS magic happens - the command center. Danielle and Steve are joined once again by Tami Richter and John Badcock from SXSW, along with event control room specialist Chrissie Gilbert for a discussion on ideal room setup, technology, personnel and show operations.

We’re back with the first Event Safety Podcast of 2022! In this episode, Danielle and Steve are joined by Tami Richter and John Badcock from SXSW for a conversation about applying the Incident Command System to event operations. They discuss the foundational principles of ICS, the benefits of its use, integrating ICS to your event plans, and much more.

From airplanes and grocery stores to stadiums and other event spaces, we are living through an unprecedented era of grievance and conflict. Ushers and event security are on the front lines of this battle between health and safety versus aggressively-held assertions of personal liberties. In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, we rebroadcast a session from our recent Event Safety TV broadcast featuring Duke University Assistant AD of Game Ops, Championships and Events Becca Wilusz. Becca helps contextualize the issue as it affects event security , suggests methods that acknowledge people’s right to respectfully disagree, and explores how to de-escalate tensions and maintain safety for all attendees. Show Notes: PEACE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: Providing Event Security to Guests with Grievances (Youtube) About Becca Wilusz: Becca Wilusz serves as the Assistant Director of Athletics/Game Operations and Championships. Wilusz is a Duke Athletics lead in planning and execution of stadium safety and security operations and has been recognized as an Industry Leader Under 40 by The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security. A multiple degree graduate of Duke University, Wilusz earned a B.S.E. in biomedical and mechanical engineering with a minor in history in 2007, a M.S. in biomedical engineering in 2011, and a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering in 2013.

In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Steve and Danielle take a look at the newly-released ANSI ES1.4-2021 Event Fire Safety Requirements standard with the chair of the fire safety working group, ESA’s own Dr. Donald Cooper. They discuss the importance of this new standard, the thinking behind its development, how it was created and approved, topics covered and more.

Time to clip in and join us for another edition of The Event Safety Podcast! In this episode, Danielle and Steve examine the hazards of working at height with Rigging and Safety Manager Phil Van Hest. Topics of discussion include mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPS), applicable standards, rescue planning, training, inspections, and much more. This episode is brought to you by Bigger Hammer Production Services SHOW NOTES: ANSI/SAIA A92.22: Safe Use Of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) Bigger Hammer Training Center ABOUT PHIL: Phil van Hest provides Rigging, Fall Protection and Heavy Equipment instruction in the LA area. Before entering the world of rigging safety, Phil toured the world as a comic/writer/performer, and thinks twice about mentioning it; rigging and safety are famously humorless subjects. Phil is the Safety and Rigging Manager for Bigger Hammer Production Services, and an ETCP Recognized Trainer holding certifications in Arena and Theatrical rigging. He currently resides in Orange County, another place in California named after a thing that used to be there before it got paved over.

Attention safety nerds! It’s time to break out the bookmark, make space on the bookshelf, or dust off that Kindle. In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and Steve share some of their favorite safety-related (or safety-adjacent) books, as well as a number of excellent user-submitted recommendations. Whether you’re into behavioral psychology, history, or just a good safety manual there’s bound to be something to capture your interest. If you have suggestions for our next episode of recommended reading, drop us a line at podcast@eventsafetyalliance.org. Show Notes: Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of Persuasion The Hour Between Dog and Wolf: How Risk Taking Transforms Us, Body and Mind Safety and Health for the Stage: Collaboration with the Production Process The Event Safety Guide Health & Safety Guide for Film, TV & Theater by Rossol, Monona. (Allworth Press,2011) [Paperback] Second (2nd) Edition Practical Health and Safety Guidelines for School Theater Operations: Assessing the Risks in Middle, Junior, and Senior High School Theater Buildings and Programs The special event risk management manual Amanda Ripley: The Unthinkable : Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - And Why (Paperback); 2009 Edition Stage Rigging Handbook, Third Edition Rigging Math Made Simple, Eighth Edition Entertainment Rigging - Revised and Expanded 2nd Edition Triangle: The Fire That Changed America The Circus Fire: A True Story of an American Tragedy Tinder Box: The Iroquois Theatre Disaster 1903 The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right Weather in the Courtroom: Memoirs from a Career in Forensic Meteorology The Challenger Launch Decision: Risky Technology, Culture, and Deviance at NASA Unfuck Your Brain: Getting Over Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Freak-Outs, and Triggers with science Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships (Nonviolent Communication Guides) The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living: A Guide to ACT What to Do When Things Go Wrong: A Five-Step Guide to Planning for and Surviving the Inevitable―And Coming Out Ahead Killer Show: The Station Nightclub Fire, America’s Deadliest Rock Concert

A lot can change in a few short months. With the Delta variant surging and many jurisdictions reinstituting COVID-19 restrictions, Danielle and Steve check in with Morgan Deane (New York Independent Venues Association, Lasher Louis Productions) and Erica Fee (Rochester Fringe Festival) for a look at how they’re adjusting operations to account for our new (old) reality. Discussion includes New York City’s new vaccination requirement for live event venues, mask mandates, managing artists and vendors traveling in from COVID hot spots, accommodating young attendees and those who cannot be vaccinated, and more. Show Notes: Corsi-Rosenthal Cube (Build Your Own!)

After more than a year without events, being back to ‘normal’ can feel a little bit.. abnormal. In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and Steve share their thoughts on ESA’s first in-person appearance since Winter 2020 as part of Summer NAMM in Nashville. They discuss what it was like being in a full-capacity, largely unmasked environment after more than a year, the challenges of navigating regional differences in attitudes towards COVID-19, and recap a rare but instructive disagreement that arose during their presentation over the way people typically respond to emergency situations.

In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast we dive into the often complicated world of insurance with Scott Carroll (Take1 Insurance), David Cloward (Hub Entertainment), Susan McGuirl (Hub Entertainment) and Peter Tempkins (Hub Entertainment). They explore why insurance is important, what coverage event professionals should carry, why one’s classification as a contractor vs. and employee matters, what the insurance industry landscape looks like post-COVID, and more. Show Notes: Event Safety Access Training ESA Crew Cover

As many of us return to work, we do so with a measure of uncertainty, and in some cases a great level of concern. Rarely has mental health been more at the forefront for our workforce. Looking out for yourself & those around you is now possibly your most important skill. In this episode of the The Event Safety Podcast, ESA President Jim Digby discusses Mental Health First Aid training with Production Coordinator Debbie Taylor (Guns & Roses/Rolling Stones) and Consultant/MHFA Instructor Bryan Huneycutt (Huneybadger Entertainment). They explore why this training is so important to our industry, program objectives, how it has helped them in their professional and personal lives, and more. ESA is partnering with Behind the Scenes charity to deliver Mental Health First Aid training this July in Nashville. More information and registration link can be found in the show notes. SHOW NOTES: Mental Health First Aid Training (Summer NAMM, July 14)

Can you require your employees to be vaccinated? Can you ask your guests to show proof of vaccination before entry? Can you legally eject patrons for disregarding your event’s mask mandate? And what the heck does HIPAA stand for, anyway?! In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, Steve Adelman puts on his attorney cap and provides a legal perspective on these and other timely COVID-related “controversies” currently facing event operators.

One year after experiencing one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in the United States, New York’s live event industry is on the road to recovery. In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, we take a ground-level look at reopening with two New York-based professionals, Christine Jones (Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts) and Erica Fee (Rochester Fringe Festival). We discuss how recent changes to CDC and state guidelines have affected their reopening plans, enforcement challenges, vaccination requirements, and more. There’s much to learn from their experience, regardless of where in the world you’re based. Links: ESA Face Coverings

In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, we recap a conversation Danielle and special co-host Kristi Ross-Clausen had with Tony Award-winning sound designer Jessica Paz about the “No More 10 out of 12s” campaign, and how this working model negatively impacts safety, productivity, mental/physical health, and overall quality of life. While the movement originated in the theatre world, the issues discussed will seem all too familiar to those working any type of live event.  Links: No More 10 out of 12s ESA Face Coverings Jessica Paz Biography

In this special episode of the The Event Safety Podcast, ESA President Jim Digby is joined by Meegan Holmes (Global Sales Manager, 8th Day Sound) and R. Christopher Maxwell (Vice President of Production Artists, Black Theatre Caucus) for a dialog on emotional safety in the workplace. They explore the direct connection between representation and safety, unrecognized behaviors that can negatively impact communication, what leaders can do to create a more open and inclusive environment for all, and more. This is an under discussed and often challenging topic, but one that is crucial to the safety and vitality of our industry.   Produced in collaboration with our friends at the Black Theatre Caucus and Show Makers. Links: Black Theater Caucus Eighth Day Sound Showmakers