Moving Forward with a Spring in Our Step and 2020 in the Rearview

April is Rigging Safety Month! We are a proud member of USITT’s Rigging Safety Initiative (RSI) and we’ll be crowing about the RSI on our social media platforms for the entire month. From rigging safety tips to items you’ll find in a riggers toolbox, this information campaign will lead you right up to National Arbor Day, which those in our industry know and celebrate as #RigSafe Day!

What is the RSI? The website says it best: “The RSI offers free stage rigging inspections and safety training for secondary schools across America. Once a school’s application is approved, they choose from a list of participating ETCP certified rigging inspectors in their area.” As a participating ETCP certified rigging inspector, we can go out to a school to thoroughly inspect their rigging system and provide four to six hours of safety training to their faculty and student stage crews. For program guidelines, click here.

As we move forward with 2020 in the rearview mirror, we would be remiss not to acknowledge the impact of a global pandemic on the entertainment industry and beyond. When it felt like our world stopped abruptly in mid-March, 2020, we weren’t sure what the future would hold. Some companies were able to close up shop temporarily, but unfortunately, many had to close permanently. Others pivoted their manufacturing lines to serve other purposes/answer current needs while continuing to provide much-needed employment to their workers.

Fortunately, IA Stage was able to remain open. Things slowed down significantly for a while because our operations are affected when our clients’ operations are affected. During that time, we took every measure possible to mitigate exposure to the virus at our home facility: we immediately established and posted safety protocols for ourselves and our vendors to follow, we mandated mask-wearing inside our facilities, we controlled entrances and exits to keep touching shared surfaces to a minimum, we supplied hand sanitation stations and appropriate sanitation supplies throughout the facilities, we stopped meeting in person and became pretty savvy with video conferencing, we even ate our lunches at our desks to minimize exposure in the kitchen. Full disclosure? We’re still doing all of these things one year later. We supported our clients by carefully working on job sites that remained open, by stepping back onto sites as they re-opened, and by providing project management support for all projects, even those that were temporarily shut down.

Why say all of this? Because at our core, we value Safety Above All Else. Wherever you are with your project, when you feel it’s safe to move forward, we’re ready to help. When you’re ready, call us.

Keep an eye on @IAStage on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to tag us when you share your own safety practices, and follow #Rigsafe!