STANDS & TRUSSING
RESOURCES

TRUSSING, STRUCTURES & RIGGING GUIDELINES:

What are the Standards for Stage Rigging Equipment?

 

Two new multi-part British Standards covering Lifting equipment for performance, broadcast and similar applications began to be published in 2000. BS 7905 is a specification for equipment and BS 7906 is a code of practice for use of the equipment. Part 1 of each standard gives requirements for overhead stage equipment used for lifting in film, television, theatre, exhibition and other performance environments. It does not cover stage elevators, nor truss systems. Part 2 of each standard gives requirements for truss and tower systems.

 

Full details are given below:

 

BS 7905-1:2001 Lifting equipment for performance, broadcast and similar applications – Part 1: Specification for the design and manufacture of above stage equipment (excluding trusses and towers). Now published. £100 from BSI, or £75 for PLASA members ordering from PLASA.

 

BS 7905-2:2000 Lifting equipment for performance, broadcast and similar applications – Part 2: Specification for the design and manufacture of aluminium and steel trusses and towers. Now published. £36 from BSI or £27 for PLASA members ordering from PLASA.

 

BS 7906-1:200X Lifting equipment for performance, broadcast and similar applications – Part 1: Code of practice for use of above stage equipment (excluding trusses and towers). Still to be drafted.

 

BS 7906-2:2000 Lifting equipment for performance, broadcast and similar applications – Part 2: Code of practice for use of aluminium and steel trusses and towers. Now published. £36 from BSI or £27 for PLASA members ordering from PLASA.

 

These documents are available British Standards Institution (BSI) - tel: +44 (0)20 8996 9001; web: www.bsi-global.com; or PLASA members in the UK may order from PLASA to receive a 25% discount. See here for more information.

 

ANSI E1.2-2000 Entertainment Technology - Design, Manufacture and Use of Aluminum Trusses and Towers, written by ESTA's Technical Standards Program, is a very similar document to BS 7905-2 and BS 7906-2 (indeed, it is the origin of those standards). The differences are that the British Standard also covers steel trusses and towers and that the references to other documents are to appropriate national standards. ANSI E1.2 is available from ESTA Publications in the USA - tel and fax: +1 315 463 6467.