Indiana State Fair Stage Collapse Reports

The reports are in on last year's tragic stage collapse, that killed 7 and left many severely injured.  There seems plenty of blame to go around.  Officials from the State of Indiana say this is not about fixing blame, just improving operations.  In the real world, attorneys for the dead and injured file lawsuits to do just that.  The promoter, the staging company, Sugarland and the State of Indiana have all been named in lawsuits.  Some (but not all) of the take aways from the reports include:

• Incomplete and underdeveloped emergency plans and procedures
• No clear chain of command and no single designated person with the authority and responsibility to pull the plug on a show to insure public safety
• Poor communications and record keeping in meetings, of who attended and what decisions were made by specific persons
• The stage was not up to code to withstand mandated wind loads
• The state of Indiana adopted outdated code models and eliminated many inspection requirements
• The lateral support rigging was inadequate to handle the wind load once the roof tarp, LED screen and other equipment were added
• Inadequate use of available technology and expertise

You may read the reports and download them from the following links: 

http://www.in.gov/sfc/files/041212_WA_Final_ISFC_Report.pdf  and 

http://www.thorntontomasetti.com/news/spotlight/199-indiana_state_fair_commission_investigation_report

Over the next several days I will examine some of those recommendations in detail to help you avoid these types of problems and liability issues in your production or fundraising business.  You do not have to have 12 thousand people at your show to end up with mass casualties and injuries and a moral and legal nightmare that lasts for years. 

How do you prepare to keep your patrons safe?  What is the chain of command in your company/nonprofit project management?  How do you know the stage and rigging is safe?  What do you do if there is oncoming severe weather?  Are your plans adequate?