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Author Topic: Tent recommendations for deck stages  (Read 4001 times)

Roland Clarke

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Re: Tent recommendations for deck stages
« Reply #10 on: June 13, 2019, 09:00:34 PM »

I can’t comment on the situation in America, but this exact issue came up recently with a local council.  A local supplier in what I can only assume to be an attempt to knock other suppliers out of the running for work in the area, sent an alarmist letter citing how dangerous staging can be and linking to articles on stage collapses as many of us have seen.  These people owned a European, purpose built, mobile stage.

Their argument was that stage covering had to be rated as part of the stage structure.  I was asked for my opinion on it and frankly I wasn’t sure of the current regulation so I looked it up.  The structures being cited as unsuitable was a marquee used to cover a litedeck stage.  I checked the relevant legislation and found that this was perfectly acceptable as the marquee had a wind rating and ballast requirement and as it was a separate structure to the deck which was also compliant if a competent person was happy with due diligence that was acceptable.

There are caveats, nothing can be added to the covering structure in excess of its load rating, so hanging a truss and lights from the roof isn’t likely to be acceptable unless it is rated for such and It mustn’t be attached to the stage as then it would require a rating for that.

Strangely enough, in the U.K. a scaffold stage is still acceptable, as long as it is constructed by a certificated erector and he is prepared to state that it is safe for the required purpose.
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Tim Hite

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Re: Tent recommendations for deck stages
« Reply #11 on: June 13, 2019, 09:17:32 PM »

I've been looking at this issue and haven't found any good solution. Wanted a tent over a riser at FOH and can't seem to find a safe way to do it without breaking the bank.
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Rick Earl

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Re: Tent recommendations for deck stages
« Reply #12 on: June 14, 2019, 11:45:59 AM »

No matter what we do, if we put it out there, we take on the liability.  There is a "standard of care". If you erect  and operate the structure as per instructions by the manufacture, and show due diligence for foreseeable problems. You MAY get by without losing a lawsuit.  If you modify or manufacture your own, you had better have engineering documents to back you up, because that is the first thing the prosecuting attorney is going to point out.    If you can't show me the documentation, it won't be allowed in any of my venues, because if I let you, I am now also assuming some of the liability.    Tents can be just as dangerous as big roof systems, people have been seriously injured and killed by them.
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Dave Pluke

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Re: Tent recommendations for deck stages
« Reply #13 on: June 17, 2019, 11:42:06 AM »

No matter what we do, if we put it out there, we take on the liability.

Agreed.  IMHO, canopy/tenting/cover on that scale is better left to a (qualified and insured) 3rd party contractor.

The tent providers I work with either use stakes or concrete ballast blocks (where they cannot stake).  They also carry filler and asphalt patch to seal up any holes left by the stakes.  These crews are so efficient at what they do that I cannot see any advantage in an Audio contractor taking on this task.

Dave
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Taylor Hall

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Re: Tent recommendations for deck stages
« Reply #14 on: June 17, 2019, 12:07:37 PM »

Agreed.  IMHO, canopy/tenting/cover on that scale is better left to a (qualified and insured) 3rd party contractor.

The tent providers I work with either use stakes or concrete ballast blocks (where they cannot stake).  They also carry filler and asphalt patch to seal up any holes left by the stakes.  These crews are so efficient at what they do that I cannot see any advantage in an Audio contractor taking on this task.

Dave
Exactly this. If it takes anything larger than an EZ-Up it's not worth my time or effort.
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Rob Spence

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Re: Tent recommendations for deck stages
« Reply #15 on: August 18, 2019, 01:34:06 PM »

I always ask for the tent to go on the ground as it reduces the size of the stage by a bunch when placed on the stage. Alternatively you can make the stage larger than usual.

When on the stage, you cannot remove the stage until the tent folk show up (eventually) and strike the tent.

Too many times, the tent turns out to not be tall enough in the downstage edge and the tent occluded a view of taller performers. Also, it messes with trying to light things.
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Brian Jojade

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Re: Tent recommendations for deck stages
« Reply #16 on: August 19, 2019, 12:38:37 PM »

I am looking for a cover too for our small "choir riser" style Wegner stage.  Since we have truss and bass plates I was thinking of putting 10ft totems up front and 8 ft in the back then using the single truss poles from global and simply putting a black tarp across the top.  (for 24' would use 4 front to back single poles for sagging. 

For us it's light rain protection, shade and would only be up a few hours at a time.

Doing stuff like this is very very dangerous.  The size of the sail that you are creating won't take much wind to take off. 

Stage canopies are expensive for a reason.  Trying to build something cheaper than anything on the market isn't safe and should never be done without engineering approval.

It's best to hire out a tent company for these things. It's not likely to be economical for you to do it on your own for a small stage.
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Roland Clarke

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Re: Tent recommendations for deck stages
« Reply #17 on: August 21, 2019, 09:25:01 AM »

Even though I’m not in the states, I would echo Brian’s comments.  In the U.K. there is a problem if the cover is attached to the stage as it effectively becomes part of the structure.  We get around this with a marquee cover that goes over the stage and is not attached, but water ballasted down.  Of course this doesn’t have any roof loading spec so anything more than a couple of flood lights isn’t acceptable and you can’t hang Sound rig from it.  For local festivals with maybe up to a couple of thousand perps it’s a price sensitive solution.

If you need more than this, trade on a trailer 24 x 20 trailer stage would be around £900 for a day, give or take, so I suspect that’s around $1200 by comparison.  The marquee solution is going to be around 2/3rds of that anyway.
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Tent recommendations for deck stages
« Reply #17 on: August 21, 2019, 09:25:01 AM »


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