Layher stage constructions

Rigger

is a fitter acting as a top man. How does the rigger’s work begin?  He must "arrive at the ceiling" in the first place, and where will the suspender be projected. This means it will be  necessary to receive a work ticket, and to get all the instructions from the building chief engineer regarding the permissible loads.  

Anything might be in store for the rigger while under the ceiling – up to the lack of man ways for travelling during the work. Not all the buildings are equipped with them though there are special structures considered for man ways between the false ceiling and the roof. Shopping arcade is the most convenient platform from this point of view: there is a hanging stage under its glass atrium moving in several directions.    

Winch arrangements are used for lifting and suspension of the lighting, sound and decorative equipment. All suspension elements should be certified, and winches should be subject to periodic control testing. Each rigger should be well aware and informed of the suspension elements standards, as well as of the system of quantities (i.e. to know how to convert kilos to newtons, and vice versa even if he is knocked up in the middle of the night).  


In the course of their operation, riggers use ropes, chains, clamping carbines, rope tackle  blocks (system of tackle blocks to ease  the rope pulling), cable ropes, spunsets (multiple-cord tough tapes with kevlar addition (TM), and various types of other facilities of major importance.  

Work should be done in the unfussy, accurate and prompt manner, since the time allocated for the equipment installation is mostly strictly limited (due to renting of the auditorium, tour terms, and other showbiz conditions). Riggers are lifted to the ceiling only in pairs (just like mountaineers  during the top climbing).  

From the «ground», their work is directed by the ground-riggers: knowledgeable professionals well aware of what and how the work should be done to achieve the high-end result (myself used to done top man’s job over there on heights…). What is required of him in the first place is to control the winch condition and have a clear-cut understanding of the process. The ground-rigger’s tool is a laser pointer which is used to indicate the winches suspension points.  

Sky-Folders are directly involved in suspending and hanging activities, «spidermen» in loose translation. Besides knowledge of geometry, they should be flexible, and act according to the proposed circumstances.  

For example, the point of suspension is not always located at the available position. Then, it will be required to search for other options, alongside with distributing the load into two or more additional points.

Their work is extremely dangerous since any other object dropped from the height, no matter how small it may be, can cause injury on another person working below.