INTEGRATE FOR BETTER HEALTH AND SAFETY

These days everyone in our industry is looking at costs.  But what if there were a way to save money without compromising health and safety?  Heath Freeman, managing director of Pinnacle Crew believes there is - indeed that efficiency and health and safety can even be improved - by creating better integrated teams on site.

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In a previous life I was a teacher and a sports coach, and it became very apparent from the onset that knowledge was the key to building and successful sports team, besides all the hard training. This knowledge was about knowing what we were trying to achieve and how we are going to go about achieve this goal without team injuries.

I believe the same principles apply in our industry, especially on site as this is where all the hours, days and months of preparation that have been put in by the production company come to fruition.   The last thing anyone wants on site is different people working to different objectives.  Not only is this inefficient, it compromises health and safety.

Overcoming this is not rocket science.  Quite simply, creating a unified goal-orientated team working safely on site requires the proper integration of the production team and outside contractors.

But before proper integration can be reached, I believe there are three they key steps that need to be taken at every event.

First, introduce outside contractors to all personnel and decision makers on site.  This can save time during the job since contractors will know exactly who to speak to when something unexpected happens or they need advice.

Secondly, contractors should receive a good briefing. This may seem obvious, but how can the contractors possibly appreciate what the client is trying to achieve without knowledge?  A short, detailed briefing means that contractors know exactly what is expected of them and what the deadlines are.   The most important factor in this briefing should be information on what has already been carried out on site.  This will help contractors avoid any risks by making them fully aware of health and safety hazards.

The third factor that can be very valuable is a familiarization walk through of the venue.  This will also highlight such things as potential health and safety dangers.  And, remember many contractors will be able suggest alternative plans since it is very likely that they have worked at this venue before and have found safer, better and more efficient methods.

None of this costs anything, and in fact may even save money by empowering contractors to be more efficient.  Neither is it anything we don’t already know.  Unfortunately, it is just something that slips by the wayside when we are pressurised and deadlines are looming.  But for efficiency, better health and safety, and greater cost-effectiveness, I believe that it is time our industry took a step back and seriously looked at how it manages its on-site teams.

A version of this article was published in the August 2010 issue of The Main Event

www.themaineventmagazine.co.uk

EQUIPPED FOR SAFETY

In the second of his articles on health and safety, Heath Freeman managing director of Pinnacle Crew looks at the qualifications required for working with plant and equipment, and asks whether the live events industry should continue working with other organisations or have its own validation system for training.

 Health and Safety Regulations relating to plant and equipment - such as mobile access towers, forklifts and scissor lifts - require that such items should be assembled and used only by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training, and are therefore competent in their use.

The important word here is “competent”, its definition, and ultimately who or what measures it.

Training companies for their part have implemented training courses in various plant to instruct and test levels of competency, but they are not governed - even by the Health and Safety Directive which simply states that it is the employer’s responsibility to make sure its employees are competent in using and assembling this type of equipment. So, does this mean that it is the training companies that set training standards and competency levels?

This might have been the case historically, but today we have governing bodies like the National Plant Operators Registration Scheme (NPORS), which is an HSE accredited body providing training for rider-operated lift trucks, and in turn accredits instructors and training providers. 

Other governing bodies include The Prefabricated Access Suppliers Association (PASMA), which accredits trainers to run a standard training course in the use, erection and inspection of mobile access towers.

Certain industries, like the construction industry, specify that if you use plant on site you must have a licence that is accredited by one of their governing bodies.  This makes sense to me because it eliminates any doubt or grey areas. 

Put quite simply, an organisation that governs and monitors training, sets standards of competency, and looks after the interests of a particular industry can only be a force for good.

Unfortunately, this process is not happening consistently in the live events industry.  Some venues require proof of competency, while others do not.  This is worrying and potentially hazardous.

I am not implying that we have plant operators on site who do not have licences.  However, they may possibly have acquired a version that is not monitored or endorsed by any governing body.  These are “in house” certificates of competency that training companies can provide at a reduced rate.  Again, I am not suggesting that these training programmes are inadequate, but it does mean is that it is the training companies that are setting these standards.

So should we change this?  I believe our industry trade organisations, of which there are many, should work together and establish, monitor and govern health and safety training standards that would benefit the entire industry.

Alternatively, as a sector we could adopt a monitored training scheme from one of the existing governing bodies in another industry (say the construction trade) and set this as our standard.

Either way, as our sector continues to strive for recognition from government, I believe that such initiatives would not only provide a meaningful progression in health and safety on site, but also give our sector more credibility.

A version of this article was published in the May/June issue of The Main Event (www.themaineventmagazine.co.uk).

PASSPORT TO SAFETY

With some high profile accidents resulting in prosecutions, and the Health and Safety Executive looking to reduce the incidence of accidents in the sector, health and safety is now where it should be - at the top of the agenda - in the live events industry.  Here, in the first of a regular column, Heath Freeman, managing director of Pinnacle Crew, looks at what people need to know on-site to ensure good health and safety practice.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations requires employers to ensure that all their representatives on site, both permanent and freelance staff, have received adequate and formal training in all aspects of health and safety prior to commencing work.

In the live events industry there are some basic principles that require training to ensure we adhere to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance.  These include workplace safety, which covers occupational law, employer and employee responsibilities, risk assessment and a safe place of work.  Training in the correct and safe use of plant and machinery is another HSE requirement, as is health issues covering work equipment, electricity, noise, transport, hazardous substances, manual handling and stress.  Finally, training should also cover safe systems of work, emergency procedure, fire, accidents, pollution prevention and environmental issues.

In an ideal world every employer would have an in-house training programme that covers all of the above.  Furthermore such a training programme would be presented in such a way that it would make the issues relevant to their particular sector and hence easily understandable.

I leave you to judge whether this is happening throughout our sector. However, I find it encouraging that a new initiative specially designed for the live events industry is gaining momentum.  I refer to the Safety Passport Scheme.

This scheme comprises a one-day course aimed at the general live events workforce -production staff, stage hands, lighting and sound crew, stage and set builders, technicians, stewards, drivers, riggers, laser and pyrotechnic technicians, video and production crew.

Of course, there is a limit to what can be learned in one day; but if nothing else this scheme sets a basic standard for health and safety in our industry.

The scheme has existed in other sectors for some years, and has helped them achieve credibility and a reputation for taking health and safety seriously - something we should all be aiming for in our industry.

This simple concept helps establish a safety culture by providing a nationally recognised standard of health and safety training and assessment that is cost-effective, easily accessible, and tests individual knowledge in the form of an exam..

In addition, by introducing an industry-wide safety scheme we can raise awareness of our serious approach to health and safety.  Without setting industry wide basic standards, how are we to improve?  It is for this reason, if no other, I believe the Safety Passport is an important development in the live events industry. 

A version of this article appeared in Main Event magazine in April 2010.  www.themaineventmagazine.co.uk

POINTING THE WAY TO WORK PERMITS

The UK Border Agency has recently been introducing  a new points-based system for people who want to come to the United Kingdom to work. This system replaces most of the existing work-based categories; and has the potential to cause employment problems - if not staff shortages - in the live events industry.  Here, Mark Sly, operations director of leading crewing company Pinnacle Crew, explains the effects of this change.

 The UK live events industry has always relied heavily on freelance and temporary staff, some of whom are from countries like South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.  This is especially true of the crewing side of the industry; but with changes to work permit regulations, clients need to ensure that they are working with a crewing company that is fully aware of these changes and is employing its staff legally.  

From our perspective, one of the key changes has been the replacement of the “working holidaymakers” visa with the Youth Mobility scheme.  This is a points-based scheme that requires applicants to acquire sufficient points to gain leave to enter the UK.  Points are given for age (18 years to 30 years), whether applicants have at least £1,600 to maintain themselves, and whether the applicant’s own country participates in the scheme.

There are only four countries participating in the Youth Mobility scheme - Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan.

Crucially, this means that South Africans - who historically have provided a large proportion of crewing staff - are now restricted in the ways in which they can gain a permit to work as crew in the UK.

The main method is having a grandparent born in the UK, which will qualify a South African citizen for what is called an “ancestral visa”. This is a five-year visa that allows the holder to take up employment in the UK. 

Secondly, a person having a father who is a British citizen immediately qualifies for British citizenship and may therefore work in the UK.  Those with a British mother, however, currently only have the right to register as a British citizen if they were born between 7 February 1961 amd 1 January 1983.

Of course, there are different rules for citizens from the European Economic Area (EEA), which comprises the EU plus the non-EU countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.  An EEA national who will be in the UK for more than three months will have a right of residence for as long as they remain a “qualified person” - one who is in the UK and exercising an EEA Treaty right by showing evidence as a job-seeker or worker.

Exceptions to this rule apply to Hungary, Poland, Estonia, Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia, whose nationals need to register under the Worker Registration Scheme.

Similarly, Bulgarian and Romanian nationals need permission to work before starting any job.

In contrast, Swiss nationals have the same rights as those enjoyed by EEA nationals.

Employers have a statutory responsibility to ensure that all of their migrant employees  are eligible to work in capacity for which they are being employed, and it is easy to see how some fall foul of the law. 

Close on-going monitoring of migration and  work permit guidelines should be a priority to provide clients with complete trust in employment practices. 

Without this close monitoring there is a critical danger that illegal workers will be employed - even unintentionally - in the live events industry.  This can well result in insurance and public liability cover being rendered null and void. Clients should be able to trust their suppliers to provide a service that covers this legal minefield.

For example, we have implemented a computer-based system that integrates each new crew member’s passport identity and work permit expiry dates with their corresponding embassy’s.  In fact, it is our policy to end contracts with our staff once their work permits have expired.

We all have a responsibility to make the industry as professional and as safe as possible; and placing this emphasis on working within the immigration laws is one important facet in achieving this.

A version of this article was published in the March 2010 issue of Access All Areas www.access-aa.co.uk

The long-term effect of price cutting is becoming the elephant in the event industry.  Pinnacle managing director Heath Freeman summed it up when he said: “Customers are no longer asking ‘what price can you give me?’ - they’re asking ‘what price can you give me in the current climate?’”

Often claimed to be a baromter for the state of the event industry, the staffing sector is…worth casting an eye over.  Pinnacle’s Freeman says his (crewing) sector has taken a substantial hit over the past year: “We have been squeezed to the minimum and it is not currently sustainable in the long term - we are having to use less resources to get the same job done.  There is pressure to cut prices, but it’s a slippery slope and we must stay realistic.  After the turnaround, prices will have to go up.”

Freeman says that he will need to convince companies that you get what you pay for when it comes to crewing, and that his profit is reinvested.  “I don’t think any crewing companies are in the business of ripping people off,” he says.  “We offer a very simple service.  However, I see some start-ups offering low prices, and I know that they can’t be putting in the right training.

“Businesses are starting to realise the value of using a good staffing company.  We have people who have been trained to undertake a wide range of jobs, which means that we can afford to take fewer people to a job and get the same work done,” he adds.

It seems quality still holds value in these tough economic times, but the long-term effects of customers demanding added value and low costs are far from decided.

To read a full version of this feature go to: www.eventmagazine.co.uk

In these economic times, expectations of suppliers at public events are steadily rising.  Everyone is expecting value for money, hiring fewer crew and lead times are getting shorter.  But, I believe there are factors that clients can look for in suppliers that show that they operate professionally, go that extra mile and meet expectations.

At Pinnacle we never forget that clients are paying for a managed service and should not have to spend time chasing crew to get the job done.  Crew therefore need to be self-motivated, and team leaders should be professional and trained in how to lead an effective crew.

We have learnt that it all starts with the process of interviewing prospective crew members.  We find that putting together a successful crewing team is as much about personality, self-belief and pride, as anything else. 

Of course, crew have to have a willingness to learn.  As well as the obvious health and safety training, crew must understand what clients expect of them.  At Pinnacle we achieve this by working with clients to provide training into the various disciplines - such as staging, lighting, AV, power - that are encountered at public events.  This enables clients to rely on crew to do so much more than merely carry heavy kit.

In addition, regular client contact and feedback should form part of crew evaluation.  We organise on-site management visits and have account managers who constantly keep in touch with their clients.

Taken together, the result of proper training and client feedback is consistency of crew quality, and client confidence that even when things go wrong the crewing company will come up trumps every time.  

Heath Freeman

Managing Director

Pinnacle Crew

For full version of this feature go to www.eventmagazine.co.uk

These days everyone in our industry is looking at costs.  But what if there were a way to save money without compromising efficiency?  Heath Freeman, managing director of Pinnacle Crew believes there is - indeed that efficiency can even be improved - by using on-site crews to their full potential.

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What I’m about to suggest won’t cost you a penny, and could have a real impact on productivity on-site.  I would go even further and suggest it can actually save you money.  It is nothing that we don’t all already know.  It is just something that slips by the wayside when we are pressurised and deadlines are looming.  It’s the creation of a true team, working with the same objectives in mind.  

In any walk of life, the key to building a successful team is the knowledge of what the team is trying to achieve and how it is going to reach this goal.

Applied to our industry, this principle of creating a unified goal-orientated team requires the proper integration of the production team and outside crew.

If this integration is achieved, then my experience is that the crew will work harder, and are more willing to go the extra mile for clients because they feel they are doing a job that is important and valued.

Most importantly, the client will save time in the long run - remember crew are paid by the hour and the more responsibility they are given, the less they will require instructions on site.

We have proved this with many clients, who now send fewer - extremely expensive - production staff on site, since they know our crew can take responsibility and see a task or event through to completion.

Underlining that, our experience has also shown that crew are not always used to their full potential.  It should be remembered that crew are a resource, and, if used correctly, a very valuable resource.

Crews work on hundreds of jobs in a year.  This means that they have a unique insight into operations on-site as they have seen numerous and perhaps similar jobs executed in a variety of ways.    In addition, crew come from many different backgrounds.  We have plumbers, electricians, chippies, firemen and engineers working for us.  They have a wealth of knowledge that may be useful at no additional cost.

But before this situation can be reached, I believe there are three they key steps that need to be taken at every event.

First, introduce crew to all personnel and decision makers on site.  This can save time during the job since the crew will know exactly who to speak to when something unexpected happens or they need advice.

Secondly, the crew should receive a good briefing. This may seem obvious, but how can the crew possibly appreciate what the client is trying to achieve without knowledge?  A short, detailed briefing means that the crew know exactly what is expected of them and what the deadlines are. Time spent at this stage will save time in the long run by empowering crew and encouraging them to take responsibility.

The third factor that can be very valuable is a familiarization walk through of the venue.  This will highlight such things as potential health and safety hazards, and access routes where crew may even be able to suggest alternatives since it is very likely that they have worked at this venue before and have found better or more efficient methods.

And efficiency is what it is all about.  Nobody can deny that our industry is suffering from the credit crunch.  But if we can all work more efficiently, and cost-efficiently, using everyone on the team to their full potential, then I believe the industry will not only survive, but be ready to prosper when times get better.

I was delighted to see my comments relating to how tight deadlines in our industry prevent improvements in health and safety in your Health and Safety feature.

Explaining that more fully, I would like to add that in an ideal world, improvements in health and safety could be achieved by the entire chain of suppliers that make up an event team getting together to do an on site visit well before the job.  This would ensure that all health and safety protocols are in place.  However, as one supplier within this large chain of suppliers, we realize that this is not always possible due to time constraints and budgets. 

My solution to these difficulties is therefore drawn from the real world.  Realistically, it should be possible for all suppliers, together with the venue management or production team, to do a short but detailed walk around the venue just 10 minutes prior to the start of the job to identify potential health and safety hazards.  I believe this would be a true attempt to take health and safety issues and the risks we all face seriously.

Health and safety is all our responsibility, so with a more integrated and hands on approach I believe we can all work together to create a safer site.

Heath Freeman

Managing Director

Pinnacle Crew