WHAT DOES THE NEW STANDARD COVER?
The new entertainment standard, BS EN 17206:2020 titled Entertainment technology. Machinery for stages and other production areas. Safety requirements and inspections was published in June 2020 and replaces the previous entertainment standards BS 7906-1:2005 and BS 7905-1:2001.
Generally, the standard covers situations that give rise to danger, such as moving or holding scenery or equipment:
Considerations are given to permanent and temporarily installed lifting and movement equipment for stages and production areas within the entertainment industry in applications such as; Theatres, schools, concert halls, museums, amusement parks, sports facilities, festivals, film or TV recordings etc.
MACHINERY COVERED BY THE NEW BS EN 17206 STANDARD
The standard covers typical applications such as (but not limited to) the following:
- Acoustic doors
- Auditorium elevators
- Compensating elevators
- Cycloramas
- Fly bar systems (manual and motor driven)
- Lighting bars
- Movable lighting towers
- Moveable proscenium arches
- Orchestra elevators
- Performer flying systems
- Point hoists
- Revolving stages and turntables
- Scenery storage elevators
- Side stage and rear stage shutters
- Stage elevators
- Stage wagons
- Tiltable stage floors
- Trap elevators
Use case examples for "upper machinery"
|
USE CASE |
DESCRIPTION |
EXAMPLE |
|
UC1 |
No-one in hazard zone during motion, statically determinate load, Speed < 0,2 m/s |
Hoists for the movement and suspension of decorations or technical equipment during set-up, stage preparation, installation, assembly lifting operations and show time scenic movements which do not move with persons in the hazard zone. |
|
UC2 |
No-one in hazard zone during motion, statically indeterminate load, Speed < 0,2 m/s |
|
|
UC3 |
Person(s) in hazard zone during motion, single axis |
Hoists for the suspension of decorations or technical equipment that move with persons in the hazard zone, typically as part of a performance or rehearsal. The decoration or equipment is moved by a single axis or multiple axes. |
|
UC4 |
Person(s) in hazard zone during motion, multiple axis |
|
|
UC5 |
Moving person(s) suspended, single axis |
Persons suspended in a harness from a single point hoist or bar, or riding on a platform that is moved and suspended by a single point hoist or multi-line hoist. |
|
UC6 |
Moving person(s) suspended, multiple axis |
3D person flying using triangulated and synchronised point hoists or persons riding a platform suspended from multiple hoists. |
Recommended safety functions and measures for "upper machinery"
|
KEY |
|
|
— |
The safety function has no recommendation for or against being used; |
|
R |
The safety function is recommended for this use case; |
|
HR |
The safety function is highly recommended for this use case. If this safety function is not implemented, then the rationale behind not using it should be detailed. |
|
SAFETY FUNCTION OR MEASURE |
UC1 |
UC2 |
UC3 |
UC4 |
UC5 |
UC6 |
||
|
Emergency Stopa – category 0 or 1 |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
||
|
Stop on “Deadman” Release – category 0, 1 or 2 |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
||
|
Protection against position deviation |
— |
— |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
||
|
Protection against speed deviation |
— |
— |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
||
|
Protection against loss of group synchronisation |
— |
Rb |
— |
HRc |
— |
HR |
||
|
Protection against over-speed |
— |
— |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
||
|
Protection against overload |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
||
|
Protection against underload |
— |
R |
— |
HR |
HR |
HR |
||
|
Protection against unplanned load deviations (Load Profile Monitoring) |
— |
Rb |
R |
Rc |
R |
R |
||
|
Protection against slack condition |
— |
R |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
||
|
Limitation of traveld |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
||
|
Protection against improper winding |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
||
|
Protection against brake failuree |
— |
— |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
||
|
Protection against power source failures |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
HR |
||
a: Although it is sometimes argued that an Emergency stop is not a safety function, in the context of stage machinery it could be considered part of the operator safety loop.
b: UC2 – either Loss of Group Synchronisation or Overload Protection shall be provided.
c: UC4 – either Loss of Group Synchronisation or Overload Protection shall be provided.
d: Required only where over travel could result in mechanical damage or failure.
e: Protection against brake failure includes brake air-gap monitoring and similar technologies. Manual inspection of brakes to ensure their safety shall always be undertaken for all classes of machine.