UK - The final two sessions to be announced at the 4th annual PLASA Rigging Conference both examine aspects of international rigging standards at the event on 7-8 October 2013 at ExCeL London.

Codes of Practice - The Next Steps, presented by Lori Rubinstein, director of membership, skills and standards, PLASA, and Michele Enright, qualifications manager, PLASA, will highlight the calls from the rigging community for an international code of practice for rigging. Many countries are keen to harmonise what they do and are concerned with international parity and, as the worldwide voice of entertainment technology, PLASA has taken the first steps towards creating a template for an international code of practice for entertainment rigging. The session will include an overview of the initiative and attendees will be invited to give feedback on the proposed content outline.

On a related note, a session led by Chris Böttger, Tors Rigging, will help to clarify the reasons behind standards and regulations that exist in member states. Riggers and consultants the world over are aware of the German BGV without understanding why the regulation exists in Germany; this session, entitled The VBGeebies, will examine the myth and mystery of the Verwaltungs-Berufsgenossenschaft, known these days as the BGV.

In addition attendees can book a place at the Riggers' Forum, held on Sunday 6 October from 2-5pm. This informal event, which costs £40 + VAT, provides company and freelance riggers with a platform to openly discuss issues affecting their daily working lives. Aimed squarely at freelance and in-house riggers the Forum will include a short presentation about climbing on trusses, an issue currently under scrutiny by the HSE, followed by an open forum for questions and points of concern. On hand will be members of the National Rigging Advisory Group, safety advisors and PLASA Skills to answer questions about the NRC.

Up-to-date details of the PLASA Rigging Conference programme content and speakers can be found at www.plasariggingconference.com. Registration is live now - to book tickets visit: www.plasariggingconference.com

(Jim Evans)


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