The official NELC launch took place on Thursday 3 March at the International Live Music Conference Production Meeting at the Copthorne Hotel, Kensington, London, with PLASA's NRC Manager Paul Riddiford introducing the new certification scheme to those present.
NELC has been created to meet the needs of those who already work in the industry in disciplines other than Rigging, such as Lighting, Sound, Video or Scenery etc, who are called upon to carry out occasional Rigging tasks including lifting operations as part of their duties. It is also suitable for individuals wishing to be assessed for their skills within Rigging, without undertaking Working at Height elements of the role and for candidates on PLASA's Trainee Rigger Programme who have no inclination or intention to work at height.
In developing NELC, PLASA worked in close collaboration with the NRAG, the representative body for the entertainment rigging industry in the UK. The group's membership includes key stakeholders from the industry, including rigging companies, venues, major employers, trade bodies and professional societies along with freelance riggers. The group's membership covers all sectors within the industry including live events and festivals, concert touring, theatre, and film and broadcast.
Part of the NRAG's mission is to "recognise the diverse nature of the entertainment rigging industry and address the needs of different sectors". One aspect of the NRAG's mandate is to educate and assist the industry in meeting its requirements under UK and EU regulations, and the group were concerned that the industry may not always have been meeting the requirements of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER), specifically 1998 No 2307, Section 8: Organisation of Lifting Operations, which states: "Every employer shall ensure that every lifting operation involving lifting equipment is properly planned by a competent person; appropriately supervised; and carried out in a safe manner."
The new National Event Lifting Certificate meets the above LOLER requirements whilst also responding to the need for this qualification currently being voiced by many key players from across the entertainment industry.
Riddiford comments, "PLASA has over 10 years' experience in developing and administering the National Rigging Certificate (NRC) - a successful, quality certification programme - and has issued over 600 certificates of competence to both Level 2 Riggers and Level 3 Rigging Supervisors to-date. Experience has shown a qualification developed by and for an industry has greater relevancy and quality than one developed by government and imposed on industry. NELC is the next step in the development of relevant industry qualifications and sits alongside the National Rigging Certificate Level 2 in the PLASA qualifications suite. We are grateful to the NRAG and our key sponsors for their invaluable assistance in the development of this new certificate which encourages improved working practices across the industry."
(Jim Evans)
