The event safety specialists were an integral part of the tour planning, working with Genesis's production manager, Wob Roberts, to draw up risk assessments and safety policies. They ensured that tour personnel adhered to the required standards and informed all international promoters of the safety information required by local authorities.
Two TESS safety officers, Jake Piper and Mike Herbert, were attached to the tour. "Although they acted as safety 'police' to a certain extent, they spent most of their time with the crew advising and helping them to work in a safe manner," said TESS director Simon James.
Perhaps the most dramatic off-stage moment of the tour was when lightning struck during the build for Genesis's Katowice show in Poland. Happily, TESS had drawn up a 'bad weather and lightning' policy.
"Because it was a large outdoor steel stage, with no roof, it posed a bigger lightning risk," said James. "When the lightning approached within 20k of the site we put people on standby. When it came within 10k, all workers were taken off stage. They had to stop on several occasions and a few people complained about the enforced breaks. But when lightning struck in the car park in Poland they realised why we'd done it and were quite relieved."
(Jim Evans)
