We must keep in mind that OSHA only applies to certain designated groups within the entire labor force of the United States. Other countries have other oversight organizations, some more stringent, some less. When our students move out into the working world they may move to other states, or countries, so a broad knowledge of international safety standards should be a basic part of their training. Within the US, there are two basic situations: Federal Plan OSHA States, and State Plan OSHA States.
- In Federal Plan states, public facilities and their employees are generally not under OSHA jurisdiction, unless the State has elected to implement that coverage.
- In State Plan states, public facilities and their employees are generally under the State's OSHA plan, unless specifically excluded.
- In States where OSHA jurisdiction does not apply to Public Schools, it still applies to Private Schools.
There are no finite ratios of students to teachers defined as far as supervision is defined, however, class size definitions should represent a maximum reasonable number (my opinion). The National Fire Code (NFPA 101 - Life Safety Code) requires that we have at least one Trained Crowd Manager for every 250 persons for events. Most fire jurisdictions have adopted this code, or will shortly, so treating it as if it is an active requirement is the prudent thing to do.
Have all of your students AND their parents sign-of on each page of the school's theatre safety manual. Keep these files on record forever. It is possible that twenty years from now someone will come back and blame the school / teacher for some latent injury (hearing loss, chemical poisoning, etc.). Accident reports should be made and kept even for near-misses so you can assess what happened, learn from it, and train to prevent a future recurrence.
In the big picture: Treat everything as if OSHA applies, and teach your students to think that way. This is real training for the real world. Professional theatre, touring shows, and just about any job they will ever have anywhere will likely be affected by OSHA or a an OSHA-like organization.
Teach PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) use and other safety elements as a part of everything you do. Safety is NOT just the technical theatre department's responsibility - everything anyone does in a theatre environment presents risks to performers, crew, and the audience; so all involved in the show from the Street to the Alley (Front Lobby Entrance through to the Loading Dock) must be cognizant of the repercussions. Always ask: "What could possibly go wrong?" and seriously consider the scenarios that come to mind.
A good Theatre Safety Manual framework can be found in the Texas UIL Theatre One-Act Play handbook (http://www.uiltexas.org/files/academics/theatre/theatre-safety-manual.pdf).
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Erich Friend
Teqniqal Systems
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