Safety Training

All TP&D majors and Technical Theatre Practicum students shall be trained to recognize and obey accident prevention signs and tags as outlined in 29 CFR 1926.200, "Accident Prevention Signs and Tags."  All students enrolled in Technical Theatre Practicum or Theatre Production shall receive training from their area mentor or approved designate.

All TP&D majors and Technical Theatre Practicum students shall be made aware of what asbestos is, how it was historically used, why it presents a health risk, and that it should be avoided if discovered.  All students enrolled in Technical Theatre Practicum or Theatre Production shall receive training from their area mentor or approved designate.

Any personnel (TP&D faculty or staff, or students) trained in First Aid shall be familiar with 29 CFR 1910.1030.  All TP&D majors and  Technical Theatre Practicum students shall be made aware of the hazards presented by bloodborne pathogens and shall be trained to avoid contact with blood unless trained as First Aid responders.  All students enrolled in Technical Theatre Practicum or Theatre Production shall receive bloodborne pathogen awareness training from their area mentor or approved designate.

Compressed gas safety training shall be administered on an as-needed basis to students working with theatrical atmospheric effects or welding.  Students enrolled in Technical Theatre Practicum or Theatre Production utilizing compressed carbon dioxide cylinders for atmospheric effects shall be trained in the safe handling of compressed gas cylinders by the Lighting and Sound Shop Supervisor.  This individual shall keep records of this training and the curriculum employed for training the workers.  Students enrolled in Technical Theatre Practicum, Theatre Production, or working as Scene Shop Assistants and operating or maintaining welding equipment will be trained in compressed gas safety by either the Faculty Technical Director or the Scene Shop Supervisor.

All TP&D majors and Technical Theatre Practicum students shall be advised of the definition of a confined space during job-specific safety training for their production assignments.  A confined space is an area that, while not designed for occupancy by people, may be large enough for people to enter and perform work.  The area beneath the orchestra pit in the Hoerner Theatre is the best example of a confined space in Dillingham Center.  Students shall be informed that they are not permitted to enter confined spaces under any circumstances.

Ithaca College's Lockout/Tagout procedures are taught on an as-needed basis.  Students working on Lighting or Sound production crews as part of the curriculum of Theatre Production or Technical Theatre Practicum are given an overview of what lockout/tagout is, why it is performed, and cautioned to never attempt to remove a lock or tag.  Students working in the Scene Shop (as part of a Theatre Production assignment, Technical Theatre Practicum assignment, or as a Scene Shop Assistant) shall be trained by the Scene Shop Supervisor or Faculty Technical Director to request that a qualified faculty or staff member perform lockout/tagout on a piece of equipment in need of service (i.e. changing blades).

The Lighting and Sound Shop Supervisor, Scene Shop Supervisor, and Faculty Technical Director shall be familiar with Ithaca College's Lockout/Tagout program and shall maintain a stocked lockout/tagout station in the Scene Shop.  Any lockout/tagout procedures shall be performed ONLY by the Lighting and Sound Shop Supervisor, the Scene Shop Supervisor, or the Faculty Technical Director, unless the complexity of the repair exceeds the skill level of these individuals, in which case lockout/tagout and repairs shall be performed by the staff of the Facilities department.

No student shall, under any circumstances, perform lockout/tagout procedures.

Electrical safety is taught by the following individuals in the following coursework and production work:

• By the Lighting and Sound Shop Supervisor to all individuals working on a Lighting or Sound crew as part of the curriculum of Theatre Production or Technical Theatre Practicum.
• By the Lighting and Sound Shop Supervisor to all TP&D majors as part of the curriculum of Tech I: Lighting and Sound during the freshman year.

All TP&D majors and Technical Theatre Practicum students shall be trained in the emergency evacuation routes from Dillingham Center and shall be informed of how to report a fire or other emergency.  All students enrolled in Technical Theatre Practicum or Theatre Production shall receive this training from their area mentor or an approved designate.

During technical rehearsals for center-sanctioned productions, student production personnel shall receive additional training in proper evacuation routes, procedures, and responsibilities involved in evacuating production personnel and assisting in the evacuation of audience members.  This training shall be conducted jointly by the Lighting and Sound Shop Supervisor and the Stage Management Mentor.

Fall protection training shall be administered on an as-needed basis by a certified Competent Person as per 29 CFR 1926.500 (Subpart M).  This Competent Person (or Competent Persons) shall be responsible for the procurement, disbursement, maintenance, and inspection of all elements of fall protection.  The Competent Person(s) shall ensure compliance with Ithaca College's Fall Protection Program as it pertains to operations within the Hoerner Theatre and Clark Theatre.  

The following training is administered to production personnel:

• All students working on a Lighting or Sound production crew shall be trained in the use, maintenance, inspection, and correct applications of fall protection by the Lighting and Sound Shop Supervisor, who shall be certified as a Competent Person and shall fulfill these duties as outlined in 29 CFR 1926.500.
• All students working on a Carpentry, Props, or Scenic Art production crew who will be performing work at height shall be trained in the use, maintenance, inspection, and correct applications of fall protection by an individual certified as a Competent Person as outlined in 29 CFR 1926.500.

Students shall not work at height in the Hoerner and Clark Theatres unless they have been trained in fall protection by a Competent Person and are under the supervision of a Competent Person.

All TP&D majors and Technical Theatre Practicum students shall be trained in awareness of fire prevention techniques, such as proper disposal of waste in workspaces and avoiding ignition sources within the building.  All students enrolled in Theatre Production or  Technical Theatre Practicum shall be trained in fire prevention techniques during job-specific training by their area mentor or approved designate.

All TP&D majors and Technical Theatre Practicum students shall be trained to find Material Safety Data Sheets for all substances worked with during the course of study of Technical Theatre Practicum and Theatre Production.  All students enrolled in Theatre Production or Technical Theatre Practicum shall be trained in hazard communication and apprised of the locations of flammables cabinets in the Scene Shop and Sound Shop areas of Dillingham Center during job-specific training by their area mentor or approved designate.  Area mentors shall ensure that Ithaca College's SDS database is up-to-date by informing the Environmental Safety Specialist of any purchase of new chemicals or substances.

All TP&D majors and Technical Theatre Practicum students shall be trained in the correct use of appropriate hearing protection while working in the shops and theatre spaces of Dillingham Center.  All students enrolled in Theatre Production or Technical Theatre Practicum shall be trained in the identification of high-risk areas for hearing damage and the use of appropriate hearing PPE during job-specific training by their area mentor or approved designate.  

All personnel (students, faculty, and staff) are required to wear hearing protection during any of the following circumstances while at work in the shops and theatre spaces of Dillingham Center:

• When working in the Scene Shop during crew hours.
• When working in the Scene Shop outside crew hours when power tools are in use.
• When working in any shop or theatre space at any time when power tools are in use.
• When operating power tools in any shop or theatre space.
• When working in a theatre space during a sound system balance call and sound levels exceed 85dB.

All TP&D majors and students enrolled in Technical Theatre Practicum shall be trained in the safe and correct use, inspection, handling, and storage of stepladders and extension ladders.  Training is administered via online training modules at www.laddersafetytraining.org and records are maintained by the Lighting and Sound Shop Supervisor.  Students are required to complete two training modules ("Stepladder Safety" and "Single and Extension Ladder Safety") with a passing score of 90% or higher, at which time the website generates a certificate of completion for the completed module.  These certificates are on file and available by request.

All TP&D majors are trained in awareness of lead hazards, particularly those associated with electronics soldering.  Lead safety is taught by the Lighting and Sound Shop Supervisor in the curriculum of Theatre Technology I: Lighting and Sound.  

Lead safety is taught on an as-needed basis to students enrolled in Technical Theatre Practicum and Theatre Production who may encounter lead-based solder in the course of their work.  All students working on lighting or sound crews as part of the curriculum of Technical Theatre Practicum or Theatre Production are taught about lead hazards and appropriate PPE by the Lighting and Sound Shop Supervisor.

All TP&D majors are trained in the operations of powered platforms, specifically the operation of Genie model AWP-25S personnel lifts.  Operations of powered platforms shall be taught during the Production 1 class.

Students enrolled in Technical Theatre Practicum and Theatre Production are trained in operations of powered platforms on an as-needed basis.  Students working on production crews in lighting and sound are trained by the Lighting and Sound Shop Supervisor or an approved designate.  Students working on production crews in carpentry, props, or scenic art are trained by the Faculty Technical Director, the Scene Shop Supervisor, the Scenic Art Mentor, or an approved designate.

Powered platforms owned and operated by the Center for Theatre and Dance are inspected daily by the Lighting and Sound Shop Supervisor or an approved designate and inspection logs are maintained.  

All TP&D majors and Technical Theatre Practicum students shall be trained in the use of personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, head protection, eye/face protection, hearing protection, hand protection, body protection, and foot protection during job-specific training as part of the curriculum of Theatre Production and Technical Theatre Practicum.  Training shall be administered by each student's area mentor or a trained and approved designate.  Students shall be made aware of where and when PPE must be worn, the appropriate PPE, and where to find PPE in the theatre and shop spaces.

• Head PPE is required whenever working in a theatre space when individuals are (or may be) working at height.  Head PPE is also required whenever the counterweight lineset system in the Hoerner Theatre is in operation or any lineset is within head-height of the deck.  Individuals working at height must also wear head PPE and utilize a chin strap to prevent the hard hat from falling because of head movement.  Head PPE is available from the hard hat bin located in or outside the Scene Shop.
• Hearing PPE is provided in the PPE cabinet in the Scene Shop.  Students are required to purchase banded hearing protection, but single-use earplugs and earmuffs are available.
• Hand PPE is provided in the PPE cabinet in the Scene Shop, and is also available in the Light Shop and the Sound Shop.  We provide leather, cloth, and nitrile gloves.
• Eye PPE is required whenever splash or impact hazards exist due to flying debris.  Eye PPE is available in the PPE cabinet in the Scene Shop, and is also available in the Light Shop and Sound Shop.
• Body PPE is required when welding.  Body PPE is available in the welding area of the Scene Shop.
• Foot PPE is the responsibility of each crew member.  Each crew member is to wear sturdy shoes with soles that will resist puncture from debris.  Work shoes must enclose the entire foot and be made of a material which will at least somewhat mitigate the damaging effects of falling objects.  Heels are discouraged.  Sandals, Crocs, open toes, open heels, and slippers are never allowed.

For more detail see the PPE page here.

Students are not trained in the use of powered industrial trucks.  All activities requiring the use of a powered industrial truck (we have a mechanized stacker) shall be carried out by a member of the TP&D faculty or staff who has successfully passed training in the use of powered industrial trucks.

Scaffold user safety is taught on an as-needed basis to TP&D majors and Technical Theatre Practicum students.  Scaffold user safety shall be taught by the Lighting and Sound Shop Supervisor, who shall be certified as a Competent Person under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L.  Scaffold inspections shall be carried out by a Competent Person.  The Lighting and Sound Shop Supervisor shall keep records of personnel trained as Scaffold Users for a period of at least four years.

All TP&D majors and Technical Theatre Practicum students shall be trained in the safe handling and storage of flammable and combustible materials.  Theatre Production and Technical Theatre Practicum students shall receive training in proper handling and storage techniques and the location of flammables cabinets during job-specific training for their crew assignments.  Students shall be shown the location of the appropriate flammables/combustibles storage cabinets in the Scene Shop and/or the Sound Shop.  Training shall be administered either by the student's area mentor or an approved designate.

All TP&D majors receive training on all shop tools EXCEPT the lathe and scroll saw as part of the curriculum of Theatre Technology I: Scenery.  Training is administered by the Faculty Technical Director.

All TP&D majors receive training in soldering as part of the curriculum of Theatre Technology I: Lighting and Sound.  Training is administered by the Lighting and Sound Shop Supervisor.

TP&D majors enrolled in Theatre Technology II: Props receive training on the lathe and scroll saw.  Training is administered by the Scene Shop Supervisor.

TP&D majors enrolled in Theatre Technology II: Scenery receive training in welding, including oxyacetylene, GMAW, and arc welding.  Training is administered by the Faculty Technical Director.

Technical Theatre Practicum students and TP&D majors who have not yet received training on tools they must utilize for their production assignments are trained on an as-needed basis by their area mentor or an approved designate.  Students are apprised of the proper PPE which must be worn and safety practices which must be observed while operating said tools.

TP&D majors and Technical Theatre Practicum students receive training in the safe handling and storage of toxic and hazardous substances on an as-needed basis.  Training is administered by the student's area mentor or an approved designate.