TD Unconcerned with Safety

[SMRoni16]

Hello all,
Here is an issue for you: I am a student at a University and I am Stage Managing their current production. There are some safety hazards on the set and when those are communicated both verbally and via rehearsal reports to the TD, they are dismissed as being "trivial" and not important enough to fix. (Issues such as the stage floor being uneven when we have a chase scene as well as dancing).
How do you suggest I go about getting the TD to understand the seriousness of the hazard? I have mentioned that people have tripped, I have been told not to alter it during rehearsals since that is not my job.
Where does the priority lie between my job in keeping the actors safe and the TD's job of making a safe set?

Thanks for your help!

SMRoni16

[SMrose]

Is the TD a student?  What's the director's take on these safety issues?  Is there a Professor in charge?  You are right to take saftey very seriously especially in a University setting (and any other setting).

[KMC]

Safety of course is priority number one.  Prohibit the cast from rehearsing on a set that is not safe.  Put in your rehearsal report what needs to be fixed and note prior requests you've made to the responsible parties.  Make sure the Production Manager and Producer see the report.

[dewitt]

I agree safety is the first priority. It can be really frustrating having to fight other departments over safety issues but please don't give up. You need to find out if this is a problem that can't be fixed or they are to "busy" to fix. At the college I work for one of the stages has an uneven spot caused by the trapdoor. The shop has done all they can but the building is old and it just won't get any
more level. When we lay the dance floor over it the dancers still have to make adjustments when working on that area of the stage. It isn't a tripping hazard really but you can definitely feel it. On other shows I have fixed things myself after repeatedly
butting heads with TD's who don't take safety seriously, but I would only do that as a desperate last resort. You should follow all the proper channels that your school requires first, and then if you need outside help to repair the hazard make sure it is fixed by someone qualified or you may end up with a worse problem.

[On_Headset]

What I would suggest you do is rally the troops. Don't make this about your concern: you don't want the story to be "I'm worried.", you want the story to be "The choreographer has been complaining about the dancing being thrown off by this hazard, the costumes people are concerned that someone might take a nasty trip and end up damaging their outfit, the dance captain reports that several dancers are so nervous about this part of the stage that they actively avoid transiting through it, which throws everyone else off, and the class rep has spoken to me about the same thing. This is a serious problem which is affecting many aspects of the show, and we need to deal with it."

The stage manager is ultimately responsible for the safety of everyone on the stage, but you'll probably get more oomph if you have some other people on your side. All you have to do is walk up to them and casually mention something like "hey, do you see that divot on the stage?", then make note of their response. ("Oh yeah! A chorus member took a nasty spill there last week, I've been meaning to talk to you about that...")

[MatthewShiner]

Stop playing games and send this to the top.  If you were in a regional theatre or commercial setting, you would go to the producers - they are the ones who are going to have to pay the workman's comp on the injuries.  It's amazing what the power of money and the threat of having to spend money on an issue will scare people.  Trust me -theatre involves risks, but if the risks are extraordinary, send it straight to the top, and walk away.  Don't make is personal.  Don't fight the TD.

[computekid]

We occasionally have problems with this as well.  Sometimes, I feel like this whole job is about walking the line between right and wrong.  I have found success with fixing glaring safety issues by speaking directly to the laborers, i.e. "Hey man, have you seen that huge divot in the stage?  Lemme grab you a drill and a hammer real quick and maybe we can knock it out quick."  It isn't really the bureaucratic thing to do, and if the TD finds out that you put the carpenter up to it, well...But we all sometimes need to do risky things for the good of the show, or for the good of others.  It runs with the territory, I feel.