Safety in performances and risk assessment

Published 10.3.2023 | Updated 7.6.2023

Promoting safety should be a natural and self-evident part of everyone’s professional skills in performance productions. At Uniarts Helsinki, all students, teachers and staff members have the duty to abide by the law and decrees of Finland and by locally agreed-upon policies. Everyone also has the right and responsibility to report any dangers and deficiencies that they observe.

Students who are part of working groups are given a safety induction with the goal of helping them learn and thereby strengthen their independence and initiative in promoting safe activities.

The instructions on this page are applied in all productions and events regardless of where the performances are organised. On a case-by-case basis, the duty to take care of the safety of an event can be delegated partially or to the full extent to an external organiser of an event.

Visiting teachers and students, too, must be given an introduction to the Theatre Academy’s safety policies.

Responsibilities of an organiser of a public event

In accordance with section 17 of the Assembly Act, the arranger of a public event shall see to the maintenance of security in the event. The basis of safety management is identifying risks and assessing risk probabilities and materialisation of risks. After identifying the risks, the organiser of the event chooses the correct courses of action. After this, the decisions are applied in practice. (1 Jyri Paasonen (ed.): Yleisötilaisuuksien turvallisuus. Tietosanoma Oy 2013)

A good work plan and a realistic vision of the goals in relation to resources creates a work environment where unnecessary risks can be avoided in good time. Having a tight schedule is a risk factor in its own right, but hurry can result from unexpected events. Risk assessment is not always easy, which is why there are good reasons to point out safety issues in production meetings and induction situations. Often, one single risk is quite small, but the combination of several small risks can be serious, in which case the situation must be resolved.

Ensuring safety in Theatre Academy productions

Safety practices concerning the performance venue of the production are agreed upon with the working group either in the first production meeting before visiting the space or in a short meeting in the performance venue in question on the first day of rehearsals. The whole working group participates in the safety induction. Members of the support service personnel for artistic work provide the induction. 

Matters that are discussed include, for example:

• fire safety and evacuation safety, emergency exits
• how the audience moves in the space
• working high up
• use of organic material
• other foreseeable risks: noise, risks relating to lighting etc.
• preparing for unexpected situations in the performance venue
• selection of a safety coordinator

In public performances, safety is also monitored by the Theatre Academy’s on-duty performance coordinator, who provides support for the working group.

Duties of a performance safety coordinator

The person that has been selected as the safety coordinator from among the members of the production’s working group receives an induction to their duties by the stage manager.

The safety coordinator should ideally remain the same throughout the period of rehearsals and performances. The person is present at rehearsals and all performances. They should have a role in the working group that allows them to conveniently observe all the phases of the production as well as the performance situation from the perspective of safety. The performers are usually too concentrated on their performance to be able to handle this task.

During the rehearsal period, the safety coordinator cooperates with the rest of the working group and carries out a risk assessment. During performances, the safety coordinator is prepared to act in case unexpected danger occurs.

The safety coordinator monitors the safety situation during the rehearsal period and uses the risk assessment form as a basis for their assessment. The safety coordinator returns the form to the stage manager at least one week before the first run-through in front of a live audience, at which point the stage manager decides whether a safety walk is needed.

• If the risk is small, it is enough to return the form to the stage manager by the agreed-upon time.
• If the risk is significant, a separate safety walk is arranged in the performance venue prior to the premiere.

Safety walks

Participants in safety walks include all planning officers and performers of the working group as well as staff members responsible for support services for artistic activities from the service areas that concern the risks that are being assessed. The safety walk is led by the senior stage manager or their deputy. The producer compiles a memorandum on the walk. The risk assessment form can be used as the memo.

During the performance period, the safety coordinator completes the agreed upon inspections before the start of the performance and prepares to act in the manner required if surprising situations occur during the performance.

Checklist for the performance safety coordinator 

The safety coordinator of a performance must take care of the following aspects concerning a performance together with the stage manager.

Before allowing the audience to enter 

• Check the space together with the on-duty performance coordinator: the general tidiness, removing of unnecessary items, no outside people present.  
• Check that exit routes are clear and that the exit lights are clearly visible.  
• Check the location and condition of the emergency fire extinguishing equipment.  
• If necessary, check the disconnecting of smoke detectors with the janitor.   
• Talk to the on-duty performance coordinator and make sure that audience entry and ticket checks have been discussed: from which door does the audience enter, at what time, who opens the door.

During the performance  

• If someone has a medical emergency, make sure this person is safely escorted from the performance venue. Contact the attendant or the on-duty performance coordinator. Make sure first aid is given immediately. If necessary, interrupt the performance.  
• In other emergencies (fire, serious injury etc.) interrupt the performance and call for help.  
• In case of fire
  • Rescue by directing the audience and working group members to the Theatre Academy meeting point (=Tori).  
    ALERT, call 112
  • Extinguish by using the nearest fire extinguisher. Send someone to fetch another extinguisher. 
  • Limit the spread of the fire by closing doors, windows and ventilation. Clear any debris from around the fire.  ​​​​​
  • Guide the fire brigade by meeting them yourself or sending someone to meet them.  

Risk assessment for productions

The safety coordinator assesses and records the risks under the guidance of the stage manager. However, all participants in the production have the right as well as the responsibility to report any dangers and shortcomings that they observe.

The safety coordinator assesses the risks with the help of the risk assessment form, safety walks and the below-described three-tier risk assessment matrix compiled by the Centre for Occupational Safety.

The risk assessment process begins already at the beginning of each production. Because even small changes to the original plan may have a big impact on the safety, risk assessment must be continued during the whole planning and rehearsal period until the public performances. Making changes in the production requires the re-assessment of risks.

If a stage-related solution causes safety concerns, do not hesitate to contact the stage manager.

You can get the risk assessment form from your stage manager.

Safety of the audience​​​​​​​

The audience must be able to trust that the working group is capable of managing all situations that may occur during performances. When making preparations to ensure the safety of the audience in a performance, it is important to remember the audience perspective: audience members are not familiar with the space, and they do not know how to exit the dimly lit space without someone escorting them if something unexpected happens. Organisers should also note that some people in the audience may be hard of hearing or visually impaired or have reduced mobility or other challenges or special needs.

Above each exit there is an exit light which may not be covered, not even temporarily. The exits may not be blocked by sets, furniture or any other obstacles under any circumstances. The exits are always meant for exiting, not only during performances.

Children in performances

Having children present in the audience or participating as performers always requires particular attention. Children’s presence in the space must be taken into special consideration because they may react in an unexpected way, direct their attention to surprising objects and need special arrangements when it comes to ensuring prevention of falling down. Safety should be assessed on a continuous basis as the performance season progresses, e.g. after the first test audience has seen the performance.

Reporting

All safety-related observations and events from rehearsals must be reported to the person responsible for the safety of the production and to the staff responsible for support services for artistic activities. This also concerns small-scale rehearsals and all accidents and close calls.

Fire safety: use of fire and fog machines and procedure in case of a fire alarm

Use of fire

Performance facilities are high-risk places when it comes to fire safety, and the use of fire always requires a permission. The use of fire can mean burning candles or incense, smoking cigarettes (including e-cigarettes) or using a lighter even only for producing a spark.

All fire-related experiments must be agreed upon in advance with the stage manager team by the time of production meetings at the latest.

Fire safety checklist

1. The use of fire is only possible in Studios 1-4 and in the Theatre Hall.
2. The use of fire is only possible in productions, not for course or demo activities. 
3. Contact the stage manager of your production and present them your plan for the use of fire. Do not use fire before agreeing on the matter with staff and getting a permission for the use. 
4. Also talk about the matter with the wardrobe team so that the fire safety of the costumes, too, can be taken into consideration.
5. The following things need to be inspected in the facility under the direction of a stage manager and the senior stage manager:
   • Any unnecessary material has been removed and the space is tidy
   • The fire source and method of use are such that they do not pose unnecessary risk
   • Fabrics and other flammable material have been made fire repellent whenever possible
   • A dry powder fire extinguisher and a fire blanket are in their designated locations
   • The exit routes are accessible and clear.
6. The use of open fire in a performance requires a fire inspection prior to the first performance with a live audience, and the senior stage manager is present for the run-through of the scene that involves the use of open fire. 
7. During the rehearsal and performance season, one member of the working group acts as the fire use coordinator, who reports the use of fire to the facilities team by submitting a fire alarm switch-off form to the staff in advance and by verbally informing the building’s attendants each time before and after the use of fire in the facilities. They must also be present in the space every time open fire is used. During the times when the fire alarm is due to be switched off, the space must not be left unattended.
8. A fire guard who has completed basic fire guard training for the theatre will be appointed for each performance (they must have a valid card). During the performances, the fire guard will ensure the turning off of the fire alarm with the building’s attendant. The fire guard will be paid a remuneration of 45 euros per performance from the production’s budget.
9. Above each exit in a performance venue, there is an exit light which may not be covered, not even temporarily. The exits may not be blocked by sets, furniture or any other obstacles under any circumstances. The exits are always meant for exiting, not only during performances.
10. The stage manager gives an introduction to the working group on the locations of exits and the use of first-aid extinguishing equipment and the most important things to remember in case of a fire.

Use of fog machines

The performance venues and other Theatre Academy facilities at Kookos have detectors that react to smoke and heat, which, when triggered, will cause a fire alarm. The fog machine can only be used under the guidance of the Theatre Academy’s staff responsible for support services for artistic activities.

When using a fog machine

1. Agree on which member of your working group is responsible for using the fog machine. 
2. Talk to the lighting coordinator of the service personnel about the use of the fog machine.
3. Fill in the form for reporting fire alarm switch-offs and submit it to the facilities team. 
4. Make sure that the building’s on-duty attendant is informed of each fire alarm switch-off and switch-on before using the fog machine. The fog machine coordinator must ensure that there is always someone in the facilities when the building attendant has switched off the fire alarm. 
5. If the facilities are vacant or if there are changes in the schedule, the coordinator must inform the attendant of this.
6. After using the fog machine, the space must be aired out before the fire alarms are switched back on.

You can get the form for reporting fire alarm switch-offs from info desk. 

At the sound of the fire alarm

At the sound of the fire alarm, everyone in the Kookos main building of the Theatre Academy must leave from the facilities and go immediately to the assembly point at the corner of Haapaniemenkatu and Sörnäisten Rantatie, by the flagpoles and bicycle racks on the light traffic route. Further instructions on what to do and when it is safe to return to the facilities will be provided there. The students and any audience members in attendance will be guided out by the stage managers, on-duty performance coordinators and other staff members with safety training, and everyone must follow the instructions of the safety staff.