Accentuating the problem even further, Dahlquist offers, "Even the manufacturers of a new piece of equipment don't necessarily understand the specific application of it. Most of them will send out a new product without even a plug on it and say, 'You decide what to put on it.' We're then left to our own devices to put the equipment together. I think at this point in time, everybody recognizes that education is the key to fixing the majority of the problems we face every day. At the very least, education will ensure a safer workplace." With a laugh, he adds, "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance."
Another inspiration for the Safety First program was California Senate Bill 198, which requires employers to implement safety training in the workplace that comply with Cal/OSHA rules. California Labor Code 6401.7 (a) (1-6) requires an "Occupational Health and Safety Training Program designed to instruct employees in the general safe and healthy work practices and to provide specific instruction with respect to the possible hazards to each employee's job assignment." The code also requires the employee to maintain and keep records to prove that this program is indeed in effect. Obviously, for each individual employer in the motion picture industry, the implementation of a Safety Training Program is impractical, to say the least. Considering today's tight schedules and constrained budgets, it's not even a viable option for each producer to provide proper training for each production. One possible way to stay in compliance with the Labor Code is for the unions to execute and maintain safety training programs.
Another problem that exists in the industry is that set lighting technicians are not deemed "specialty personnel" despite the fact that they arguably work with the most dangerous components of any set, and often find themselves dealing not only with high voltages (120/240 and 120/208) but with amperages more than one million times the lethal level. In the past, lighting technicians were considered to be "casual laborers." Underwriter's Laboratories, a testing facility that complies with National Electric Code regulations, requires written warnings on selected components that read: "FOR USE BY QUALIFIED PERSONNEL ONLY." If the set lighting technicians dealing with this equipment are merely "casual laborers," then just who are the qualified personnel?
The Safety First program is aimed at eliminating this problem altogether. "After a member completes the six classes in this program, each and every person who completes the program will have the term 'Safety Qualified Technician' next to their name on the roster," explains Williman. "We handle potentially the most lethal element on the set electricity every day. All of the equipment we use requires training. You can't just take someone off the street and say, 'This is it guys, good luck.' Right now, the qualifications for admission into 728 are 30 days [experience on 728 signatory productions] and a high school diploma. At this point, there are no particular guidelines for us to 'qualify' people. Part of this program would be to initiate a mandatory process where a member would work their 30 days, then go through this course, and then join the union. That way, at least we'd have a basis from which to start."
During the course of Local 728's Safety First classes, several manufacturers (including Arriflex, Kino Flo, Mole-Richardson, Sun Ram, PLS, Premire Equipment, Xenotech, High Lux, Mountain Box and, of course, Hollywood Rental Company) have showcased their instruments and explained the inner workings of each piece of equipment. In his demonstration of the Kino Flo products, Michael Holmes imparted some little-known information about the firm's products. "All fluorescent light has flicker," he explains. "The reason why Kino Flo tubes are safe at virtually any shooting speed is that they cycle at 25,000 Hz. This also means that a Kino Flo tube is designed to operate at this 'overdriven' cycle, so if it's placed into an existing fixture with a standard ballast, it will not have the same output and will exhibit a slight green spike. On the flipside, a standard fluorescent tube placed into a Kino Flo instrument will be overdriven by the ballast and exaggerate the already existing green spike."
Steve Eichenlaub of Mountain Box Systems demonstrated his new studio greenbed, which is stronger, more lightweight, and designed specifically with 11/8" sockets to accept junior spuds. Darren Hart and Alex Martinez of Xenotech demonstrated the safe operation of a 2K Xenon fixture, as well as the re-lamping procedure. They explained that the gas contents within the Xenon globe, even at a cold stage, are under six atmospheres of pressure; therefore, any technicians who handle the bare globe must wear a lead safety suit and face mask to protect them from the possibility of lamp explosion.
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