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Hazard evaluation and preventive recommendations for an unusual confined space issue in an opera set design



Details

  • Personal Author:
  • Description:
    At the request of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, an occupational health hazard evaluation was conducted concerning a confined space issue within the set design of an operatic performance. Following one dance sequence and costume change, several dancers were to be placed inside flag-draped, military-grade human remains transfer cases for 6 to 12 min, then exit the cases to begin the next dance sequence. Further, during one component, a performer was to dance on top of one of the cases with another performer inside of it. After discussions with the operations manager and set design crew, two overarching concerns were identified as (1) the environmental conditions for the performer inside the casket and (2) the structural integrity of the transfer case under the load of the performer on top. Environmental conditions of concern for the confined performer included breathing air quality and temperature inside the case; the ability to identify and respond to a possible medical emergency of the performer; as well as the risk of prompting a possible claustrophobic reaction in the performer. The performing arts can involve a variety of safety and health concerns, and a specific performance may involve unique hazards. The authors hope that this case involving the potential health and safety issues of a confined space during performances results in a heightened awareness of potential hazards in other performance settings. Further, this case study demonstrates the benefit of an interdisciplinary occupational health and safety team of occupational hygiene, engineering, and medical expertise working with operations management and set construction to identify and remediate potential risks to performers, ensuring health protection without the loss of stage presentation. [Description provided by NIOSH]
  • Subjects:
  • Keywords:
  • ISSN:
    1545-9624
  • Document Type:
    Text
  • Funding:
    Grant
  • Genre:
    Journal Article
  • Place as Subject:
  • CIO:
    National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
  • Topic:
    Workplace Safety & Health
  • Location:
    North America
  • Volume:
    8
  • Issue:
    9
  • NIOSHTIC Number:
    nn:20045567
  • Citation:
    J Occup Environ Hyg 2011 Sep; 8(9):D81-D85
  • Federal Fiscal Year:
    2011
  • Performing Organization:
    University of Illinois at Chicago
  • Peer Reviewed:
    True
  • Start Date:
    20050701
  • Source Full Name:
    Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
  • End Date:
    20290630
  • Collection(s):
  • Main Document Checksum:
    urn:sha-512:466ae4ef7344f4d105de3e393c4c6293bc714fab247161cb4ebf715c5bbc348c137a111420dd7144624b0cd766d5fcfcd30afeb12753809870b99ff485eae428
  • Download URL:
  • File Type:
    Filetype[PDF - 300.76 KB ]
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