14 Pierrepont Rd (617) 527-0667

Newton, MA 02462 Info@SimplyCircus.com

www.SimplyCircus.com

Welcome to Inspecting the FUN Stuff

• Presenter: Steven Santos

• Goals: help you learn the questions to ask

• Techniques: – Inspection– Finding Resources

Inspecting the fun stuff: Basics on inspecting climbing ropes, gymnastics equipment, circus equipment, and other

things we hang kids from.

•As a camp director, you can’t be an expert on everything

•As a camp director, you also have to know when things may not be safe.

•In this workshop we will cover the basic principles of inspecting all of those things we hang our kids from, including climbing ropes, cargo nets, climbing ropes, cargo nets, gymnastics equipment, circus equipment, high ropes and rock climbing equipment.

This workshop focuses on the principles of

aerial inspection, and on teaching you what questions you should be asking of those

operating this equipment

This workshop

DOES NOT make you a qualified inspector or operator of aerial equipment

If you want to be a qualified rigger…

Rigging WeekAug 29 – Sep 240 hour class

Simplycircus.com/inhouse/riggingweek.html

So how do I know if a person is qualified…

• Ask questions!– Asking intelligent questions will give you a good

idea if the person you are talking to knows what they are doing or not.

• Ask to look at what they have previously done– Looking at previous rigging will help you to

determine their abilities– Any competent rigger will be happy to show off

their rigging

Things to check for…• Make sure you are dealing with people that have

training and experience• Check for certifications– USA Gymnastics has an approved installers system,

but most installs are done by “kits”. – Various climbing certifications exist (The American

Mountain Guides Association, etc)– Challenge Course Certification is by Association for

Challenge Course Technology (ACCT)– No current certification exists for Circus, but industry

trainings are available.

Looking at what you already have…

• Playground Equipment• Climbing Ropes• Gymnastics Apparatus• Cargo Nets• Climbing Walls / Rock Climbing• High and Low Ropes Elements• Circus Apparatus

Follow the forces…

• When ever we inspect rigging, we always want to follow the forces all the way to the ground

• As we follow the forces, look at each component. Every component should be rated for its use.

• Any component without a rating should be questioned.

Follow the Forces

Follow the forces…• In my aerial rigging class, I spend a little over 2

months teaching students how to properly follow forces, and all of the funny situations that they may find.

• Some cases are easy. In the case of a school gym, it’s usually fairly easy to follow the supporting beam over to the wall or column it’s pushing down on, and then down to the foundation.

Follow the forces…

• Take a good look at the supporting structure we are attaching to. – In most schools, these beams are going to be well

over-built, – Mke sure your beam isn’t overloaded with heavy

air conditioners, big speakers and other such items.

Follow the forces…

• If you have any questions, have the situation checked out by an aerial rigger, structural engineer or other person qualified to assess the strength of the structure.

A little more complex…

What can you see?

What can’t you see?

What questions should you ask?

Questions to ask…

• Who…– Sold this to us?– Installed this?– Uses this?– Is currently responsible for this?– Last looked at this?– Maintains the records?

Questions to ask…

• What…– Were the findings of the last inspection?– Is scheduled to be replaced next?– Could go wrong?– Are the inspection points?– Was the last repair?– Are the safety procedures?

Questions to ask…

• Where…– Is the logbook or documentation?– Is the Risk Assessment?

• When…– Was the last inspection?– Is the next schedule inspection?– Is the next component scheduled to be replaced?

Questions to ask…

• Why…– Is this done the way it is?

If it doesn’t have a rating, it should be inspected a lot more regularly

• Trees, telephone poles, masonry walls should all have written inspections done at least once a month (sometimes more often!)

Trees are hard…

• Still considered a “dark art”• Inspection procedures for trees are HARD• Lots of training is needed • Lots of time is needed – Takes me 6 hours to properly inspect a tree

• Not many companies have this experience– In NE, Project Adventure , Simply Circus

What should a climbing rope look like?

• Proper Mount Point• Hanging Hardware• Proper Rope• Safety Cable or Safety Rope

• 7 page Inspecting Climbing Rope article on simplycircus.com

What should a cargo net look like?

• Proper upper supports– 3 ½” pipe– Wire Rope– Etc.

• ¾” or larger rope• Finished splices• No “splinters”

What should Roman Rings look like?

• Properly supported Frame or• Proper Beam Attachments• Swinging Bearings• Cable or Straps• Swivels• Straps• Rings• FIG Rigging Standards

What should a Rock Wall look like?

• Properly installed grips• Properly supported belay point• Belay device or Self Belay • Ground Anchor• Rope• Carabineer • Harness

What should a High or Low Ropes Element look like?

• Dozens of designs• Dynamic Belay Cables – often too tight, 3-4k lbs tension

• http://www.pa.org• http://www.ropescourse.biz/• http://www.experientialsystems.com

What should an Aerial Hoop look like?• Properly Mount Point• Connector• Swivel • Connector• Ropes• Connectors • Hoop• Aerial Arts FAQ on the Simply

circus Website has rigging details for most circus apparatus

Additional resources

• SimplyCircus.com – Lots of resources• www.acctinfo.org• www.AMGA.com• www.usa-gymnastics.org• www.nrpa.org• www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/playpubs.html