Do you remember the episode of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! when Scooby refused to tie in the electrical feeder cable for the rock show because he felt it was unsafe? Of course not. Stopping the show for safety reasons takes a lot of courage, self-confidence, and maybe even a little bit of madness. And that’s just not the big, bongo-playing Great Dane we all know and love.
If you were faced with a similar situation, would you be a Scooby? Would you look the other way and hope for the best? Would you stop at nothing to insure that the show must go on regardless of the consequences? Or would you, knowing that there’s a chance someone could be severely injured, put your foot down, Clutch Cargo-like, and refuse to allow a dangerous situation?
Drawing a line in the sand of safety is not without its own risks. Where there is money at stake, people tend to lose their sense of humor. Stopping a show, at the very least, might invite ridicule from your crew, or in the worst case it might cost you your job and maybe even threaten your career. Are you prepared to man up (or woman up) for the safety and protection of innocent people?
Right now is the time to decide, not while the show producer is pressuring you to do something you might regret. Take a moment to stop and think about how an instant decision might have long term consequences.
If you have done all you can to insure that, to the best of your knowledge and ability, the system is as safe as can reasonably be expected and the unthinkable happens, then at least you’ll have a clear conscience. On the other hand, if you have compromised the safety of the system, cut corners or looked the other way, it could haunt you for the rest of your life. Stopping what you’re doing in the event of a problem might prevent the show from going on, but it could save lives.
Allowing an unsafe show to continue is both brave and reckless; stopping the show is both brave and cautious. Reckless bravery is false bravery. It’s taking unnecessary risks and endangering lives for the sake of the clichéd expression, “the show must go on.” Cautious bravery is true bravery. It is refusing to facilitate a dangerous situation out of genuine concern for human safety.
But cautious bravery calls for preparation and intelligence. Before we walk off a show for safety reasons, we should do all we can to prevent such a situation and exhaust all of our options to resolve any problems. Some options might be:
1. Be prepared: Know your craft and the applicable codes. Be prepared to cite references to back up your decisions.
2. Don’t rush: Take your time to insure that rigging and electrical are done properly.
3. Don’t be pressured: Where safety is involved, don’t let the influence of others sway your better judgment.
4. Seek help: Two heads are better than one, and three are better than two. Consult with crew members to find a safe solution and you’ll be surprised at the depth of knowledge and creativity.
5. Defer to a higher authority: If you are unsure, ask a more experienced crew member for help and guidance.
6. Be tenacious: Don’t give up so easily. Show genuine concern for safely resolving the problem and don’t stop until you have to.
7. Don’t be impaired: Whatever you do, don’t come to work inebriated or with impaired judgment. Leave your drugs and alcohol at home or don’t come to work.
8. Don’t be argumentative: If you have to say no, do it with a smile.
The good news is that we have a reasonably good safety record in our industry. There’s a good possibility that you could go your entire career and never come across a situation where you have to decide between stopping the show and doing something dangerous. The bad news is that a small mistake can translate to a big problem.
If you are ever in a situation where you think safety might be compromised, stop and ask yourself if, in the event that the unthinkable happens, you can live with yourself. If you’re honest with yourself and the answer is no, then don’t do what Scooby would do.
