Occupational safety for stage, music and culture
A municipal theatre, a private concert hall and an independent ensemble share the same basic duties, but not always the same accident insurer: depending on who runs them, it is the VBG or a public-sector accident insurance fund. Stage, orchestra pit and rehearsal rooms are also covered by a separate accident prevention regulation, which deals with much that never comes up in an office.
- Stage, music & culture
Important: A cultural venue is not a pure office business. The support group follows the economic sector: performing arts fall into group III, the operation of arts and entertainment venues and support services for the performing arts into group II. Stages and production sites are also covered by DGUV Regulation 17, or DGUV Regulation 18 for public-sector bodies.
Two tempos in a cultural venue: administration and performance
Administration keeps office hours. On and behind the stage, people build, climb and focus lights, and changeovers between performances have to happen quickly, mostly in the evening or at weekends.
Which body provides accident insurance depends on who runs the venue. The VBG's statutes name theatres, museums and artists in literature, music, the visual and the performing arts. State theatres, municipal stages and municipal event venues, by contrast, are usually insured with a public-sector accident insurance institution, in Hesse for example with the Unfallkasse Hessen. Accordingly, the accident prevention regulation for venues and production sites is DGUV Regulation 17 at the Berufsgenossenschaften and DGUV Regulation 18 at the public-sector funds. The same DGUV Rule 115-002 explains both.
Orchestras also have to deal with noise. In the pit and the rehearsal hall, levels can arise at which the Noise and Vibration Occupational Safety Ordinance applies. If a daily noise exposure level of 80 dB(A) is exceeded, the employer must provide hearing protection. From 85 dB(A) it must make sure the protection is worn. Which positions are affected only becomes clear once exposure is assessed seat by seat, because brass, percussion and the acoustics of the pit spread the sound unevenly.
Theatres, orchestras and venues: classification and thresholds
| Item | Cultural venue |
|---|---|
| Accident insurance institution | Privately run theatres, orchestras and ensembles: VBG. State, regional and municipal theatres: usually a public-sector accident insurance institution. What counts is the membership notice. |
| WZ 90.01 performing arts | Support group III; above 20 employees 0.5 hours of basic support per employee and year, shared between the specialist and the occupational physician, at least 20 per cent each |
| WZ 90.04 operation of arts facilities | Support group II; above 20 employees 1.5 hours of basic support per employee and year |
| WZ 90.02 support activities to performing arts | Support group II, for example independent stage technology and set construction |
| Accident prevention regulation for stage and pit | DGUV Regulation 17; for public-sector bodies DGUV Regulation 18 |
| Noise in the pit and rehearsal hall | Provide hearing protection above 80 dB(A), ensure it is worn from 85 dB(A) (LärmVibrationsArbSchV) |
| Above 20 employees | Occupational safety committee meeting once per calendar quarter (section 11 ASiG) |
| Up to 50 employees | Unternehmermodell permitted as an alternative. More than 50: standard support. At public-sector funds the Unternehmermodell is only available if their version of DGUV Regulation 2 provides for it. |
The economic sector follows the main activity of the business. An ensemble that performs itself counts as performing arts; a house that mainly operates a stage and auditorium for visiting productions is closer to operating an arts facility. Every employee counts, including front-of-house evening staff, cloakroom attendants and casual stage crew. Part-time staff count proportionally towards the threshold of 20: up to 20 hours a week as 0.5, up to 30 hours as 0.75.
Four hazards that shape stage and concert work
- Set-up and take-down under time pressure. Changeovers between performances are the period with the highest density of accidents. Falls, loads above people and crush points are the dominant hazards here, not the screen workstation.
- Working at height. Lighting bridges, trusses, flying systems and ladders. Anyone working there needs their own training and, where required, occupational health provision.
- Separate areas, separate assessments. Administration, stage, workshops, stores and catering are different working areas. A single assessment for the whole building works for none of them.
- Shift patterns and public access. Evening and weekend work affects rest periods; an audience in the building affects escape and rescue routes and the number of first aiders, which follows the people present.
Under section 13 DGUV Regulation 17, orchestra pits need at least two escape routes on opposite sides, and rehearsal and tuning rooms must be designed so that avoidable harmful effects on health do not occur. Both belong in the inspection, even if the pit is only opened for certain productions.
What an inspection of a theatre or concert hall turns up
The administrative wing rarely stands out. The recurring findings are in the stores and workshops: material above head height, blocked routes, shelving with no documented inspection. Add the question of who works alone in the building at night and how an emergency would be noticed. On paper, what is usually missing is a separate assessment per area.
Safety training for ensemble, crew and guests
Training runs by area and by production. The area part covers the permanent hazards; the production part covers the specific set: where people climb, what hangs above people, where the crush points are, how the changeover runs. Guest performances and external trades need their own briefing before they enter the building.
Two requirements of DGUV Regulation 17 belong in every production (sections 15 and 20). Rehearsals and performances only begin once the supervisor has released the stage area. Artistic wishes for sets and staging are not carried out if the stage professional objects on safety grounds.
Related
- External occupational safety specialist: Support for venues with administration, stage and workshops.
- Occupational safety for broadcasting, film and TV: Production for camera and microphone rather than the stage.
- Occupational safety for design and art businesses: For studios and workshops with employees.
- Number of fire wardens and first aiders: All the thresholds at a glance.
- Calculating support hours under DGUV Regulation 2: How support groups II and III change the hours.
- ASA planner: Fitting four meetings a year around the performance schedule.
Legal basis
- DGUV Regulation 1 (principles of prevention)
- Occupational Safety Act (ASiG)
- DGUV Regulation 2 (occupational physicians and safety specialists)
- Ordinance on Occupational Health Care (ArbMedVV)
Frequently asked questions
Is a municipal theatre insured with the VBG?
As a rule, no. A theatre run by a city is insured with a public-sector accident insurance institution, in Hesse for instance with the Unfallkasse Hessen. The same applies to state theatres and municipal event venues. Privately run theatres, orchestras and ensembles, on the other hand, belong to the VBG. What counts is the membership notice.
Do orchestral musicians need occupational health checks because of noise?
That depends on the exposure determined for each position. If a daily noise exposure level of 80 dB(A) is exceeded, a check-up must be offered; from 85 dB(A) it is mandatory (ArbMedVV). The attenuation of hearing protection is not deducted. As a rule, the employer commissions the occupational physician to carry them out.
What applies when a visiting ensemble performs in the house?
Before the guest performance, it must be settled who is in charge of management and supervision (section 15 (2) DGUV Regulation 17). The visiting ensemble should also describe its set pieces and scenic actions in advance, and the house should brief the guests on escape routes, fire safety and house rules before they go on stage.
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