Pushing the Limit at PLASA Rigging Conference 2014

PLASA Rigging Conference 2014's line-up has been completed with the announcement of "Pushing the Limit"-a session that will tackle the misunderstandings surrounding factors of safety in the industry. It is the final piece of the jigsaw for a conference that promises to deliver a lively day of expert insight on Monday, October 6.

"Pushing the Limit" will be presented by Abigail Mathews, who co-founded Momentum Engineering in 2005. Mathews has been involved a wide range of projects from small, bespoke architectural jobs to multi-million pound mixed use development schemes. In recent years, she has specialized in the sports, venue, and entertainment sectors, and has worked closely with production teams and specialist rigging contractors on the engineering and delivery of a variety of temporary structures and events.

The session will break down the confusion that can arise when safety factors are raised in the industry. The very mention of them can often create anxiety about the failure of materials or worries about compliance with regulations. Mathews' session will consider a range of situations and discuss a structural engineer's approach to determining an appropriate factor of safety for a given application, and why this may conflict with traditional lifting safety factors.

Previous announcements revealed that the one-day schedule will feature a keynote speech from Bill Sapsis, an update about the International Code of Practice for Entertainment Rigging (ICoPER) from Lori Rubinstein, and a session about the revised Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations, led by Michael Anderson, group head of health and safety at Earls Court & Olympia Group. For "The Piece Rather than the Rigging," Alan Bartlett will discuss the integrity of the scenic items riggers are often asked to lift, while Hoffmann Fördertechnik's Matthias Müller will consider the role of the chain hoist as the industry's workhorse in "Raising Your Game."

The conference program, which is being curated by Total Solutions' Chris Higgs, will conclude with a summary session from Unusual Rigging's technical director, Robin Elias. Robin, who opened the conference in 2013, will chair the closing question and answer session in his unequivocal style. Drinks will be served just prior to the closing session.

Places are still available but due to the event's popularity this year it is essential to pre-register at www.plasariggingconference.com. The delegate rate of £190 plus VAT includes refreshments throughout the day, lunch and networking drinks at the close of the conference. Attendees have the opportunity to join the PLASA Riggers' Forum on Sunday, October 5 and to visit PLASA London 2014 from October 5 - 8 which, like PLASA Rigging Conference 2014, takes place at ExCeL London.