Garry Ferguson: Assessing the risks

The Bristol Old Vic Theatre is an old building and health and safety issues are assessed regularly to make sure that the building meets new safety legislation. Production manager Garry Ferguson says that an initial risk assessment is done for a production once there is a model of the set. He talks to department heads about any potential problems, such as steps being too steep for actors or parts of the set being too heavy to carry or assemble. During rehearsals, Garry keeps an eye on what's happening and is especially on the lookout for the use of water near electricity on stage as this is a major concern.