Selection and use of equipment to support speaker clusters, lights etc used during outdoor events

What you will find on this page

Information to help event organiser and their contractors in the selection and safe use of equipment to support speaker clusters, lights etc used during outdoor events.

What you must do

If you are going to use equipment to support speaker clusters etc eg truss PA speaker towers, you must manage and control the risks to avoid any injury.

Some of this equipment is lifting equipment. You will find comprehensive information on your duties to do with lifting operations by going to:

Lifting equipment is also work equipment. Similarly, equipment used to suspend a load from it, is work equipment.

Find comprehensive information on your duties to do with work equipment by going to:

What you should know

The equipment used to support devices like loudspeaker clusters, lights etc should be fit-for-purpose.

Devices like loudspeaker clusters, lighting etc can weigh up to 500kg and are often suspended 6m or more above ground level.

Incorrect selection and adaptation of the equipment to support devices like speaker clusters at outdoor events has led to the equipment overturning and hitting people causing serious injuries. There have also been near misses when elevated devices exposed to the wind, have caused the mast of the supporting equipment to buckle and partially collapse.

Fit-for-purpose, lightweight bespoke equipment is available. Streamlined, this equipment helps to avoid creating sightline obstructions for an audience.

Checklist: Equipment Dos and don'ts

Dos

Don'ts

Find out more

Updated 2021-11-03