Productions on tour

Before a production goes on tour, there are a lot of legal as well as technical requirements to be considered. Many rules and regulations are based on EU law, and there are at least as many national regulations and provisions to observe. Our correspondent visited the annual conference of the OISTAT technology commission in Moscow, where she gave a talk on the regulation guidelines.  

Two principal treaties govern the European legislation. The Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (AEUV) stipulates the extent to which the EU has the right to create laws. It also defines the legislator principles, i.e. its provisions help avoid a conflict of laws within the EU. The four fundamental freedoms that form the basis for the European Union’s single market are also anchored in the AEUV. One of those freedoms is the free movement of goods.       

Implementation

Where stage machinery designs are concerned, for example, two guidelines apply. These must be translated from the European guideline into national law.     

For the operators of stage installations, the work equipment directive 2009/104/EG applies. This is intended to guarantee the safe usage of machinery as well as a safe working environment. Higher standards can be imposed at a national level under the work equipment directive. In Germany, the directive comes under the industrial safety regulations (BetrSichV). Employee health and safety is also governed by the Working Conditions Act (ArbSchG) and the accident prevention regulations (DGUVs) issued by the trade associations.

For the manufacturers, on the other hand, the machinery directive 2006/42/EG applies. This directive requires that the safe usage and operation of machinery is guaranteed, for which purpose an instruction manual must be provided. In Germany, the EU directive is transposed into national law under the Product Safety Act (ProdSG) and the associated machine ordinance (9. ProdSV). Concurring standards help the manufacturers adhere to these laws and ordinances. 

International standards

Standards are established by consensus and approved and published by recognized bodies. They might be local authorities, professional associations healthcare associations or national or international standardization organizations. 

The OISTAT International Standards Project (ISP): A database of standards and regulations

Finding out which regulations and standards apply in any given case can be a difficult and time-consuming task for organizers. The OISTAT Project ISP aims to help globally active touring productions and manufacturers. In this context, a work group was set up with the mid-term goal of collecting international data on event technology. A longer-term goal of the project could be to compare the international regulations and standards to ascertain the differences and similarities between countries and regions. 

The author of this article is happy to help interested readers with related questions (email: lauravanhaperen@trekwerk.)