American standards for entertainment hoists

16 January 2007


The production of new standards in the US for powered rigging in the entertainment industry is reaching an advanced stage

BSR E1.6-1, Entertainment Technology - Powered Winch Hoist Systems was put out for consultation as a draft in December. It covers powered winches that are not serially manufactured electric chain hoists. It sets down requirements for the design, manufacture, inspection, and maintenance of powered winch hoisting systems for lifting and suspending loads in theatres and other places of public assembly where the failure of such systems could endanger performers, workers or the general public.

BSR E1.6-2, Entertainment Technology - Purpose Designed Serial Manufactured Electric Chain Hoists for the Entertainment Industry covers serially manufactured electric chain hoists up to 2 US ton capacity that are used in the entertainment industry as part of a performance or preparation for a performance. The draft of this was published for comment on 5 January and the review period ran until 19 February.

ESTA’s Technical Standards Programme is now working on the third part of this project, BSR E1.6-3, Safe Use of Serial Manufactured Electric Chain Hoists in the Entertainment Industry. The scope of this section is the operation and safe use of electric link chain hoists up to 2 US tons capacity.

Existing drafts and supporting materials are available at: www.esta.org.