Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1948)

'0 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 9, 1948 Physical Safety Aids Not Enough Precautions Must Extend to "Psychological Accidents" and Guarantee , That Patrons Never See or Smell Anything That Could Cause Panic Since the theatreman deals with human beings, his safety measures must extend to psychological accidents as well as physical ones. Physical precautions are not enough. Panic, a purely psychological thing, is one of the greatest dangers. For example, in a purely physical sense, the precautions against short circuit embodied in standard electrical codes are completely satisfactory. The codes, if followed, guarantee that any short circuit will be safely confined inside all-metal surroundings and will not be able to start a fire. But the smell or smoke of it could start a panic. Similarly in the case of a film fire. According to established codes the projection room is utterly fireproof; the chance of a film fire spreading out of it to endanger the audience approaches mathematical zero. But if they see flames on the screen, or see smoke leaking around the fireproof port shutters, children may be trampled in the rush. It has happened. Accordingly, safety measures guaranteeing that accidents will do no physical harm are insufficient. It follows that all theatre accidents can be classified under two headings: Those that inflict physical harm on some patrons, and may cause panic among others, and Those that cannot possibly harm anyone, but may cause panic just the same. Effective precautions must be taken against both classes of accidents. The precautions, like the accidents, fall into two classes: Those that assure that a panic-creating incident will not occur, and Measures to assure that if such an incident does appear, panic will not follow. To take the second of these first, the only effective insurance against panic when some cause for panic arises is a staff that has been properly trained. If the staff keep their heads the audience will do the same. It is for the staff to set the example. But the staff is human too, and if some member of it sets the wrong example . . . Employe Training Is Needed Training is the only known answer. Each individual employe must be taught exactly and in detail what his or her duty will be in any conceivable emergency — and must be given practice in performing it. Untrained, unpracticed personnel have sometimes proved nimble-witted enough to think of the right thing to do on the spur of the moment, and courageous enough to do it well without previous practice. But the theatreman who relied on that kind of luck and didn't get it could conceivably find himself in a court of law facing very serious charges. Training personnel in panic procedure may sometimes be expensive. But the cost should be weighed against what an uncontrolled panic might cost. Staff training, obviously, is indispensable but not enough. Every possible effort must be exerted to see that panic-evoking incidents do not happen. Panic has many possible causes; almost all of them go back to the two basic factors of fire and water, with fire by far the most important. The animal-fear of fire can flare up at a whiff of smoke, and then the human being sometimes goes out of control. The sight of flames or smoke, and the smell of smoke, must be scrupulously kept from the audience. Any fire precautions that do not assure this are not adequate. Sources of Fire or Smoke There are four general sources of fire or smoke: electrical equipment, the electrical wiring, the motion picture film, and the furnace. Any electrical equipment considered for use in the theatre should bear the UL label of the Underwriters Laboratories. If it does not, ask the salesman why not. All manufacturers can get this label if their equipment is safe. But the label is no guarantee against improper use or neglect of maintenance. It signifies only that the item will be safe if it is used and maintained as its maker intended. If it is designed for light, intermittent duty and is used in the theatre for heavy, continuous duty it may break down. If your theatre has a heavy-duty job for a refrigerated water-cooler or a refrigerated beverage machine or for any other item of electrical material, buy a heavy-duty model. This is common sense anyhow, since an overworked machine of any kind will cost more in maintenance than can be saved in purchase price; but from the point of view of safety it is imperative to avoid working anything under a strain for which it was not intended. Again, equipment must not only be op Temperature Conversion Panic-evoking smoke and odor can come from electrical equipment that is allowed to "run hot." Safe, permissible temperature rise is often given in degrees Centigrade rather than the common American degrees Fahrenheit. The following table will serve to trans late such ratings: "Centigrade ° Fahrenheit 0 32 10 50 20 68 30 86 40 104 50 122 60 140 70 158 80 176 90 194 100 212 To convert other Centigrade values not shown here, multiply the Centigrade temperature by 9/5ths and then add 32. To convert Fahrenheit temperatures to Centigrade, first subtract 32, then multiply the remainder by 5/9ths. erated under proper load but under proper working conditions. Of these, the most important is surrounding temperature. All machinery tends to warm up as it works. The name-plate, label or manufacturers' instructions will inform the user if excessive temperature rise is dangerous to the machine. Much electrical equipment is rated for a temperature rise of 10 degrees Centigrade (= 50 degrees Fahrenheit). When the machine runs warm the temperature rise should be checked, with a thermometer in case of doubt, and if the safe limit is exceeded more ventilation should be provided. Electrical equipment installed in corners or recesses where the air does not move needs special watching in this connection, and may have to be moved to some other location. If it cannot be moved, perhaps a fan can be played on it. In any case the condition cannot safely be ignored. An electrical burn-out produces smoke and smell. Finally, all appliances must be properly maintained, particularly with respect to lubrication. Any moving equipment is apt to burn out if not kept properly oiled. Burn-out may also follow if needed repairs are delayed. Electrical wiring, properly installed in accordance with accepted codes, will not cause trouble unless it is either overloaded or over-fused. There is no trace of excuse for overloading since the current-carrying capacity of every size of wire is known to every electrician. If the theatre adds additional lights or machinery that will overload the existing line, the thing to do is to put in a second line. Over-fusing becomes necessary when the line is overloaded. Otherwise, overfusing results from one of three causes: carelessness on the part of the employe responsible; neglect of the manager in inspecting to see that fusing is done properly; and neglect of the manager in keeping the employe supplied with the proper fuses, thus compelling him to use excessive ratings. Six Electrical Precautions With respect to electrical troubles, then, the essential precautions can be summed up as follows: use only electrical items carrying the UL label; use them only for jobs of the size intended and only under conditions of ventilation, etc., for which they were intended; keep them well lubricated and in good repair; do not overload any electrical wiring but run in new lines when needed; do not let employes over-fuse under any circumstances, and do not neglect to supply the proper fuses in sufficient quantity. If these precautions are rigorously and conscientiously observed, the chances of your audience being stampeded by smoke or fire-smell: of electrical origin will be vanishingly small. Provisions against film fire include measures to prevent a film fire from {Continued on Page E-21)