Dreamspace plans probably fucked...

[denny]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/humber/5208460.stm

The whole 'structure' took off in a high wind and two people got killed, a load more injured. As for the exhibit itself, between damage sustained while it was flying around and damage caused by the rescue crews, I very much doubt it's going to carry on running. I'll email them late next week to double check, once they've had a chance to figure out wtf's going on, but for now I'm guessing I'll need to figure out something else to do on my birthday.

Poo.

Comments

[skx.livejournal.com]

Fuck!

Thats bad. Reminds of being a child caught in a collapsing bouncy-castle, not a pleasant experience.

[calnen.livejournal.com]

Its an odd one. It only happened about 8 miles from where I'm sitting, and we've hardly had any wind all day. Presumably it was barely anchored at all, or they must have had some freak local weather.

[monkage.livejournal.com]

Oh thats shitty.... looks like dreamspace is out for myself as well then. How in the hell do these things happen?

[djlongfella.livejournal.com]

Sorry I'm going to get on my high horse here, mainly after a potentially similar event this week where I built the structure...

These things happen because in the name of putting an event on or displaying art luvvy , " people " I use the term loosley decide that there is really no need to pay a structural engineer 2K + fopr a survey or to run the compression and triangulation loads past a " full structurual failure research lab " cos it costs money and because it's " art " or " they really know what they are doing " people die.

I got asked this week after building a stage and roof in Brent and signing it off for a max capacity of 25 artists moving in unison as max load " what this bollox is all about as I have a 105 peice gospel choir on site I have flown over from new york " I explained to the event organiser he was in breach o0f structural integrity over 25 people, I was not on site at the event, but have a photograph of 55 choir members moving in unison, a 12 peice band and a 15 strong kids choir all on my stage at the same time...
If our structure had failed, who is going to court ? and who is going to look s**t in the trade papers ? all cos some charlie head didn't pay for wind sheer calcs, or thought he knew better.

I have no sympathy for the event management team who were happy to take the entrance dollar and ignore the inevitable.

A temporary structure is more likely to fail than a permanent one, but less checks are made and even less credance given to proffesional advice.

I may pay a hefty insurance fee every year for building temp structures and freelance rigging, I take pride in my work, but would not be able to live with myself if my actions in the name of profit injured anyone.

Soap box now replaced in it's resting position, thanks for listening.


Peace... ( Sorry to flame )

[monkage.livejournal.com]

Actually I don't take that as a flame... I take it as I got my question answered. My job makes me ask "how did this happen?" alot. Could use more ppl that speak honestly and bluntly on why things do go wrong...

Btw thats me saying kudos

[djlongfella.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your understanding....
I'm not saying ours is the best rentable structure, but, it is designed to " give out " pacifully at 10 - 15 MPH winds, the walls " should " by design then indicate wind speed by the angle at which they " blow out " my structures are usually certified for around 30 Mph winds, but the visual fail signs, eminate at around 20Mph, which givess me time to " call it " and evacuate people, thankfully I have not had to do this yet. But I would not think twice if the signs were there, that is why they were built into the structure. www.longlights.com

[djlongfella.livejournal.com]

No doubt the full HSE findings will appear in my trade papers, looking at the structure, the wind would help pin it to the ground by exerting a down force, but as soon as it lifted it was game over... A very sad incident indeed...