The steel above you hums quietly, a nervous animal. Cables stretch into the dark, shackles glint, and somewhere high in the grid a tiny fleck of rust catches the light like a warning. The air smells of dust, machine oil, and old paint. You step underneath a flown truss and, just for a second, you imagine it falling. Every designer does this. It is the private superstition of anyone who works under weight.
Then you remember: fear is not a strategy. Inspection is.
The short version: rigging safety is about earning the right to put people under your work. Inspect every overhead component as if you expect it to fail and you are trying to catch the lie. Look for deformation, cracks, corrosion, heat damage, misused hardware, missing redundancies, and anything that “feels wrong” to the hand and eye. Trust certified gear, trusted standards, and conservative loads. Distrust convenience, improvisation, and hurry. If you are not willing to hang your favorite person under it, do not hang an audience under it.
Overhead gear is not scenery
Scenery can sag a little. Fabric can tear and still be beautiful. A prop might break and become part of the story.
Rigging does not get that luxury.
Overhead systems are quiet, unlit characters that hold the set, the lights, sometimes the performers, and always your reputation. Every shackle, basket, and trim chain is part of a network that either holds or fails. There is no middle ground.
“Never trust anything above your head that you have not inspected, or that has only been inspected by someone in a rush.”
That might sound harsh, but overhead inspection is the one area where aesthetic compromise is irrelevant. The line between “safe” and “unsafe” is not stylish; it is mechanical, physical, and cruelly precise.
When you walk into a space, even as a designer, your eyes need to adjust not only to light and architecture, but to the rigging story being told by every beam and line. Is this a venue where gear is respected, or where the grid is treated like a storage shelf in the sky?
The quiet hierarchy of rigging components
Before talking about inspection, it helps to look at the cast of characters. Each type of equipment has its own failure poetry, its own way of telling you something is wrong.
| Component | Primary risk | Inspection focus |
|---|---|---|
| Truss / beams | Bending, cracking, overloading | Dents, twists, cracked welds, drilled holes |
| Wire rope | Broken strands, kinks, crushing | Birdcaging, rust, flat spots, heat marks |
| Chain / chain hoists | Stretching, corrosion, mis-threading | Elongated links, sharp nicks, chain path |
| Shackles, bolts, hardware | Bending, wrong orientation, overload | Thread condition, pin security, deformation |
| Soft goods / slings | Cut fibers, UV damage, heat | Abrasions, melted spots, label legibility |
| Anchors / building tie-ins | Pull-out, unknown structure | Engineering proof, movement, cracking |
Each category has its own script for inspection. Learn those scripts like lines in a play. Recite them every time you walk the grid.
Philosophy before checklists: how to think about inspection
Before talking about where to put your hands, you need to decide how your mind will treat overhead risk.
“Assume every piece of hardware has a secret, and your job is to find it before gravity does.”
For artistic teams, there are three habits that matter more than any tool:
1. Distrust improvisation in the air
Improvisation can be beautiful on stage. In rigging it is often a red flag.
If you see:
– Hardware store carabiners clipped into a flown element
– Ratchet straps bearing primary loads
– Rope of unknown origin being used as a critical support
then you are not looking at “creative problem solving”. You are looking at negligence. Overhead gear must be purpose-built, rated, and suited to the task. Anything else belongs on the ground as a rehearsal hack, never above heads.
2. Respect ratings like you respect light levels
Designers obsess over lux, color temperature, and throw distance. Treat Working Load Limit (WLL) with the same devotion.
Every shackle, truss piece, sling, and hoist has a rated capacity under standard conditions, usually with a safety factor already baked in by the manufacturer. Your job is to stay conservatively under that limit, especially when angles or dynamic loads are involved.
“Never treat the Working Load Limit as a goal. Treat it as a cliff edge.”
The closer you creep toward it, the less room you have for mistakes, miscalculations, and aging gear.
3. Let “that feels wrong” stop the room
The most valuable inspection tool is not a gauge or a meter. It is that sinking feeling in your stomach when a shackle looks a bit skewed, or a chain hoist sounds different than usual.
If anything feels off:
– Stop the work above and below.
– Get light on it.
– Bring in another qualified rigger if you are not certain.
No performance, no build schedule, no budget line, outweighs that moment of doubt. If someone around you minimizes your concern, that is another warning sign.
Pre-rig inspection: the walk-through before anything flies
Every overhead build starts with an empty grid or an existing house rig. Both need inspection before you add weight.
Reading the building
You are not just hanging from steel; you are hanging from decisions made by an architect, an engineer, and every crew that has ever worked in the space. So begin wide.
Look up and ask:
– Where are the main structural members?
– What existing hanging points are permanent and documented?
– What is temporary, improvised, or plainly old?
Walk the catwalks and galleries. Touch the beams, not just glance at them. Feel for flaking paint over rust, for spalled concrete, for movement when you lean your weight into a supposed anchor.
If you see cracked welds, newly drilled holes in truss or beams, or slapdash hardware attached to structural elements, treat that as a major concern. You do not get to “trust the building” blindly; you must verify that the building is still what the drawings say it is.
Checking permanent rigging systems
Many venues have fixed grids, fly systems, or dead-hung pipes that everyone assumes are permanent and unchanging. That assumption is false.
Inspect:
– Lift lines on counterweight systems for kinks, broken wire strands, and uneven wear.
– Loft blocks and head blocks for cracked housings, excessive grease buildup hiding problems, and misalignment.
– Battens for bending, twists, or dents from previous abuse.
Look carefully at terminations. Wire rope clips must be oriented correctly and tightened to spec. Incorrectly installed clips can reduce capacity dramatically, turning a “rated” line into a trap.
“Treat long-installed rigging as you would a familiar staircase in an old building: the day you stop watching your footing is the day you trip.”
Daily inspection: the art of never assuming “it was fine yesterday”
Once a rig is in place, daily inspection is what keeps it honest. Gravity does not care that you inspected things last week.
Even if you are not the head rigger, you can build a simple pattern for walking in each day:
- Start at the highest accessible point and work down.
- Follow the load path: from anchor to sling to hardware to truss to attachment to load.
- Ask “what changed since yesterday?”
What your eyes should do
Your eyes scan for:
– Visible deformation: bent shackles, ovalized holes, twisted truss chords.
– New marks: fresh scratches near welds, paint cracking near stress areas.
– Inconsistency: one sling tighter than its twin, one hoist chain at a different basket, one pipe sitting low at one end.
Angles matter. A bridle leg that has crept to a shallower angle might be carrying more load than intended. A sling that has slid along a truss introduces shock points and unexpected loading.
What your hands should do
Your hands feel for:
– Sharp edges on soft goods bearing points.
– Loose pins, nuts, or quick-release mechanisms.
– Heat in hoist motors or brakes that seems excessive for the load and usage.
Never rely only on visual checks for threaded connections. Try to move them. If a shackle pin can spin freely with two fingers, check whether it is the right type for that position and whether it should be secure with a cotter, safety wire, or nut.
Listening to overhead gear
Rigging has a soundscape. When hoists travel, when loads shift, there is a language in the noise.
Pay attention to:
– New grinding noises in hoists.
– Rhythmic clicking where none existed before.
– Creaks under load changes in truss or beams.
Any new sound appearing with motion or loading is a reason to stop and inspect before continuing.
Truss and structural elements: straight lines tell the truth
Aluminum truss is the theatrical equivalent of bones: light, strong, but vulnerable to certain types of injury that do not heal.
Visible damage
Look along each chord line like a sight line from one node to the next. Any bowing, twist, or dent means trouble.
Focus on:
– Dents or flat spots on chords or diagonals.
– Cracked welds or hairline fractures near nodes.
– Holes drilled through any structural member.
A truss is born with a design that spreads forces in a known pattern. Randomly drilled holes or unauthorized welding changes those patterns. That piece is no longer the one the engineer signed off on.
“Never hang from a truss that someone has “customized” with a drill unless an engineer has re-evaluated and approved it in writing.”
Connections between sections
The strongest truss can be weakened by sloppy connections.
Inspect:
– Spigots or bolts for correct type and proper engagement across all joints.
– Missing or mismatched pins, especially where someone “borrowed” one.
– Gaps or misalignment between truss segments.
A single undersized pin or improvised bolt can shift loads unpredictably, especially when hoists start and stop.
Wire rope: reading the language of strands and corrosion
Wire rope fails in ways that are both subtle and catastrophic. You need to learn its early warning signals.
Surface and internal damage
Run a rag along the rope and then examine it. Broken wires often snag the cloth.
Look for:
– Birdcaging: strands bulging outward from the core, a sign of overload or improper handling.
– Kinks: permanent bends where the rope has been bent too sharply.
– Flattened sections: compression from blocks or loads beyond design.
Corrosion is a quieter enemy. Surface rust alone is not always fatal, but pitting, swelling, or flakes suggest deeper damage. Near terminations, rust can hide in fittings and sleeves, where load is highest.
Terminations and hardware
Swage fittings, wedge sockets, and clips are all potential failure points.
Inspect:
– Swages for cracks, slippage, or visible rope movement.
– Wedge sockets to confirm correct wedge, correct seating, and load on the live side, not the dead tail.
– Wire rope clips for correct direction (saddle on the live side), correct number, spacing, and tightness.
The old saying “never saddle a dead horse” is not just a joke. Wrong orientation of clips can cut rope strength by half or more.
Chain, hoists, and motors: motion with memory
Chain hoists are the muscles of a modern rig. Muscles tire, joints wear, and nerves misfire. Hoists do the same, just in steel and copper.
Chain inspection
Both motor chain and manual chain deserve respect.
Check for:
– Elongated links: compare to a new link if available. Stretch is a sign of overload.
– Nicks or gouges, especially across bearing surfaces where links load each other.
– Corrosion that pits deeply into metal.
Chain that has jumped the pocket of a hoist sprocket, or that runs twisted, has been abused. Any suggestion of that history should prompt a more detailed check or removal from service.
Hoist body and controls
The case and hook tell their own story.
Inspect:
– Hooks for throat opening beyond spec, twisted orientation, or missing safety latches that are required for that application.
– Hook swivels for smooth, controlled movement without grinding.
– Hoist housings for cracks, impact marks, or unauthorized modifications.
Electrical controls should be handled with the same care:
– Cables must be free from cuts, crushed points, or amateur repairs.
– Connectors must lock correctly and show no discoloration from heat.
If a hoist will be used for performer flying or motion during the show, the threshold for concern must be even lower. If you are not absolutely certain of the system and certification, walk away from that effect. No effect is worth a body in freefall.
Shackles, bolts, and connectors: small details, large consequences
The smallest hardware in the system is often where the whole rig will choose to fail. These are the hidden villains: over-tightened, under-rated, or casually swapped.
Shackles
Shackles should be rated, marked, and used correctly. No exceptions.
Look for:
– Clear markings: manufacturer, WLL, and size.
– Round cross-section pins that match the body size and type.
– No bending, distortion, or thread damage.
Orientation matters. The bow should take multi-directional loads, the pin should not be side-loaded or bearing across a gap wider than its shoulder. Using a shackle pin as a rolling element or as a direct beam support is bad practice.
“If you find an unmarked shackle, treat it like an unknown drug: you do not know what is in it, so you do not put it in the system.”
Bolts and fasteners
Bolts should be grade-appropriate and used in shear or tension as designed, not mashed through oversized holes and bent like nails.
Inspect for:
– Correct grade markings on bolt heads.
– Full thread engagement where needed, but not so much thread in the shear plane that strength is lost.
– Locking methods: lock nuts, thread locker, or safety wire where vibration is present.
Hardware store bolts tossed into critical rigging without attention to grade, length, and installation reflect a culture of “good enough”. That culture kills.
Soft goods, slings, and “invisible” supports
Soft goods whisper warnings long before they fail, but only if you handle them closely.
Synthetic slings
Polyester, nylon, and other synthetic slings are ubiquitous in entertainment rigging.
Look for:
– Cuts or nicks, especially near contact points with sharp metal.
– Abrasion that has fuzzed, thinned, or glazed fibers.
– Melted spots from heat or friction.
If the manufacturer’s tag is missing or illegible, the sling has lost its identity and its rating. Take it out of service. No guessing.
Roundslings and covers
Roundslings with fabric covers can hide internal damage.
Squeeze along the length. Feel for:
– Flat areas that suggest internal core breakage.
– Lumps or thinning spots that indicate shifting fibers.
If the cover is badly torn, you cannot see what the core is doing. That sling no longer belongs overhead.
Ropes used in rigging
Static or semi-static ropes, when rated and used correctly, can live overhead. Decorative cordage and theatrical “rope-looking” materials cannot.
Inspect technical ropes for:
– Glazing or shiny patches from friction.
– Core shots, where the inner core is exposed.
– Discoloration from chemicals or UV exposure.
Any rope that has stopped behaving predictably, that kinks or coils in new ways, deserves scrutiny.
Anchors and tie-ins: trusting the building only when it speaks clearly
Hanging from an unknown point in a ceiling is like stepping onto a floating platform in the dark. You might be fine. You might not.
Documented anchors
Good venues provide documentation: engineering drawings, load ratings for points, approved usage diagrams. If you are lucky enough to have these, use them.
Still inspect:
– The physical condition of each point.
– Signs of movement, cracking, or repair patches around anchors.
– Consistency between drawing and reality: is that plate actually where the drawing says, on the member it claims?
Field-created anchors
Anchors drilled and glued into concrete, attached to steel with clamps, or otherwise created in the field must be treated with suspicion until an engineer signs off.
Look for:
– Proper hardware: no “mystery” expansion anchors of unknown brand.
– Correct edge distances and spacing: too close to an edge or to each other weakens concrete.
– Load testing records, where applicable.
“Never assume that a visible bolt head equals a safe point. The danger is on the buried end you cannot see.”
If you are pressured to hang from unknown points because “we have done it this way for years”, that is not tradition. That is accumulated risk.
Special cases: performer flying and moving scenery
Once anything overhead starts moving with the show, the stakes climb. Motion multiplies the load. Performers add fragile human bodies to the equation.
Performer flying
If you are not using a purpose-built flying system with clear certification, training, and inspection protocols, do not fly people. It is that simple.
Performer flying rigs require:
– Redundant supports and brakes.
– Fall protection considerations during rehearsal and maintenance.
– Clear inspection schedules with sign-offs by qualified personnel.
As a designer or director, resist the urge to improvise “simple” effects with standard hoists, simple pulleys, or counterweighted rigs that have not been engineered for people. If the budget does not support a proper system, adapt the concept. Find another way to create the feeling.
Automated scenery
Overhead scenic pieces that move must be inspected with their motion in mind.
Check:
– Cable management through full travel: nothing should snag, rub, or chafe.
– Clearances at all positions, including over-travel and emergency stop.
– Shock loads when starting and stopping: watch how the rig reacts.
If a piece of flying scenery shudders, bounces hard, or sways unpredictably, that is not just a visual problem. It is a structural complaint. Listen to it.
Documentation and culture: safety as an everyday design choice
Inspection is not just about what you see and feel today. It is about building a story over time.
Keeping records that mean something
A simple table or form that records:
| Date | Person inspecting | Area / system | Issues found | Action taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-01 | Lead rigger | Upstage truss, hoists 1-4 | Shackle pin backing out on hoist 3 | Replaced shackle, added cotter, re-checked |
is more valuable than any lengthy manual that nobody updates. Over months and seasons, this record reveals patterns: hardware that fails early, systems that are abused, or areas where training is weak.
Building a culture that tolerates “no”
The most beautiful safety hardware in the world cannot protect a team that fears speaking up.
You need a culture on your productions where:
– Anyone can call “stop” for a safety concern, and the room responds with attention, not irritation.
– Budget lines exist for replacing questionable gear, not just adding new toys.
– “We do not know if this is safe” is met with “then we do not do it yet”, not “we have no time.”
“Good rigging is not the art of hanging more. It is the discipline of saying no to the one effect that crosses the line.”
As a designer or director, you are often the loudest creative voice in the room. Use that voice not just for brighter colors or more ambitious moves, but for the quiet, unfashionable demand: “Show me that it is safe. If you cannot, we change the design.”
Training the artistic eye to see rigging
If your background is scenic or lighting rather than rigging, you might feel that safety is someone else’s department. That split is dangerous.
Train yourself to:
– Recognize basic rigging hardware and know what belongs overhead.
– Spot obvious misuses: unrated gear, dangerous angles, abused equipment.
– Ask precise questions: “What is the WLL on this point?” “Who last inspected these hoists?”
When an artistic leader asks sharp, informed safety questions, the whole team takes rigging more seriously. Sloppy practices feel out of place, not normal.
When to remove gear from service
The hardest part of inspection is not seeing the problem. It is having the discipline to say, “This piece retires today.”
You remove gear from service when:
– Ratings are illegible or entirely missing.
– Visible damage compromises more than superficial appearance.
– You lack confidence in its history or provenance.
Mark it clearly. Put it somewhere it cannot sneak back into use. Throwing away a sling or shackle hurts the budget, but hanging it again hurts your integrity.
“If you hesitate between ‘keep’ and ‘scrap’, the correct bin is almost always ‘scrap’. The rig does not care about your sunk costs.”
Rigging safety as part of the artistic experience
Rigging inspection might feel dry. Technical. Removed from the splash of paint or the heat of a spotlight.
In truth, it is part of the emotional architecture of immersive work.
When you know that every overhead point has been inspected, questioned, and signed off, you move differently in the space. Performers explore further. Designers reach higher. Audiences lean into the illusion without flinching at the sight of a giant chandelier above their heads.
The calm of a well-inspected rig seeps into the room. It lets the design breathe.
And all of that begins with a simple, unglamorous ritual: torch in hand, eyes up, fingers on steel, asking every piece of overhead equipment the same quiet question:
“Are you still worthy of this weight?”
