The Importance of Safety Cable
Is your audience in danger? The photo above of a broken c-clamp was taken a few years back. Thankfully, it was holding a shin buster, so the fixture was low to the ground. Had it been 20 feet off the floor, however, the audience would have been safe, because the theatre's technical director insisted on using safety cables for all fixtures.
Although our manufacturers make every effort to provide high-quality c-clamps, sometimes they break due to old age, stress (overtightening c-clamps can create torque that causes stress) or even casting flaws. A safety cable, made of 1/8" galvanized aircraft cable, wraps around the fixture yoke and the pipe or truss, and catches the falling fixture if the c-clamp fails. This simple cable costs as little as $3, yet can save anyone below from injury or death.
The best way to protect yourself from the potential danger of falling lights is to inspect and replace any old or stressed c-clamps, and insist that every instrument you have has its own safety cable.
