PLASA launches Safety in Entertainment website WHEN A SERIES OF HIGH PROFILE ACCIDENTS caused concern from within and outside of the live event production industry, PLASA responded by disseminating information about standards regarding safety and by convening a meeting of professionals from across the industry to find ways to help make it a safer place to work. As a result of that meeting, PLASA launched a new website called Entertainment Industry Safety Initiative (www.safetyinentertainment. com). The site is designed to help raise awareness of standards, regulations, health issues, and safety in the live event production industry among companies and individuals. It provides information and resources regarding safe work practices, record keeping, accident reporting, and more. The site currently focuses on codes and regulations in the United States, but there are plans to expand it to cover other countries in the future. The website was created by PLASA after meeting last March at USITT with several representatives from a cross section of the industry, including a variety of trade and professional associations, employers, venues, and labor unions. During the meeting, there was unanimous agreement among the attendees that there is a need and a desire for a central fall 2011 BY RICHARD CADENA Industry trade and professional associations, employers, venues, and labor unions come together with OSHA to provide information location where information could be easily found to help facilitate safety programs and to promote the general health and safety in the industry. The website will continue to be developed and updated with new information. Contributions and suggestions from the industry about adding resources are encouraged. The information on the website includes news and information from template of the UCLA IIPP program. Much of the information has been gathered and consolidated from participants in the inaugural meeting. Eddie Raymond, Chairman of PLASA North America, said, “Employers have a responsibility to protect the lives and safety of their workers. We want to help make it easier to fi nd information and tools that employers can use to facilitate their safety the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), references to relevant standards from ANSI, NFPA, NEC, NIOSH, and OSHA, technical resources, record keeping and reporting tools, sample forms, publications, and information about illness and injury prevention including the CAL/OSHA Injury Illness and Prevention Program (IIPP or I2P2) and a sample programs and compliance with OSHA.” Lori Rubinstein, Executive Director PLASA in North America, commented, “We had a tremendous response at our fi rst meeting. Many of the participants have assisted in collecting these resources and making them available to the entire industry. Our hope is that this website will help make the industry a safer place to work.” 68 FALL 2011