A quick post on several things that should never be “do it yourself” in churches – especially on the production side. Let me hit two important ones today:
“ELECTRICAL STUFF” – This one should be a no-brainer, but it’s not in many cases. Churches usually aren’t swimming in money. But you just can’t overload circuits with lighting, or have Joe from your church (who’s an unlicensed “handyman”) take care of things. Also, put child covers on unused outlets and don’t leave any projects dealing with electricity half done. While adults (hopefully) all know what’ll happen if we stick something metal into a light socket or electrical outlet, kids don’t…
“RIGGING” – Here, I am referring to heavy things that are hung from the walls or ceiling (i.e. things that would injure or kill someone if they fell on them). This category includes virtually any lighting, truss, or projection devices that are up in your auditorium or other public spaces. Every lighting fixture should have a safety cable attached to it, and all mounting should be done by a pro. Hiring a licensed rigger may seem like a big expense, but it’s cheaper than dealing with the ongoing guilt from an accident that could (and should) have been avoided.
These things have financial costs, I understand. But safety needs to be at the top of the priority list – not an afterthought.
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