The cynic in me suspects that the performers' and stagehands' willingness to accept this is inversely proportional to how close they are to contract negotiation time.

I've heard some inside grumbling from the SF Opera about this whole thing. I don't know any details and I won't write about unconfirmed rumors, but I do agree with Salzberg about proximity to contract negotiations.

I believe the contract is up for negotiation next year and they recently fired their labor relations manager. I think we should watch this space, so to speak.

A hearing loss thermometer at the CDC:

Hearing loss thermometer

Thanks, Matthew - that was very enlightening, and scary. I guess in addition to stuffing Kleenex in my ears at most movies, I'd better start wearing ear plugs out on the street.

That's a very interesting website, Matthew. I was intrigued that in searching around that website they spelled "tinnitus" as "tinnutus"...I have never seen that spelling before.

I did a search at the website and for "tinnitus" there are 27 documents. However, for "tinnutus" there are only two. I think someone typoed wrongly.

We have discussed in the Studio Forum in a couple of threads the ill effects of loud noise in dance class and performance and related physical activities like aerobics class and at the gym.

I have complained in movie theaters, and they will turn the sound down. If they don't you can get a refund within the first 20 minutes of the film. The coming attractions are always played at a louder level than the featured film. The American Tinnitus Association and other organizations are trying to get standards set for how loud the volume can be.

ok......back to fog machines.....

gaeadea posted, in the "Issues" forum:

========================================
Study Shows Smoke and Fog Harm Actors
click here for more

I thought the use of mineral oil was already banned in most states in the US.

And I also wonder about AGMA's rules...what we consider a hazer isn't a water product, is it? They seem to be status quo in many performances now (just saw one in use last week at a performance with AGMA dancers) - or does it constitute hazard pay?

Most modern hazers and foggers use a water and glycol mixture.

A word here about "LD50".

A substance's LD50 rating is the dosage at which it would cause fatalities in 50% of the test subjects ("LD" stands for "lethal dose", which is not a Mel Gibson movie).

The LD50 of glycol is less than that of water.

<small>[ 15 April 2003, 01:02 AM: Message edited by: salzberg ]</small>

We didn't get hazard pay for fog, but if you did not want to be in the scene that used it you were allowed out. I don't know if that has changed since I was in AGMA.

Technical Talk
From The Stage

Over the last ten years the face of technical theatre in this country has changed beyond all recognition. Not only has new kit been introduced - the ubiquitous nodding buckets, Wisiwig and Autocad, to name but three - but new ways of working. We now have health and safety to shape our working lives. Ten years ago the concept of working within the proposed European Directives was an anathema and a bit of a joke.

Today we all work in line with those directives. Our working week is shaped by the Working Time Regulations, monitored by risk assessments and protected by a raft of law from RIDOR to COHSE. Of course, we all know this has been for the better. Hasn't it?

click for more

It would be great to have a forum like this in the US, but I don't know who could get such a thing rolling. IATSE would probably be uninterested.