EDCON 2018: SAFETY PROGRAM
Rebranding the safety program as a network came in response to the
realization that the term “recognition” was too often replaced with
“certification.” ACE is not a certifying body, and the safety program is not
meant to be a one-time stamp of approval. Presenting it as a network of
studios who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding best practices in
safety conveys that safety is an ongoing process, and that we can all benefit
from sharing resources and experiences.
A network, however, can only succeed if studios join and participate in it. To
date, fewer than 20 studios have completed the full process of being admitted
into the program. We asked the roundtable attendees what has prevented
them from applying thus far, and the prevailing sentiment expressed was that
the amount of work required was daunting without having some assistance and
means of accountability along the way.
It is true that applying to the safety program requires work, as safety pervades
every aspect of what we do. In addition to the self-assessment form that walks
the applicant through all of the safety program guidelines, it requires providing
all studio policy and procedure documents, curricula, floor plans, rigging
photos, staff CVs, inspection and incident logs. Having to complete and submit
the entire application with all supplementary materials before being assigned a
consultant to help structure the process can mean it simply doesn’t get done.
To address this, ACE will now assign a safety consultant as soon as the studio
submits their intake form for the program. The consultant can then assist with
the process of prioritizing the work to get the materials submitted over time.
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BY BEVERLY SOBELMAN
ACE Safety Program Director
Executive Director, Versatile Arts
Participants also expressed support for having the program provide more
sample documents to help fill in any blanks in their current practices. Sample
policies, emergency procedures, incident logs, and inspection and inventory
records are all examples of resources that ACE will continue to develop and
provide to studios applying to join the network. With such resources, there is
rarely “one true way” to design and implement them, but ACE will endeavor
to provide templates that can easily be adapted to the specific needs and
circumstances of each organization.
One thing that was not in question at the meeting was the value of the
program. As someone who has gone through the application process for my
own studio, I can attest to the thoroughness of the guidelines and their value
in helping fill in the gaps in existing practices. Most of those gaps were things
that had been on my to-do list for some time but had never quite made their
way to the top—such as scheduling an emergency procedures practice session,
in which my staff practiced rescue methods and discussed how to respond
to various emergency and disaster scenarios. Even little things, like getting
around to securing a ladder and putting up better emergency exit lighting, felt
like important accomplishments that made me feel better about our overall
safety practices.
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Representatives from more than a dozen circus programs attended this year’s
safety program roundtable at the ACE Educator’s Conference in Decatur. The
main topics of the roundtable this year were the rebranding of the program
as a safety network from a recognition process, and a discussion of how the
program can better serve the needs of the community, thereby encouraging
broader participation.
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