GEARHOUSE SOUTH AFRICA EMBRACES THE PLASA - NRC

Four Gearhouse SA Riggers have undergone their final assessment for the PLASA Rigging Supervisor, Level 3, National Rigging Certificate (NRC), on the Coldplay tour at the Cape Town and Johannesburg Stadiums in South Africa.

Anthony Banks, Lodewikus Visser, Roy Wood and Kendall Dixon originally undertook their first centre based assessment at Total Solutions, one of the three PLASA NRC Centres in the UK.

Following this, Rigging Supervisors must then be observed on an actual rigging job, supervising others working at height. During the development of the NRC it was agreed that rigging supervisors should be seen on an actual job,because of the dynamic nature of rigging work and supervision.

Therefore, Gearhouse SA coordinated the onsite assessments to take place during a tour in South Africa to give ample opportunity for assessment at both ‘load ins and outs’.

In order to complete the award Gearhouse SA chose to adopt the UK legislative requirements enabling these riggers to meet the UK version of the NRC.

Gearhouse SA Joint Managing Director - Ofer Lapid explains why Gearhouse SA decided to put their Rigging supervisors through the PLASA NRC ‘The UK has always been a mentorship for the live events industry and to South Africa as a country and specifically Gearhouse. Therefore, we are trying to keep our standards current alongside Europe and this is one way to achieve this. Since we are a young industry but rapidly growing, we need to ensure we keep up to date with worldwide standards’.

Anthony Banks one of the candidates who undertook the NRC and coordinated the assessments for Gearhouse SA adds ‘ it’s great that there is now a way to gain recognition and to meet an international standard for rigging, it raises the profession. All of the candidates are grateful to Gearhouse SA for supporting this achievement.’

Oz Marsh was the NRC assessor and Nicky Greet verified all of the assessments. Oz Marsh comments;

‘I am impressed with the quality of rigging work and safety employed and by setting these standards  Gearhouse SA are certainly putting themselves onto the international stage.’

Photo Members of Gearhouse rigging team- Lodewikus Visser NRC Level 3 (one of the successful candidates at front - sitting) – Ofer Lapid Managing Director Gearhouse SA with Oz Marsh Assessor at the Cape Town Stadium during load in of Cold Play. Photo Nicky Greet

Other development work: Development work continues with the Nordic regions who are working with PLASA to develop a Nordic version of the NRC by adapting legislation and translating materials whilst maintaining best practice. This work is overseen by the PLASA qualifications development team and members of the UK rigging community.

Story and photos reprinted courtesy LSI Magazine (www.lsionline.co.uk/digital).