AMS adopts weather safety statement, identifies successful event safety practices

October 1, 2018  |  Business

Citing examples of both weather tragedies and proactive weather planning, the council of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) has adopted a statement regarding weather safety at venues and public gatherings. The statement expounds on the need for successful proactive weather decision practices …
Avoid being sued with a well-written rental contract

October 1, 2018  |  Business, Management

How to keep from being sued by making yourself the least appealing target in the group. A client recently asked me what seemed like a simple question: “How can I keep from getting sued? Aside from the obvious answer (which necessarily involves either a fortune or a gravestone), my answer, with som…
Fire marshals’ association and the code development process

October 1, 2018  |  Business

Fire marshals are code experts, but they look to the tent industry for information. The Tent Rental Division (TRD) of IFAI is an active participant in the code development process, submitting code proposals during the code revision cycle, attending and testifying at public hearings and serving as a …
Launching a company-wide health and safety program? Here are some tips.

October 1, 2018  |  Business

Beginning or reestablishing a company health and safety program can seem daunting, especially given everything else tent rental business owners and managers have on their plate. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) breaks down the task into nine doable steps: Always set safety an…
State marijuana laws, opioid use and your workplace drug policy

August 1, 2018  |  Business

What do business owners need to know about changing state marijuana laws and opioid use? With the U.S. unemployment rate at its lowest in years, employers are struggling to fully staff their companies. If that wasn’t difficult enough, employers who operate in states that have legalized marijuana f…
Is it a good time to sell your event rental business?

August 1, 2018  |  Business, Management

One of the most frequent questions I get is “Is now a good time to sell?” There are two things to consider when trying to answer this question. One is a “macro” question of how are the overall market conditions and two is a “micro” question of how your business is performing. I’ve been…
Q&A with TRD code consultant Paul Armstrong

August 1, 2018  |  Business

TRD’s code consultant discusses the code revision process and developing a relationship with code officials. Paul Armstrong, P.E., C.B.O., has worked as an independent consultant, technical trainer and expert witness, providing expertise on both California and international building codes for more…
Facebook’s changing algorithm and your business

June 1, 2018  |  Business, Management

How Facebook’s algorithm changes can affect tent and event renters’ social media marketing strategies—and what to do about it. The power of Facebook® is undeniable—and while its data privacy issues dominate the news at the moment, the algorithm update that launched earlier this year is stil…
ICC moves code revision proposals forward

June 1, 2018  |  Business

Proposals relating to wind and anchoring requirements were disapproved in the ICC’s Committee Action Hearing, but could return via public comments. One of two code revisions proposed by IFAI’s Tent Rental Division (TRD) was approved by the Fire Code Committee of the International Code Council (I…
Have fun and fix hazards during Safe + Sound week

June 1, 2018  |  Business

Bring Safe + Sound Week, Aug. 13–19, to your company with fun competition. A systematic approach to finding and fixing hazards is a proactive, ongoing process of identifying and controlling sources of potential injuries or illnesses. This means establishing procedures to collect and review informa…