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Add the “why” to the “how” in your training
June 1st, 2021
Important things every installer should know. by Mike Holland Most tent installers receive on-the-job training. Oftentimes it is on a need-to-know basis that is determined by the supervisor or the peers who are on-site. When training a new team member, trainers should not only explain how something is done, but they should also explain why […]
Conduct thorough and proper site evaluations to avoid the unexpected
October 1st, 2020
by Pamela Mills-Senn Thorough evaluations are key to avoiding issues that could slow down an installation or even present a danger. Alex Kouzmanoff, president of Aztec Tents, demonstrates using a dynamometer to test anchoring loads. Photo courtesy of Aztec Tents. There’s a time and a place for surprises—a tent install isn’t one of them. Encounter […]
Disinfecting fabrics in the age of COVID-19
August 1st, 2020
Expert advice for eliminating a deadly virus while keeping employees and end users safe. by Pamela Mills-Senn Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, manufacturers of textile-based products like event tents, gym mats and pads, soft seating and bounce houses faced the usual questions from their customers about how to clean and disinfect these items. But there […]
Celebrating 100 years of head protection
August 1st, 2019
Hard hat manufacturer Bullard celebrates the 100th anniversary of its revolutionary invention. Women got the vote. Prohibition began. The Treaty of Versailles ended World War I. And worker safety was advanced with a new device—the hard hat. The invention of the hard hat is credited to E. W. Bullard, the son of the founder of […]
Working safely in hot weather
July 18th, 2019
A new Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) alert offers information and resources to protect workers from heat-related illness when performing activities in high temperatures and humid conditions. Symptoms of heat-related illness include fainting, dizziness, nausea and muscle spasms. Keep workers safe by following these simple safety practices: Provide water, frequent rest breaks and shade. […]
Climate control for safe tented events
June 1st, 2019
Follow these tips to keep tented events cool and safe in warm months. With 18 holes to play in summer’s desert-like heat, golf tournaments are always looking for ways to keep players and spectators cool. One golf association hosts an annual tournament in Palm Desert, Calif., where temperatures can exceed 95 degrees F. This elite […]
Basic training principles for new and long-time installers
August 1st, 2018
Training new installers—and long-time crew members—comes down to a focus on safety, product-specific knowledge and product care. Labor is a problem everywhere, with tent rental companies experiencing constant turnover and the need to train new installers. Desperate to fill out their crews, tent renters will often send new employees on the road for installations right […]
PPE and bad excuses
August 1st, 2017
There are a lot of reasons why workers fail to wear PPE—but none of them are good. Why do tent installers fail to use personal protective equipment (PPE) on job sites? That’s a great question—one without good answers. We frequently see workers on tent sites that are near to and working with loud equipment; moving […]
Gear is good, skill is better
August 1st, 2017
Innovative equipment and creative problem solvers get the job done. I began my journalism career in photography, and then moved away from it. “You can learn photography on the side!” people said. “Major in print journalism instead!” (Life advice right up there with the realtor who told me in 2004 that housing values almost never […]
OSHA: Circus tent in fatal New Hampshire collapse not erected correctly
April 1st, 2016
A Sarasota, Fla.-based circus operator is contesting more than $33,000 in fines proposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) following the collapse of a circus tent in August 2015. OSHA cited Walker International Events with 14 serious violations. The collapse killed a father and daughter in the audience and injured dozens of others, […]