PLASA Rigging Conference Announces Over 30 International Speakers and Panelists

The third annual PLASA Rigging Conference will welcome over 200 international attendees at the Earls Court Conference Centre in London, September 10-11, 2012.

With UK and worldwide bookings well up on last year and with a strong international flavor to its speakers and seminar sessions, the PLASA Rigging Conference confirms its status as the premier event worldwide dedicated to all things rigging.

Opening with a presentation from original Disney rigger Roy Bickel, one of the founders of the modern rigging industry, and closing with a Q&A hosted by Alan Jacobi LVO, managing director of Unusual Rigging, the Conference is packed with sessions from industry experts.

On Monday September 10, the thorny issue of developing standardized "Common Practice" will be debated by Rinus Bakker and Roy Schilderman from ARGH in Holland along with panelists Cris Giavedoni, Chris Bottger, Bill Sapsis, and Marc Hendriks. An update on the progress of the NRC this year will be reported by Michele Enright, PLASA qualifications manager and Lori Rubinstein, PLASA's director of membership, skills, standards, and technical in a "Qualifications Update".

In the afternoon delegates can listen to Robert Dean, founder of ZFX Inc. accompanied by panelists Ges Webb, Gert Jan Brouwer, and Ted Moore as they debate and discuss "Performer Flying & Aerial Performance". New Zealander Nick Barnfield, Showquip's technical director investigates "Dynamic Loads in Rigging" along with Bill Sapsis, Matze Moeller, Neil Darracott, and Amedeo Guizzi.

Tuesday's program gets off to a flying start: "Getting Right to the Point" invites delegates to join Gert Jan Brouwer, managing director of Frontline Rigging and panelists Chris Bottger and Roy Schilderman as they consider how riggers themselves can contribute towards improvements in venue rigging systems. Chris Higgs follows this with an exploration of "Secondary Suspensions" along with Matze Moeller, Bill Sapsis, Rinus Bakker, and Adrian Bray. The morning concludes with "An Inspector Calls..." presented by Flip Sandell, HM inspector of health and safety with able assistance from panelists Mike Anderson, Graham Souster, Tom Goode, and Mark Surtees: a vital session designed to equip rigging professionals with the knowledge about their legal responsibilities and duties in the event of a notifiable incident.

The issue of safety in the rigging workplace is continued after lunch as Malcolm Richards presents "Ground Supported Structures." Assisted by Dragan Kuzmnov, Nick Barnfield, Abigail Matthews, Scott Nacherman, Chris Cronin, and Gavin Bye from the HSE, Richards will examine the challenges surrounding this sector of the industry, particularly in light of recent tragic events.

Over 30 of the most respected figures in the industry from around the globe have joined together to present this year's educational program: jammed full of information, advice, and opportunities to debate and discuss.

In addition to the Conference, The Riggers' Forum will be held on the afternoon of Sunday, September 9. This is an informal opportunity to meet a panel of experts from across the industry; express your opinions, share your experiences, and to discuss the issues and challenges that face riggers today.

Registration for delegates is live and pre-booking essential to guarantee a place.