Safety

PLEASE NOTE: All guidelines outlined here are superseded by any health or safety related protocols that are mandated by the University.

Public Safety Non-emergency contact information:

Morningside Campus - 212-854-2797

Manhattanville Campus - 212-853-3301

Despite careful preparation and steps to minimize risks as much as possible, accidents may still occur.

In the event of an emergency:
Call the CU Public Safety emergency line (for emergencies ONLY):


Morningside Campus: 212-854-5555

Manhattanville Campus: 212-854-3333


When calling from a campus phone: 4-5555.
Call 911 when calling from an off campus location.

Be prepared to give the following information:

  • Location of the emergency – give clear directions, street address, building, and room.
  • Type and severity of the emergency:
    Fire – type and size of fire.
    Medical – type of illness or injury, cause, number of victims.
    Police/crime – type of crime, description of suspects and their direction of travel.
    Chemical/hazardous materials – quantity and type of substances involved, hazards and injuries.
  • When the incident occurred.
  • Your name, location you’re calling from, and phone number.
  • Call from a safe location, if possible. Remain calm. Speak slowly and clearly. Do not hang up the phone until the dispatcher tells you to.

 

  • The first rule of safety: when in doubt, ask. Understand what makes a rehearsal or performance safe and do your best to act in a professional manner. 
  • Safety begins long before your rehearsal or performance. It is the responsibility of each member of your team to educate themselves and one another about safety and to arrive at rehearsals and performances on time, well rested and healthy. 
  • Accidents are caused by negligence, lack of awareness, and lack of foresight. It is important to stay alert, understand the potential dangers, and be able to recognize the safety hazards in advance. 
  • Follow your instincts. If it feels unsafe, it probably is. And if you think something is unsafe or someone is acting in an unsafe manner, say something. By calling attention to the safety hazard, it gives all a chance to reevaluate the situation. 
  • Safety must be your first concern, making a great piece of theatre is second. Everyone wants the show to be great, but it is never worth risking the injury or death of anyone involved. Take care of one another. 

In case of an injury or medical emergency, the first step is to administer first aid and ensure that any unsafe condition is corrected. If professional medical assistance is needed, call in to an emergency phone number listed above.

Next, the incident must be reported to the immediate supervisor. The immediate supervisor may be staff, faculty (for a class), or a fellow student (Stage Manager or Schapiro Crew Member).  They will assist in coordinating with Public Safety and any other appropriate parties.

An Accident Report Form must be filled out immediately after the injury. Please send this form to the Asst. Production Manager, Production Manager and Director of Production.

Note: Employee Information on the form should be for the person injured

  • Schapiro – Corrie Beth Knott, Tom Gilmore and Dana Sokolov
  • Riverside – Corrie Beth Knott, Tom Gilmore and Dana Sokolov
  • Nash – Corrie Beth Knott, Britta Kuhn
  • Lenfest – Corrie Beth Knott and Aaron Keller
  • Dodge – Corrie Beth Knott

 

If the injured person requires medical attention, someone should accompany them to the hospital or medical facility to assist and report on status.

In the event of an unexpected incident during a performance the Production Stage Manager will make the initial call on whether it’s appropriate for the show to continue. The Schapiro Site Supervisor must be made aware immediately over the 2 way radio. The PSM, consulting with the SSS, will determine if there is immediate danger and if the show can continue safely. The SSS can override the Stage Manager, if there is cause. 

If there is immediate danger, the show must stop immediately and either the issue is addressed or all patrons and production team vacate the space.In the event of danger, Public Safety must be notified immediately. The SSS will focus on evacuating the audience members while the PSM will be responsible for overseeing the production team’s exit. 

For Fire Emergencies, it will be the responsibility of CU Fire Safety to determine whether an evacuation is necessary. A fire alarm does not necessarily mean that an evacuation is the best course of action.

If the show can continue safely, the PSM, consulting with appropriate members of the Production Team, will assemble a response plan to complete the production. The SSS will liaise with Production Management and any other appropriate parties, including Public Safety, as needed.

During rehearsals, Stage Management has the authority to dismiss actors who are ill, be it prior to, or during the rehearsal. The Theatre Department has equipment that can be provided for cast members to remote into rehearsals over Zoom, and we encourage you to make use of this technology in order to keep everyone in the room healthy if there is a concern someone could be contagious.

Should a cast member fall ill prior to or during a performance, the Standard Operating Procedures on Injuries or an Incident during a Performance should be followed.

In any case of illness, please notify Production Management as soon as possible.

If the illness constitutes a medical emergency, particularly if it has a rapid onset, administer first aid and ensure that any unsafe condition is corrected. If professional medical assistance is needed, call 911, immediately notify Public Safety, and follow the Standard Operating Procedures for Injuries.

It is strongly recommended that each production prepare an Illness/Injury Safety Plan prior to beginning rehearsals. This plan should identify the following:

  • Any activities or moment in the show that would be high risk for the spread of an infectious disease (examples include close contact, kissing, shared food, etc.).
  • Any measures being taken by the company to mitigate those risks beyond what Columbia's own protocols require.

Additionally, as part of the Illness/Injury Safety Plan, the company should prepare a contingency plan for how the show would proceed in the event that one of the following occurs:

  • An actor, crew member, or creative team member falls ill during the rehearsal process.
  • An actor, crew member, or creative team member falls ill during or prior to tech.
  • An actor or crew member falls ill during or prior to a performance.

While we certainly hope that none of the above scenarios happen, having a plan in place in case they do is very helpful in providing a framework to work from in a time-pressured scenario. 

  • Exit signs may not be covered. Additional Exit Signs may be added for sight line issues, pending Production Management approval.
  • There must be 42 inches of egress to fire exit doors at all times during the production. No scenery, person, chair, or curtain may obstruct the exit.
  • All scenic elements must be flameproofed.
  • No flame, water features, fake snow, sand, dirt, glitter, confetti, or other small particles are permitted (venue & NYC law restrictions).
  • The use of carbon dioxide and/or liquid nitrogen (dry ice) is prohibited in accordance with requirements as set by the NYFD.