In addition to the safe and sanitary provisions in Actors’ Equity agreements, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has approved standards specifically for the entertainment industry. If there is a particular production element planned for a show (e.g. dust effects, flying, fall protection, etc.) that is not defined in Actors’ Equity agreements, the ANSI standards shall be in effect. Please keep in mind that the ANSI standards have more comprehensive regulations in the entertainment industry than any other standards.
Actors’ Equity collaborates with entertainment professionals at the Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) and their Technical Standards Program (TSP) to create and promote standards for the entertainment industry. Actors’ Equity is a member of ESTA as well as a TSP Investor. ANSI standards for the entertainment industry can be found on ESTA's published documents page. All of the standards are free of charge to download at their website.
Some of the current standards available from ESTA include:
ANSI E1.23 - Entertainment Technology – Design and Execution of Theatrical Fog Effects
ANSI E1.26 – Entertainment Technology – Recommended Testing Methods and Values for Shock Absorption of Floors Used in Live Performance Venues
ANSI E1.34 – Entertainment Technology – Measuring and Specifying the Slipperiness of Floors Used in Live Performance Venues
ANSI E1.40 – Recommendations for the Planning of Theatrical Dust Effects
ANSI E1.43 – Entertainment Technology – Performer Flying Systems
ANSI E1.46 – Standard for the Prevention of Falls from Theatrical Stages and Raised Performance Platforms
ANSI E1.53 – Overhead mounting of luminaries, lighting accessories, and other portable devices: specification and practice
ANSI E1.55 – Standard for Theatrical Makeup Mirror Lighting
ANSI ES1.4 - Event Safety – Event Fire Safety Requirements
ANSI ES1.7 - Event Safety – Weather Preparedness
ANSI ES1.9 - Event Safety – Crowd Management
ANSI E1.57 - Recommendations to prevent falls on or off movable parade floats, movable stages, and similar moving platforms
ANSI E1.60 - Guidelines for the Use of Raked Stages in Live Performance Environments
ANSI E1.62 - Minimum specifications for mass-produced portable platforms, ramps, stairs, and choral risers for live performance events
Additional standards are currently being discussed and developed.
