DEF LEPPARD: Stagehand At San Bernardino Show Hospitalized After Being Crushed

June 13, 2005

According to Roadie.net, a stagehand at the DEF LEPPARD show on June 6 in San Bernardino, California was taken to the hospital after being crushed by the upstage section of roof when collapsed as a result of pre-mature removal of the cross-bracing. It was this cross bracing that held the roof to the stage. Four other stagehands, who were also under the structure managed to escape without injury. This was a "completely avoidable tragedy," according to the posting. "The [show] was ahead of schedule, and there was no need to rush (certainly not to the point of being dangerous).

One of the truck drivers told a local hand that this was a repeat of a similar incident that happened on a previous show. In this rigger’s opinion, this tour is an accident waiting to happen, combining insufficient equipment, inadequate stage direction, and a poorly designed production to produce a laundry list of safety failures. Most prominent of these failures was a complete lack of communication between road crew.

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