Inspect Your Truss – A Must!

Article provided by IMA member Tyler Truss.

Inspect Your Truss! It has a lifespan. But more importantly, it is about safety. When you consider that it rides above concert and other live event stages and seating areas, venues such as museums and more…safety is paramount. So how do you inspect your truss and what are you looking for? Above all, start with exploring the ANSI E1.2 guidelines and engineering recommendations.

ANSI E1.2 is ESTA’s (Entertainment Services and Technology Association) Approved and Published Technical Standards Program Standards.

The American National Standards Institute oversees standards and conformity assessment activities in the United States.

ESTA members include the industry's leading dealers, manufacturers, production companies, rental companies, and professional service companies. ESTA's members are responsible for creating many of the most important programs in our industry including the Technical Standards Program, Entertainment Technician Certification Program and Rental Guard.

The goal of the Technical Standard Program is to take a leading role regarding technology within the entertainment industry by creating recommended practices and standards, monitoring standards issues around the world on behalf of our members, and improving communications and safety within the industry.

So what are the things to look for when inspecting your truss?

• Wear and elongation of bolt holes on end plates

• Gouges and Bends

• Holes or cut marks other than those that came from the manufacturer

• Dents, Scrapes

• Loose fork end connections

• Forks that are warped, bent or corroded

• Clevis Pin elongation or wear

• Missing or loose-fitting coil pins

• Holes drilled ‘after’ purchasing from the manufacturer

• Damaged or missing diags, verticals or horizontals

• Is the truss square. If more than ¼” out of square, remove from service

• Check all truss and towers to see if they are twisted, bent or bowed

• Welds! Any cracked or orange peel and cracks welds, remove from service

• Weld gouges or abrasions deeper than 50%? Remove from service

For more helpful tips from Tyler Truss, visit their blog.