Key Takeaways
- Entertainment rigging training addresses dynamic and moving loads, venue-specific structural assessments, and audience exposure that construction rigging courses do not cover.
- Riggers working in entertainment must know the ANSI E1 series of standards published by ESTA, which are separate from the ASME and OSHA standards taught in construction rigging.
- ETCP certification is increasingly required by venues, production companies, and state regulations such as California’s AB 1775.
- Construction rigging skills provide a solid foundation, but they must be supplemented with entertainment-specific training before working shows.
- American Crane & Safety offers Entertainment Rigging Courses online to bridge the gap between construction and entertainment rigging knowledge.
Why Entertainment Rigging Training Goes Beyond Construction Courses
Construction rigging skills give you a strong technical foundation. Knot work, load calculations, hardware selection, and signaling translate across industries. But entertainment rigging training covers an entirely different operating environment, and construction rigging courses were never designed to address it.
American Crane & Safety (AMC&S) works with riggers and training coordinators who need to close this gap. The six reasons below explain exactly what makes entertainment rigging a distinct discipline and why dedicated training is the right investment for riggers, safety managers, and production companies.
1. Dynamic and Moving Loads
Construction rigging generally moves a load from point A to point B. Once placed, the load is static. Entertainment rigging operates differently. Loads move during performances: flying scenery, lighting battens, LED walls, and sometimes performers.
These moving loads introduce forces that static calculations do not account for:
- Impact loading: A 600-pound batten stopped abruptly can generate 800 to 1,000+ pounds of force.
- Acceleration and deceleration forces: Motorized hoists with poor speed control apply jerky force that multiplies the apparent load.
- Shock loads: Emergency stops can double or triple the load on a line.
- Directional changes: Loads that change direction mid-flight create lateral forces on attachment points.
Design factors in entertainment rigging reflect this reality. Where construction rigging typically uses a 5:1 safety factor, entertainment applications often call for 8:1 or 10:1 depending on the load type and whether people are involved.
Construction rigging courses teach static load calculations. Entertainment rigging training teaches you how to calculate peak dynamic loads, account for acceleration profiles, and select hardware rated for the forces your show will actually generate.
2. Venue-Specific Structural Limitations
On a construction site, crane pads are engineered, ground conditions are assessed, and lift plans reference known structural data. Entertainment rigging operates in venues that were not necessarily built for rigging: convention centers, ballrooms, arenas, warehouses, historic theaters, and outdoor festival sites.
The first step at every venue is confirming that the overhead structure will support the intended loads. This may require input from a licensed structural engineer. You cannot determine structural capacity by visual inspection alone.
Entertainment riggers must:
- Assess roof beams, gridirons, and existing attachment points for load capacity
- Determine whether points can be dead hung or must be bridled based on available structural supports
- Calculate bridle angles and the resulting force multiplication (at 30 degrees below horizontal, each leg carries 2x its vertical share of the load)
- Specify stinger and steel configurations for each rigging point
- Produce venue-specific drawings showing structural elements and specific anchors
ANSI E1.47 provides guidelines for inspecting entertainment rigging systems in theatres, studios, amphitheatres, and arenas. Construction rigging courses do not cover this standard or the venue assessment process it describes.
3. Audience Safety Considerations
Construction sites are controlled environments. The public is excluded from the work zone. Barricades, signage, and spotters keep unauthorized personnel away from overhead lifts.
Entertainment rigging suspends heavy equipment directly over audiences and performers. There are no exclusion zones beneath a flown lighting truss during a concert. The rig must hold, and every component in the system must be rated and inspected to confirm it will.
This distinction is why the ETCP certification program was created: rigging in entertainment “directly affects the health and safety of crews, performers, and audiences.”
OSHA’s General Duty Clause applies to entertainment venues. Employers must provide a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. OSHA issues citations for fall protection, electrical safety, and structural hazards at live events.
California has gone further. AB 1775 (Labor Code 9250-9254), effective January 1, 2023, requires entertainment event vendors at public venues to certify that employees have completed OSHA-10/General Entertainment Safety training and that department heads are either ETCP certified or part of a skilled and trained workforce.
Entertainment rigging training prepares riggers for this level of accountability. Construction rigging courses do not address audience exposure because construction sites do not have audiences.
4. ESTA/ANSI E1 Standards Apply, Not Just OSHA and ASME
Construction rigging follows OSHA regulations and ASME standards. Entertainment rigging follows those and adds an entire parallel body of standards developed by ESTA (Entertainment Services and Technology Association) through an ANSI-accredited Technical Standards Program.
Key ANSI E1 standards entertainment riggers must know:
| Standard | Subject |
|---|---|
| ANSI E1.2 | Design, manufacture, and use of aluminum trusses and towers |
| ANSI E1.4-1 | Manual counterweight rigging systems |
| ANSI E1.4-2 | Statically suspended rigging systems |
| ANSI E1.39 | Personal fall arrest on portable structures in entertainment |
| ANSI E1.43 | Performer flying systems |
| ANSI E1.46 | Prevention of falls from theatrical stages |
| ANSI E1.47 | Entertainment rigging system inspections |
| ANSI E1.67 | Hand and lever-operated chain hoists in entertainment |
| ANSI E1.50-1 | Temporary display system structures (LED walls, video) |
| ANSI E1.21 | Temporary structures for outdoor entertainment events |
These standards are available for free download from ESTA’s Technical Standards Program.
A rigger trained only in construction standards will not know the E1 series exists, let alone how to apply it. Entertainment rigging training covers these standards directly.
5. Show-Specific Rigging Plans
Construction lift plans follow a repeatable process: assess the load, select the crane, engineer the lift, execute. The variables change between projects, but the planning framework stays consistent.
Entertainment rigging requires a custom rigging plan for every production in every venue. A touring show that plays 40 cities needs 40 rigging plans because no two venues share the same structural layout.
Each rigging plan must include:
- Rigging plots with point-specific information: static load, peak dynamic load, and datum axis lines
- Total static weight of all rigging
- Floor measurements and marks for trim heights and point locations
- Bridle calculations including unequal leg lengths and the resulting force distributions
- Identification of moving load points with distinguishing symbols
- Hardware specifications for each point: chain motors, spansets, bridle steels, shackles
Entertainment riggers also use specialized equipment that is uncommon in construction: chain motors (often inverted and painted black), entertainment-specific truss systems, and control cables integrated with show automation.
Toolbox talks are required before the start of work on every show. The rigger must communicate the plan to the crew, identify hazards specific to that venue, and coordinate with production teams on cue-driven load movements.
These planning skills are not taught in construction rigging courses. They require dedicated entertainment rigging training.
6. ETCP Certification Expectations from Employers
ETCP (Entertainment Technician Certification Program), administered under ESTA, provides certifications in two rigging categories:
- Rigger, Arena
- Rigger, Theatre
Many venues, production companies, and general contractors require ETCP certification as a minimum qualification for riggers working on their shows. The ETCP Council includes major industry organizations: IATSE, ESTA, USITT, AMPTP, and companies like Cirque du Soleil and Live Nation.
ETCP eligibility requirements:
- Age 21 or older
- At least 100 hours of professional entertainment rigging work
- Accumulation of 30 points through work experience and education
- Recertification requires 40 points every five years
The ETCP exam covers rigging math, safety standards (ANSI and OSHA), hardware knowledge, and practical scenarios specific to entertainment. It does not test construction crane operations.
NCCCO certification is the recognized credential for construction rigging and crane operations. ETCP is the recognized credential for entertainment rigging. The two certifications test different bodies of knowledge and serve different industries.
California’s AB 1775 now requires ETCP certification (or equivalent skilled and trained workforce criteria) for department heads and leads at public venue events. Other states may follow this model.
Entertainment rigging training builds the knowledge the ETCP exam tests. Construction rigging courses do not.
Entertainment Rigging vs. Construction Rigging: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Category | Entertainment Rigging | Construction Rigging |
|---|---|---|
| Load types | Dynamic, moving, cue-driven | Primarily static lifts |
| Applicable standards | ANSI E1 series (ESTA), OSHA | ASME, OSHA |
| Primary certification | ETCP (Arena or Theatre) | NCCCO |
| Work environment | Theaters, arenas, convention centers, outdoor festivals | Construction sites, industrial facilities |
| Audience exposure | Loads suspended directly over public | Public excluded from work zone |
| Planning requirements | Custom rigging plan per venue, per show | Engineered lift plan per project |
| Safety factors | 8:1 or 10:1 common | 5:1 typical |
| Equipment | Chain motors, spansets, entertainment truss, automation | Cranes, wire rope, lifting beams |
How to Get Started with Entertainment Rigging Training
American Crane & Safety offers Entertainment Rigging Courses designed for riggers who need to build entertainment-specific knowledge on top of existing construction rigging skills.
Training delivery options:
- Online: Self-paced courses through the AMC&S online course catalog. Train on your own schedule between shows or projects.
- On-site: The Entertainment Rigging Courses are online only. For construction rigging skills, American Crane & Safety’s rigging courses are also available as on-site training at your venue, shop, or job site.
Complementary courses to round out your training:
- Authorized Person Fall Protection: Required knowledge for rigging at height in any environment.
- NCCCO Prep Course: If your crew also rigs on construction projects, this online course prepares them for the NCCCO Rigger Level 1 exams.
- Crane Awareness Course: Useful for production staff who work around cranes but do not operate them.
Find rigging training and NCCCO prep options by state to see what is available in your area.
For a portable reference on rigging fundamentals, download the Rigging Pocket Guide (also available in Spanish).
If you have questions about which courses fit your team’s needs, visit the FAQ page or contact AMC&S directly.
The Bottom Line
Construction rigging training gives you a solid technical base. It does not prepare you for the specific demands of entertainment rigging: dynamic loads over audiences, venue structural assessments, ANSI E1 compliance, show-specific rigging plans, and the ETCP certification that employers and regulators increasingly require.
Entertainment rigging is a distinct discipline. Treat it that way. Get the specialized training your work actually demands.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I work as an entertainment rigger with only construction rigging training?
Construction rigging provides a solid foundation, but entertainment rigging introduces variables that construction courses do not cover: dynamic loads, ANSI E1 standards, venue structural assessments, and audience safety considerations. Many venues and production companies require ETCP certification, which tests entertainment-specific knowledge.
What is the difference between ETCP and NCCCO certification?
NCCCO certifies crane operators and riggers for construction and industrial work. ETCP certifies riggers (Arena and Theatre) and electricians for the entertainment industry. The two certifications test different bodies of knowledge and apply to different work environments.
Does American Crane & Safety offer entertainment rigging training online?
Yes. American Crane & Safety offers Entertainment Rigging Courses through its online course catalog at amcands.talentlms.com. The Entertainment Rigging Courses are online only. On-site training is available for AMC&S rigging, signal person, crane awareness and fall protection courses.
What ANSI standards apply specifically to entertainment rigging?
The ANSI E1 series, developed by ESTA, covers entertainment-specific rigging topics including aluminum trusses (E1.2), manual counterweight systems (E1.4-1), rigging system inspections (E1.47), fall arrest on portable structures (E1.39), and performer flying systems (E1.43). These standards are available for free download from ESTA’s Technical Standards Program.
Is entertainment rigging training required by law?
California’s AB 1775 requires that department heads and leads at public venue events be ETCP certified or meet skilled and trained workforce criteria. OSHA’s General Duty Clause applies to all entertainment venues. Other states may adopt similar requirements. Entertainment rigging training prepares riggers to meet these obligations.