Accidents|At summer clubs, a woman died over the weekend after falling under a temporary mast. Movable telemasts are now very common at mass events, but the authorities do not know whose responsibility it is to monitor their safety.
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There are often flaws in the temporary structures of events.
Temporary telemasts are common at festivals, but it is unclear to the authorities who is responsible for their security.
Inspector General Kari Erkko is worried about the future loosening of legislation.
Mass events there are often things to point out in temporary structures, says the chief inspector of Tukes Kari Erkko.
For example, there have been so many deficiencies in the fixing of light structures such as tents that Tukes decided a couple of years ago to make comprehensive guidelines on the subject together with the partnership network of rescue services.
“Last summer, the events were delayed by a few hours because they had structures that could not be accepted,” says Erkko.
Another common problem has been the two-story structures often seen at festivals, with, for example, a bar counter on the ground floor and a terrace on the top floor. They often have open railings, which Tukes has considered dangerous due to the risk of falling.
On the weekend A fatal accident occurred at the Summer Clubs organized in Pudasjärvi, where the mast of the mobile mast trailer broke during a thunderstorm. A woman was trapped under the top of the mast and later died of her injuries in the hospital.
It is still unclear which authority’s area of responsibility the telemasts erected at the events actually belong to. Tukes group manager Janne Niemelän according to which the matter is currently being investigated.
Tukes chief inspector Erkko does not take a position on the safety of the mast in question, but comments on the matter on a general level.
“I myself have equated these [mastoja] to light towers or sound towers. In their head is [tapahtumissa] often even heavier equipment.”
According to Erko, deficiencies are rarely detected in the inspection of masts.
Telemasts usage has become more common over the years. Today, for example, payment terminals operate on masts, in which case payment traffic usually needs to be prioritized before other communication traffic.
Nor can normal telemasts alone be able to support the message traffic load of big festivals.
According to Erko, a major challenge in event security at the moment is that there are no direct study paths for the field. Since 2016, event organizers have not had the obligation to notify Tukes of events in advance. However, the law obliges operators to report accidents or significant dangerous situations.
There is no actual safety standard for event security, which is why notifications are reviewed individually. A new big standard is being prepared right now, Erkko says.
Next year a new construction law is coming into force, which eases the need for permits for temporary structures. That worries Erkko.
“A temporary structure is thought to be a more flexible task than permanent structures, even though there can be more people under the event tent in a couple of days than under a permanent building during its entire life cycle.”
If the temporary structures fall outside of building control, the control falls on Tukes’ neck even more strongly. However, the absence of a license does not remove responsibility from the organizers.
“Operators may misunderstand. Although [rakenne] is not a matter that requires a permit, all construction documents, such as load calculations and drawings, must still exist, as required by law.”
According to Erko, Tukes’ resources to monitor the safety of event structures are very limited, as their unit is small and their area of responsibility is large. Erko is generally responsible for events and motorsport. It also covers, for example, restaurant events.
“Supervision is based on risk. We supervise a few dozen events a year, but we also deal with accident cases,” says Erkko.
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