Hair Hang stunt performed at the Dunkin Donuts Center May 9
By Sam Wroblewski, 630wpro.com
The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has fined the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for violating protocol when eight acrobats were injured during a “Hair Hang” act during a Providence show in May.
The circus’ parent company Feld Entertainment was fined $7,000 for improperly loading the carabiner which held up the entire “Hair Hang” apparatus 15-feet above the floor.
“What was [the carabiner] was connected to some steel rings at three points, now carabiners should only be connected at two points,” said Department of Labor Spokesman Ted Fitzgerald, “So the result of this misconnection resulted in the carabiner being overloaded, it failed, and the performers fell.”
Fitzgerald said he was unaware if the circus had attempted the act before with improper loading as the investigation was only focused on the Providence incident; however he said the circus has a responsibility to its performers.
“The employer has a responsibility to ensure workers, and the performers are employees, are protected against risks associated with their job,” said Fitzgerald.
Stephen Payne, Vice President of Corporate Communications at Feld Entertainment said they have agreed to change how they load the carabiner, but said they dispute some of OSHA’s findings.
“The carabiner is question was rated to hold over 10,000 pounds of weight and with the apparatus and the performers at the accident in Providence it was only holding about 1,500 pounds,” said Payne.
Payne said the company has not ruled out appealing the fine, but wishes to consult with their own experts first.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus have not performed the stunt since the accident in May.
