Temporary stage changes in the works

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A deadline has been set for a series of new changes aimed at keeping temporary stages safe in Indiana. The state’s Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission says it hopes to adopt new rules regulating the use of outdoor stage equipment by the middle of this summer.

In the wake of the initial investigation into the collapse of the stage rigging at the Indiana State Fair, Gov. Mitch Daniels signed Senate Enrolled Act 273. His signature on March 16 came after months of study and debate, and was aimed at putting tighter regulations on construction and inspection of temporary structures.

The bill’s author, Sen. Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, called the measure a “temporary fix,” that classifies all outdoor stages as “Class 1” structures, clearing the way for mandatory inspections. The bill also gives the Indiana Department of Homeland Security’s Fire Prevention and Building Codes Commission the power to adopt additional regulations on construction and inspection.

But, following the release of two reports on the collapse of the stage rigging at the Indiana State Fair last year, I-Team 8 discovered the 11 member commission has not issued any of the new regulations yet. SEA 273 mandates that the new rules will apply 60 days after they are adopted by the commission, or on June 30, 2012, whichever is later. That means outdoor concerts across the state may not be subjected to the additional regulations beyond “Class 1” inspections for at least some of the summer months.

On Friday, commission chairman David Hannum, of Terre Haute, told 24-Hour News 8 that the commission began digging into the executive summaries of the two reports this week, but that the full reports will require “some very lengthy study.” It is unclear at this point which of the recommendations delivered by the two companies Thursday it might choose to implement, he said.

Hannum also said the commission’s goal is to have the new regulations issued by June 30. The commission is set to meet again on May 3.

Late Friday, Indiana Department of Homeland Security Executive Director Joe Wainscott said the reports will be thoroughly studied in advance of that meeting.

“Draft emergency rules have been under development since the passage of Senate Bill 273 and are being reviewed in light of the reports released yesterday at the State Fair Commission meeting,” Wainscott wrote in a statement. “A review of regulations in other states also was conducted as part of the rule drafting process. The draft rules may be presented on May 2 to the Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission after a thorough analysis of the recommendations in the recently released reports has been completed.”

I-Team 8’s report sparked another movement Friday as well. Sen. Jim Meritt, a co-sponsor of the SEA 273 who also serves on the State Fair Commission, called Senate leadership Friday morning and asked for the summer study committee looking into the reports to be named now, rather than waiting until June.

It’s an unusual move.

“It's my desire to have this summer study committee named in the spring, as soon as possible, immediately,” he said Friday. “I encourage the Daniels administration to also [act swiftly] - and I know they are trying to be as immediate and expeditious as possible. But I think we all want to get there as soon as possible, because we all want to be safe.”

Asked if a more rapid study committee recommendation could help speed up safety improvements, Merritt nodded.

“When they meet in early May, they'll have 30 days to look at the drafted rules,” he said. “And my assumption is that they'll come with some sort of findings in June. So, [it would be possible they might beat the June 30 goal]. It’s very possible.”