Fair, Stagehand union, stage company cited in fair stage collapse

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The Indiana Department of Labor released new safety orders Wednesday following its investigation into the stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair.

The report released Wednesday focused on the health and safety of workers at the fair, not the public, nor did it seek to find cause for the stage collapse.

Click here for the entire labor department news release.

The report cited three organizations for failures involved in the state fair:

• The Indiana State Fair Commission for failure to conduct a life safety evaluation and assessed a $6,300 penalty
• Local 30, stage hands union, for three “serious violations” and one “non-serious violation.” Citations included failure to consider soil conditions when placing cable anchor points for the grandstand stage, failure to provide fall protection for employees working 4 feet or more above ground level, failure to conduct a personal protective equipment hazard assessment of the worksite. Non serious violation involved failure to maintain proper OSHA records for 4 years.

Penalties of $3,500 were assessed for each serious violation.
Penalty of $1,000 for non-serious violation
Total penalty: $11,500
 

• Mid America Sound for three "knowing violations"

The citations include failure to develop and implement an Operations Management Plan, failure to develop a risk assessment plan, failure to maintain and use current engineering calculations and documentation, failure to provide appropriate, qualified supervision. Each knowing violation was assessed a penalty of $21,000 for a total penalty of $63,000.

The fair commission should have evacuated the grandstand ahead of the wind gust that took part in toppling the stage rigging, Department of Labor Commissioner Lori Torres said.

"At a minimum, these things became clear," Torres said. The state fair commission had an inadequate plan and did not take necessary measures called for in the plan. The state fair commission was receiving inadequate weather information. The state fair commission thought it had more time ... and were slow to make appropriate decisions."

Mid-America was also found at fault, Torres said.

"The evidence demonstrated that the Mid-America Sound Corporation was aware of the appropriate requirements and demonstrated a plain indifference to complying with those requirements," Torres said.

Four other entities were investigated, but the department found no reason to fine them. The band Sugarland, who was set to take the stage before the collapse, was among the four the department chose not to fine.