Theatre Winch Systems: Enhancing Efficiency & Safety in Event Venues
Many theatres and entertainment venues have large, heavy chandeliers, which can be incredibly challenging for teams to access for cleaning and maintenance.
The process is not only time-consuming but also poses a significant risk to those working at height, as well as to the chandeliers themselves. Replacing these chandeliers can be costly, especially in historic buildings where they hold great historical value.
This is where theatre winch systems come in, allowing venues to quickly, easily, and safely lower chandeliers to ground level, and then raise them back to the ceiling again.
What Is a Theatre Winch?
A theatre winch, also known as a theatre hoist, is a specially designed mechanism used to pay out or retract a wire rope or chain. They can be manually or electrically operated, securely raising and lowering chandeliers, luminaires, and other high-level assets.
Theatre winch systems come with a range of built-in safety features that make them a reliable solution for stage and entertainment venues with large, heavy, and fragile chandeliers. These include:
- Automatic travel range limiting system to prevent damage to assets by impacting with the ground or ceiling
- Soft start/stop functionality for smooth acceleration to full speed (essential for delicate chandeliers)
- Single & multi-rope systems to meet varying weight & balance needs
- Secondary support anchors for when the light is fully raised
- Mechanisms to automatically isolate the electrical feed during lowering
- Electromagnetic brakes that engage if there is no power to the motor
- Self-sustaining gearboxes that hold the load in the event of a power failure
- Wireless control options, requiring only one operator
With a theatre winch, high-demand venues can efficiently access their chandeliers for maintenance – freeing up more time for the venue to be used. Most importantly, winches remove the need to work at height by bringing the chandeliers down to a safe level, protecting both the employees and the chandeliers from harm.
Risks of Working at Height: Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR)
Falls from height account for the majority of fatal or serious accidents at work. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR) are in place to eliminate or reduce these risks. According to the Health and Safety Executive, you are working at height if you work above ground / floor level or around an area with a fragile surface or hole.
As an employer or site manager, it is your legal responsibility to do all you can to minimise the possibility of an accident or injury in the workplace. Under WAHR, you must:
- Avoid working at height wherever possible
- Use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls if you must work at height
- Where the risk of falling cannot be eliminated, use work equipment or other measures to minimise the distance / consequences of a fall
Benefits of Theatre Winch Systems
With the Work at Height Regulations in mind, theatre winch systems can make all the difference for stage and entertainment venues that frequently need to access unique overhead fixtures to ensure they are functional, visually appealing, and secure.
Reduce Risks of Accidents
The most effective way to minimise the risk of working at height is to avoid it altogether. With a theatre winch system, you can lower chandeliers to a safe, comfortable level – completely removing the need to move workers up to the ceiling level.
Theatre hoists also offer greater security for suspending heavy assets, locking the fixture in place using a minimum of two means of support when fully raised so you can be sure they are safe for employees and guests to pass under.
Minimise Maintenance Time & Costs
By bringing chandeliers down to workers, theatre winch systems eliminate the need for scaffold towers or scissor lifts, which can be time-consuming to assemble and reposition for each light fitting.
They are also a permanent installation, saving you costs on hiring, maintaining, or training for the use of any temporary equipment required to work at height.
Plus, spending less time and money on maintenance benefits other areas of the business, freeing up employees to focus on more value-adding tasks.
Preserve Quality & Appearance
In many cases, theatre hoists can be completely hidden from sight when the chandelier is in the fully raised position.
This is often an essential feature for the stage and entertainment industry, especially in historical buildings, where preserving the appearance of the venue is paramount.
Customise Setup for Diverse Stage Design
Theatre winch systems are not limited to chandeliers and can be used for a wide range of assets, including artwork, props, decorations, signage, and more.
This versatility makes them indispensable for diverse stage performances, allowing displays to be lowered and raised for different scenes or effects throughout the show.
Easy Installation & Control
Incorporating a theatre winch into your venue is made easy when you partner with a lifting equipment specialist like Penny Engineering.
When required, we can oversee the full installation of your new winch system, including commissioning and training to ensure staff are fully prepared to use it.
You can also choose from a range of control options to suit your environment, including:
- Wall-mounted push buttons
- Flying lead-style plug-in remote
- Full radio remote control system
- Remote self-sustaining manual winch with crank handle
- Motorised winch
- Integration with Crestron & Lutron building management systems
Versatile Event & Theatre Winch Solutions from Penny Engineering
Theatre winch systems offer a practical and safe solution for managing large, heavy chandeliers and other overhead fixtures in stage and entertainment venues.
View the case study below to see how our innovative solutions transformed safety and efficiency for Leeds Town Hall.
Penny Engineering can collaborate with you to find the best solution for your space, assets, and budget. We design and manufacture a full suite of theatre winch systems in our UK-based facility, offering end-to-end support to ensure all your lifting equipment is safe and compliant.
For more information on our theatre hoists, visit our Chandelier Winch Systems page or get in touch to speak to a member of our team.