Event Rigging: The Art of Suspending and Enhancing Your Events
Event rigging is an essential technical discipline in the world of events. LED screens, lighting systems, speakers, and suspended decorations all rely on secure overhead installations that free up floor space while providing an optimal visual and audio experience.
This expertise, although often invisible to the public, is central to the technical success of events.
Why choose rigging for your events?
Rigging optimizes space by suspending heavy and bulky equipment, while improving sound and visual diffusion.
For example, at a recent medical conference, eight LED screens and 12 speakers were suspended, freeing up aisle space to accommodate 500 participants. Without rigging, the available space would have been reduced by nearly 20%.
Modern events are becoming increasingly ambitious and technical, requiring tailored solutions. Whether you are organizing a small showroom or a large-scale festival, the rigging techniques remain similar; only the scale and complexity vary.
According to a study by EventMB (2022), 65% of event organizers consider rigging to be an essential solution for optimizing their technical and aesthetic spaces.
Key Components of Event Rigging
A rigging installation relies on three main elements that ensure its stability and safety:
- Support structures: Aluminum trusses form the framework of the installation. Available in triangular or square sections, they are assembled using pins and sleeves. Each model is designed to support specific loads of up to 2 tons (source: Prolyte).
- Lifting systems: Electric hoists enable equipment to be lifted safely. They generally have a double safety brake and are certified for loads ranging from 250 kg to 2 tons.
- Lifting accessories: Steel slings, safety shackles, and specialized hooks complete the system. Each component is subject to strict standards and must be CE certified.
Successful rigging also depends on the traceability of equipment. For example, each sling or hoist must be inspected regularly, at least once every six months, by an approved body in accordance with French regulations (decree of January 19, 2023).
Standards and Regulations: Non-Negotiable Safety
Rigging is an activity governed by strict standards to ensure the safety of technicians and the public. Each installation must comply with specific rules, such as those set out in European standard NF EN 17206, which requires a minimum safety factor of 5 to 10 times the nominal load.
Essential certifications:
- Working at height: All riggers must be trained to work safely several meters above the ground.
- CACES aerial work platform certification: This certification is mandatory for operating aerial work platforms.
- Specific rigging: Training dedicated to mastering rigging and lifting equipment is essential.
In addition to these qualifications, each project requires comprehensive documentation: load plans, calculation notes, equipment compliance certificates, and an up-to-date safety log.
During a project in a historic building, we had to provide a detailed analysis of each attachment point in order to comply with the building's constraints and avoid any structural damage.
Technical Applications and Adaptations
Every event presents unique challenges that require customized rigging solutions.
- Stage installations: Concerts and shows often require complex lighting bridges. For example, at a trade show, a 30-meter bridge was suspended to support 4-meter LED screens and projectors weighing 500 kg each.
- Adaptations to the venue: Conference rooms usually have existing attachment points, but these must be checked and adapted. Outdoors, structures must take wind and weather conditions into account.
According to a study by Plasa (2023), 55% of riggers have to design custom solutions for atypical venues, such as factories or heritage sites, where structural constraints are significant.
Key Steps for a Successful Installation
A rigging project unfolds in several phases, each crucial to ensuring the safety and quality of the installation.
- Analysis and design:
- Identification of available attachment points.
- Calculation of loads and forces.
- Creation of 3D technical plans to anticipate constraints.
- On-site installation:
- Assembly of structures according to a precise schedule.
- Double-checked by certified technicians.
- Systematic stress tests prior to the event.
- Supervision and dismantling:
- Ongoing coordination to ensure safety.
- Careful removal of equipment to preserve infrastructure.
Benefits of Event Rigging
Rigging offers technical and aesthetic solutions tailored to any type of event.
- Optimization of floor space: Ideal for confined spaces or events with a high density of participants.
- Immersive experience: Suspended equipment provides better sound and visual coverage.
- Versatility: Rigging can be adapted to both large spaces and unusual locations, such as historic buildings or outdoor areas.
According to a survey conducted by Live Design (2023), 78% of event organizers say that rigging significantly improves the visual impact of their productions.
Checklist of Best Practices in Rigging
What to do:
- Always check the certifications of equipment and technicians.
- Perform a structural analysis of the site before installation.
- Prepare a detailed prevention plan including load calculations and attachment points.
What to avoid:
- Using equipment without traceability or certifications.
- Underestimating constraints related to the location (wind, fragile ceiling, etc.).
- Neglecting security checks before the event.
Event rigging is an essential technical solution for modern events.
Thanks to secure and adapted aerial installations, it guarantees the success of even the most ambitious productions while complying with the strictest standards.
