Health and Safety with lighting a bathroom scene.

dwyz

dwyz

Active member
Health and Safety with lighting a bathroom scene.

Hey, im shooting this scene on Sunday, i did some test lighting and our producer pulled the H&S card, eek.

Any tips how I can keep her sweet whilst still using this spot?
(I was gonna use a lot longer power cable, thats not the issue)
Also need another spot of a reflector for the talent.
(sorry about the mirror confusing the photo.
168759_501267864002_672624002_6296125_7021719_n.jpg
 
dwyz said:
Health and Safety with lighting a bathroom scene.

Hey, im shooting this scene on Sunday, i did some test lighting and our producer pulled the H&S card, eek.

Any tips how I can keep her sweet whilst still using this spot?
(I was gonna use a lot longer power cable, thats not the issue)
Also need another spot of a reflector for the talent.
(sorry about the mirror confusing the photo.
168759_501267864002_672624002_6296125_7021719_n.jpg
Click to expand...

If the safety issue is 'electricity and water', then you should use only the plug in the bathroom that has a ground fault detector. Further the light should be sandbagged,
tied into position so that no way the head can take a dunk.

You noted, but really putting a power strip rather than a single connection extension... is 'unsafe at any speed'.

I'm thinking if it is possible to use an arm on the light and have the tripod/stand outside of the bathroom all together.

For example, from the setup, there's a mirror behind the light. Cany you get the look you want by having the ligh essentially where you are taking
this picture, and over the other end of the tub?

As for the candles. The only one that looks like it's problematic would be the middle one on the far side of the tub, next to the wall. But in any case, if the talent's head is any where near the flame, that could be a concern for someone...
 
Plug into an outlet with a ground fault safety breaker. Most bathrooms have one at the sink as they are required by code now. Or you can buy one from Home Depot and make up an extension cord with a surface mount box. You may even find an outlet strip or extension cord with one built in. Ask for it.
 
Thanks guys, ill forward these suggestions to our gaffer as I dont know the technical terms.
Should of mentioned im a brit, most our bathrooms dont have sockets in them.
Ill prob be back haha.

I do like the long tripod arm method but dont think I have one.

edit - Heads the other end, good point though.
 
I'd try and go with a beefier stand. This one might cut it but it never hurts to have a stand where even if someone tripped, it would be pretty hard for it to fall over. Sandbag that as well and you have a setup that's quite solid. I wouldn't use a power strip up there as well. Use a beefy stinger and wrap the connection and secure that to the stand so it isn't just pulling down on the light. I'd assume the floor is going to get a little wet with an actor going in and out the tub, I'd raise any connections off the ground by laying them across an apple box. Does all this sound extreme? Probably. Is it excessive? Probably. But it never hurts to be too prepared. I'd also secure the candles down with something adhesive. Last thing you want is for them to slip in the midst of all the commotion. I think someone even mentioned it above, if you use a stand with an arm, you can pull the stand back and all of it is farther away, but you'll have to rent something beefy and make sure it's secure. Also as everyone said a ground fault indicator. Not sure what the scale/budget is, but I personally let the electrics look over these things and they keep a constant eye on safety alongside me or when I'm busy rolling. Always good to have the whole crew on their toes. Best of luck!
 
All the advice above is good. Be sure to safety any fixtures. Keep connections, such as where fixtures plug into stingers, off the floor where they could get wet.

I've done these bathtub scenes and depending on the action they can get really, really scary. If water gets thrown around in a violent scene it can hit a hot light and now there's glass shards around. It can be tracked onto the floor and make the electrical hazard greater even if you are sure no cable or fixture can fall into the tub. So be sure you look at what's going to happen there as you apply all the ideas given above. And remember, it's not just the artists but the crew you have to protect as they will be crowding around doing their jobs in that small space.

I'd add that in the US modern kitchens have ground fault circuit interrupter outlets as well, check that out for a supply. It's true you can make your own GFCI extension cable, I made one and bought one, but you MUST check that the ground (earth for Brits) at the outlet you plug it into is good and that the GFCI trips when its test button is operated. I don't know if any of your troubles are the greater for the voltage being double what it is in the states, but maybe. OTOH, the current to stop a heart is small.

If you want to smoke out some British and Aussie sparks go to the Lighting section of Cinematography.com. You also might try a Cinematography Mailing List at cinematography.net. The cml-lighting and grip list, obviously. Do a search in both places before you ask. If you do any of this get back with us and tell us what you hear so we can all learn.

Bottom line, you MUST make sure nothing electrical can get into the tub or get wet no matter what. You MUST use GFCI protection.

BTW, what's the blue thing beyond the camera?
 
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being an aussie gaffer i have to agree with all the above.

a safety switch , rcd etc is a must. portable ones are available from most electrical wholesalers
and bigger hardware stores. never work around water without them.

use a big stand with a shot bag.
do not use a 4 way power board in the bathroom
i would plug the safety switch into a socket in the lounge room, plug the power board into that
and run separate leads to the units in the bathroom. keep them off the floor.
use the test button on the safety switch to check it is working.
if there is a safety switch in the bathroom wall outlet it would have a test button on it.
if it doesnt have the test button it is not a safety switch.
if you have a gaffer he should be all over this anyway........
 
j1clark@ucsd.edu said:
If the safety issue is 'electricity and water', then you should use only the plug in the bathroom that has a ground fault detector.
Click to expand...

GFCI are a must when working around water. As far as I can tell dwyz is using tungsten lights, so he will be fine with the hardware store variety of GFCIs. But, if he were to use HMI or Kinos he would need film style GFCIs, like Shock Blocks, that are specifically designed for motion picture lights. To prevent the nuisance tripping that electronic Kino & HMI ballasts can cause with standard GFCIs, film style GFCIs sense on an "Inverse Time Curve." And, to deal with the harmonics that non-PFC Kino & HMI ballasts kick back into the power stream (that will cause other GFCIs to trip), film style GFCIs include a harmonic filter with a frequency response up to 120 hz. 3rd harmonics are attenuated by 50%, and by 500 Hz are down to 20%. Attenuated by the filter, the harmonics generated by dirty loads such as non-PFC Kino & HMI ballasts, pose less of a problem.

SB_Location_Still.jpg

A single 100A GFCI "Shock Block" can provide ground fault protection on wet locations for the entire distro system of a Honda 6500 portable generator when used in-line with a Step-Down Transformer/Distro. ​

One problem with Shock Blocks is that they don’t come smaller than 100Amps. So what you have to do is use them on a Range or Dryer plug with a step-down transformer like the 60A Full Power Transformer/Distro we make for our modified 7500W Honda EU6500is generator. A transformer will step the 240V of a 50/30AmpRange/Dryer down to a single 100/60A 120V circuit.

If you wire the transformer with a Bates receptacle on the secondary load side, a 100A GFCI used inline can provide safe and secure ground fault protection for an entire distribution system consisting of Bates Extensions, Splitters, and Break-Outs to Edisons – eliminating the need for hardware store 20A GFCIs that are not designed to be used with harmonic generating loads like non-PFC HMI & Kino Ballast, & LED Power Supplies. Used in-line with our 60A Full Power Transformer/Distro, a 100A Shock Block will provide a larger GFCI protected circuit than is commonly available in homes. In fact, it enables the operation of even 4k HMIs on wall outlets with GFCI protection.

iRobot_Master_Shot.jpg

Master shot of an iRobot commercial lit with a 4kw HMI Par (outside) & 1.8kw HMI Par (inside) powered from a 30A/240V dryer outlet through a step-down transformer/distro. Note: Sunny feel created by 4k Par on an overcast day. ​

I used this approach on a recent commercial for iRobot (see production stills attached.) The spot contrasted the iRobot Scooba designed to clean kitchen floors to the old mop and bucket approach. For the mop and bucket approach we had a haggard looking Mom slopping water all over the kitchen floor as kids ran slipping and sliding across the floor.

iRobot_Comp_1.jpg

Left: Transformer/Distro plugged into a 30A/240V dryer outlet. Right: 4K HMI Par under rain protection powered by Transformer/Distro​

Because we knew water would get everywhere we used one of our 60A Transformer Distros on a Dryer Plug to power a 4K HMI, a 1800W HMI, and some Kinos. We put a 100A Shock Block like the one pictured above on the load side of the transformer/distro to provide Ground Fault protection inside around the wet kitchen floor. It was a good thing that we did, because it ended up pouring rain that day and so the Shock Block did double duty for the 4k that was outside the kitchen window.

iRobot_Comp_2.jpg

Left: Arri AS18 1800W Par powered from Transformer/Distro. Right: 4Kw and 1800W HMI ballasts powered from Transformer/Distro. ​

For more detailed information on using Shock Blocks to provide Ground Fault protection on Dryer/Range plugs or with portable Honda generators, I would suggest you read the article I wrote for our company newsletter on the use of portable generators in motion picture lighting.

BoxBookLinkGenSetSm.jpg

This article is cited in the just released 4th Edition of Harry Box's "Set Lighting Technician's Handbook" and featured on the companion website "Box Book Extras." Of the article Harry Box exclaims:

"Great work!... this is the kind of thing I think very few technician's ever get to see, and as a result many people have absolutely no idea why things stop working."

"Following the prescriptions contained in this article enables the operation of bigger lights, or more smaller lights, on portable generators than has ever been possible before."​

The article is available online at http://www.screenlightandgrip.com/html/emailnewsletter_generators.html.

Guy Holt, Gaffer, ScreenLight & Grip, Lightng & Grip Rental in Boston
 
Hmm,

So you had 50amp/240v -> step down transformer -> 100amp/120v -> shock block to power a 1.8 and 4k hmi and some power left over for kinos. All of that off of a dryer plug.

Cool.
 
j said:
So you had 50amp/240v -> step down transformer -> 100amp/120v -> shock block to power a 1.8 and 4k hmi and some power left over for kinos. All of that off of a dryer plug.
Click to expand...

Not exactly. We went 30amp/240v -> step down transformer -> 60amp/120v -> 100A shock block to power a 1.8 and 4k hmi and two Parabeam 200s. All of that off of a dryer plug.

Guy Holt, Gaffer, ScreenLight & Grip, Lighting and Grip Rental and Sales in Boston
 
Hey guys, our producer accepted the more common sense/practical solutions you guys suggested, thanks a lot for those.
Heres what it looked like straiht from Camera.
Didnt get any photos of the light setup, sorry.
164835_1821733265704_1311368392_32101316_4472252_n.jpg
 
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