Report into woman's death at Big Valley Jamboree calls for new standards for outdoor stages

A fatality report into the August 2009 death of a woman at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrosesays producers of outdoor concerts need to take steps to better protect spectators against the risk of falling stage equipment.

The report, released Monday,recommended changes to national standards, and amendments to Alberta legislation and regulations as ways to prevent stage equipment from toppling over in high winds.

The report concluded the death of Donna Moore, 35, of Lloydminster, Alta. was accidental, and stated the cause of death was crush asphyxia. Three others were also seriously injured.

The stage buckled after a fast-moving storm hit the annual country music festival on Aug. 1, 2009.

Moore was attending the festival. She had been randomly selected to watch a performance by Billy Currington from bleachers above and beside the main stage. When the structure collapsed, heavy speakers landed on her. She died at the scene.

In his report, provincial court Judge William Andreassensaid the stage collapse occurred after synthetic fibre ratchet straps securing steel towers around the stage stretched and then broke when the stage structure was hit by winds measured at 93 kilometres per hour.

Support straps 'broke in rapid sequence'

"The forces resulting from the wind stretched and loaded the cross bracing assemblies beyond the breaking point of the ratchet straps, and these straps broke in rapid sequence," Andreassen wrote.

"As each strap broke the load increased on the others. All of the straps preventing the towers from falling to the east broke in a very short time. The structure collapsed west to east with speakers [falling]onto Ms. Moore.

"Other people were injured by the falling structure. Had the fall of the towers and roof not been broken when they landed on trailers behind the stage, it is likely that casualties would have been worse."

Testimony at the inquiry, held in June 2015, stated the companies hosting the event have changed their procedures since the collapse, including additional training and using text messages/social media to send out mass notifications.

Report calls for national design standard

The Big Valley Jamboree is an annual event held at the Camroseexhibition grounds. It is produced by Panhandle Productions Ltd. The stage was supplied by Premier Global Productions Inc., based in Nashville and Regina.

Andreassen directs hisrecommendations to temporary stage structures with overhead components.

He suggests a national standard be adopted for the design of such structures, with consideration of whether synthetic fibrestrapping should ever be a permitted component.

There are also recommendations for the applications, design specifications, approval and inspection process for these stages.

The report also calls for requirements in the licensing and management of events, including identifying high winds, and mandatory weather monitoring by a qualified meteorologist.

It recommends limiting overhead seating, with no spectators allowed to sit on or above the stage within two hours of when high winds are forecast.

The report also recommends a security person have the responsibility of determining when an evacuation should be ordered, not a business person.

As changes to national standards may take some time, the report recommends the provincial Safety Codes Act be amended to clearly state that only stages with no overhead towers or components or suspended equipment be exempt from permit requirements, with a review once specific national standards are adopted.