Rosco Delta 3000 Reference Manual

DEVELOPMENT OF

TIME-AND-DISTANCE GUIDELINES FOR USE OF

THEATRICAL SMOKE EQUIPMENT:

ROSCO DELTA 3000

Prepared for:

Rosco Laboratories

Stamford, Connecticut

Prepared by:

ENVIRON International Corporation

Groton, Massachusetts

May 2004

C O N T E N T S

Page

I. INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................1

A. Background..............................................................................................................1

B. Use of Time-and-Distance Guidelines.....................................................................2

II. TESTING METHODOLOGY.............................................................................................3

A. Monitoring Equipment.............................................................................................3

B. Monitoring Procedures.............................................................................................3

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ..........................................................................................6

A. Aerosol Monitor Calibration....................................................................................6

B. Peak Exposure Characterization ..............................................................................6

C. How to Use the Time-and-Distance Guidelines Tables...........................................7

IV. REFERENCES .................................................................................................................15

ROSCO DELTA 3000 -i- E N V I R O N

F I G U R E S

Figure 1: Rosco Delta 3000 fog machine................................................................................4

Figure 2: Monitoring configuration.........................................................................................5

Figure 3: Calibration curve for Rosco Clear Fog Fluid in Delta 3000 fog machine...............9

Figure 4: Calibration curve for Rosco Light Fog Fluid in Delta 3000 fog machine...............9

Figure 5: Calibration curve for Rosco Fog Fluid in Delta 3000 fog machine.......................10

Figure 6: Calibration curve for Rosco Stage and Studio Fluid in Delta 3000

fog machine............................................................................................................10

Figure 7: Guidelines for use of Rosco Clear Fog Fluid in Delta 3000 fog machine.............11

Figure 8: Guidelines for use of Rosco Light Fog Fluid in Delta 3000 fog machine ............12

Figure 9: Guidelines for use of Rosco Fog Fluid in Delta 3000 fog machine.......................13

Figure 10: Guidelines for use of Rosco Stage and Studio Fog Fluid in Delta 3000 fog

machine..................................................................................................................14

T A B L E S

Table 1: Summary of Calibration Factors..............................................................................6

Table 2: Summary of Time-and-Distance Guidelines for Smoke Generation.......................8

ROSCO DELTA 3000 -ii- E N V I R O N

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Background

In 1997-99, at the request of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) and the League of
American Theaters and Producers (LATP) and with the support of the Equity-League Pension
and Health Trust Funds, investigators from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine (Mt. Sinai) and
ENVIRON International Corporation (ENVIRON) conducted a study to determine whether the
use of smoke, haze, and pyrotechnics special effects in theatrical musical productions is
associated with a negative health impact in actors. The results of this study were presented in the
report Health Effects Evaluation of Theatrical Smoke, Haze, and Pyrotechnics (Mt. Sinai and
ENVIRON 2000).

Based on the results of the study, Mt. Sinai and ENVIRON recommended the following
peak guidance levels with respect to glycols and mineral oil:

The use of glycols should be such that an actor’s exposure does not exceed 40

•

milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m

•

Mineral oil should be used in a manner such that an actor’s exposure does not exceed
a peak concentration of 25 mg/m3.

•

For chronic exposures to mineral oil, the existing standards established for oil mists
(5 mg/m

3

as an eight-hour time-weighted average) should also be protective for actors

in theatrical productions.

Comparable guidance levels were developed for glycerol in a subsequent study (ENVIRON
2001c):

• Glycerol should be used in a manner such that an actor’s exposure does not exceed a

peak concentration of 50 mg/m

• For chronic exposures to glycerol, the existing standards established for glycerin

mists (10 mg/m3 as an eight-hour TWA) should also be protective for actors in
theatrical productions.

To ensure that peak smoke and haze levels are below these guidelines, theaters have the
option of conducting production-specific testing at their theaters using an aerosol monitor or
following equipment-based time-and distance guidelines. Rosco Laboratories (Rosco) retained
ENVIRON to develop time-and-distance guidelines for the use of the Rosco Delta 3000 fog
machine (Figure 1).

3

).

3

.

ROSCO DELTA 3000 -1- E N V I R O N

B. Use of Time-and-Distance Guidelines

In the absence of other information, theater-specific monitoring would be required to
determine whether smoke/haze machines are being used in a production in a manner that avoids
peak exposures to actors. The Time-and-Distance Guidelines described in this report were
developed as an alternative

to conducting theater- and production-specific monitoring. These
Guidelines were developed under conservative use assumptions (e.g., no on-stage activities or
props that would enhance dispersion, cue release at breathing height level). By following these
Guidelines, a production can use smoke effects without

having to conduct its own stage-specific
testing, provided the machines are used in accordance with manufacturer specifications, are well
maintained, and are functioning properly. Table 2 and Figure 7 to 10 of this report describe the
distance (with respect to the discharge point on the equipment) and length of time that
concentrations exceeding the peak guidance levels would occur for various use patterns for the
Delta 3000 fog machine. Thus, by arranging the blocking and choreography such that an actor is
not situated within the restricted areas during the times specified in Table 2 and Figures 7 to 10,
actors should not receive peak exposures. Time-and-Distance Guidelines for other Rosco
machines have also been developed by ENVIRON (2001b).

It should be noted that these Time-and-Distance Guidelines may not be appropriate for all
productions. The Guidelines are based on the Delta 3000 being positioned between four and five
feet above the ground, and being operated to achieve 30 to 60 seconds of continuous smoke
generation. Productions may want to use different configurations for positioning the machines
(e.g., different heights), provide enhanced on-stage ventilation, or generate smoke for a longer or
shorter period of time. In addition, many productions may have other stage-specific conditions
(e.g., on-stage activities and props that enhance dispersion) that would allow actors to be present
in areas that are restricted under these Guidelines but which, in fact, do not exceed the guidance
levels. In those cases, production-specific monitoring would be recommended to determine
whether peak exposure may occur.

ROSCO DELTA 3000 -2- E N V I R O N

II. TESTING METHODOLOGY

A. Monitoring Equipment

Monitoring of short-term concentrations was performed using portable real-time aerosol
monitors (personalDataRAM Model PDR-1000) manufactured by Monitoring Instruments for
the Environment, Inc. (MIE). The PDR-1000 is a high sensitivity nephelometric (i.e.,
photometric) monitor that uses a light scattering sensing chamber to measure the concentration
of airborne particulate matter (liquid or solid), providing a direct and continuous readout as well
as electronic logging of the data.

The PDR-1000 aerosol monitors as obtained are calibrated to Arizona road dust over a
measurement range of 0.001 to 400 mg/m
or oil mist concentrations, the monitors were first calibrated for the smoke or haze machines and
fluids being used. Calibration of the aerosol monitors was conducted by collecting simultaneous
measurements with a series of sampling pumps and PDR-1000 aerosol monitors, mounted on
tripods.

B. Monitoring Procedures

The testing is typically conducted in a two-step process. The first step involves
collecting sufficient data to calibrate the aerosol monitors for the equipment and fluid
combination being used. The second step involves using the calibrated aerosol monitor to
identify distances from the smoke release point where exceedances of the guidance levels occur.
These monitoring data are used to develop general Guidelines under conservative use conditions
that can be used to ensure peak exposures to actors do not occur. The calibration and sampling
procedures are discussed in detail in the ENVIRON Air Sampling Protocol (ENVIRON 2001a).

For the Delta 3000 fog machine, the calibration step has already been conducted for the
following fluids: Clear Fog Fluid, Light Fog Fluid, Rosco Fog Fluid, and Stage & Studio Fluid
(ENVIRON 2002).

To measure the levels of smoke present at different distances from the release point, a
series of six tripods equipped with aerosol monitors was used. The six tripods were placed at
distances ranging from 5 to 30 feet from the Delta 3000 release point for the 100% and 50%
settings, and at distances ranging from 3 to 18 feet for the 10% setting. The Delta 3000 was
turned on for 30 to 60 seconds, allowing sustained smoke generation to occur, and then turned
off. The aerosol monitors collected logged data on the smoke levels as the concentrations
gradually dissipated. Ventilation conditions typical for a theatrical stage were used.

Testing of the Delta 3000 was conducted on the stage of the Ginsburg Theatre at
Lawrence Academy in Groton, Massachusetts.

3

. In order to be utilized to measure short-term glycol

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Figure 1. Rosco Delta 3000 Fog Machine

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