Wah. Bit shaken up this morning. Last night I assisted in cutting a model out of a bunch of rope- the first time I’ve had to use the safety scissors I’ve been carrying around for years in a full-blown emergency. What follows is an eye-witness report, and I’m conscious that I didn’t see everything or may have misinterpreted some things, so bear that in mind whilst reading.

I’m mad at myself because although I wasn’t the rigger, I knew the accident was there in potentia and I didn’t say anything. I dearly wish I had, it would have saved a model falling face first onto the floor whilst tied in a standing semi-suspenson, nearly taking a second model underneath her out as well.

They seem to be unhurt but the accident could have been very nasty, a bamboo tripod toppled over, pulled by the misplaced weight of one model. Had it struck the second model on the floor in front of it, she could have been killed, not to mention the obvious risk to the model who was face-planted.

What the hell does one do when one sees a dangerous situation developing like that, when one doesn’t know the other people, and one is not one of the event organisers? Because I saw clear as day that her weight distribution was all wrong, and if the tripod started to topple, she was going face down into the floor.

If one says anything, one feels like the dick-head safety police and very rude to the rigger. Lord knows, there are enough self-appointed safety police riggers around. The rigger who bears a lot of the responsibility for the incident appears to be one, in fact.

If one says nothing and an accident occurs, does it make one negligent? In the aftermath of the incident Ariel and I both felt we should have done more because we expressed concern to each other but did not say anything to the riggers involved. I was next to them, tying Ariel at a public event, and didn’t feel it was my place to say anything.

Maybe I could have gently asked them to take step back and look at the tie because from where we were standing it was obvious that the weight distribution was all wrong. I noticed one of the riggers adjust the tripod a bit, and told myself it would be OK, but I bloody knew it wasn’t and still I said nothing.

There were enough supposedly competent riggers around that someone should have prevented this happening, and yet two models came a very short distance from serious injury. That’s how people get killed. I don’t know if anyone else saw it, but I KNOW I DID. Next time, I am determined to do better and at least raise the issue with the people involved. If the rigger and the model are then happy to proceed, of course that’s their right and responsibility.

Here’s what happened. Rigger number one tied model number one, using a bamboo tripod which I think belonged to him and which he set up. He tied her on the floor but using the tripod to elevate her legs.

The tripod toppled over, causing shock but no injury to model one, and fortunately the tripod itself didn’t hit anyone as it landed.

Rigger number one carried on for a while, using the tripod for a bit, eventually untying model number one and re-tying her on the floor in front of the tripod. I thought he was remiss in not untying her at once and pausing to regroup, but OK, she seemed to be coping, she’s his responsibility not mine,

Rigger number two then appeared with model number two, and used the same bamboo tripod to tie her in a standing, leaning forward semi-suspension.

If the accident had been more serious, that is the point at which I’d have to say everyone around became negligent. Someone should have called a halt to the use of that tripod. We’d had, and ignored, a wake-up call.

Model number two was not central in the tripod and the tripod was not correctly set to arrest a fall, especially the forward fall that was most obviously a danger. Model number two duly fell forwards, nearly hitting model number one who was still on the floor. Fortunately the bamboo tripod didn’t hit anyone because if that had smashed into someone’s neck or throat we could be facing a lethal accident inquiry this morning.

When model number two fell over, nearly crushing model number one, Ariel (still partially tied up herself, but arms and legs free) had the presence of mind to ungag model number one, check she was OK, move her out of the way and offer to start untying her. I’m very proud of her because I was focussed on model number two, the more obviously in distress, as were most of the others around. Several other riggers and I dived for model number two; another pro webmaster and I cut her out while a couple of other riggers helped us get at the ropes. I didn’t notice model number one’s distress, I’m glad Ariel did.

So who is responsible? Obviously, rigger number two should have checked the tripod and checked the weight distribution, and model two was in his care. So the primary responsibility is his.

Rigger one should have set up the tripod correctly, should not have allowed people to continue using it after it had failed in an unexpected way once already, and doubly failed to protect model one, who was in his care, so he also bears primary responsibility. He was conspicuous by his absence during the second incident, he certainly didn’t pull out safety scissors and cut anyone out.

The rest of the riggers and event organisers around bear responsibility because after the first incident we had ample warning that rigger one was a bit of a clown or at least that the bamboo tripod was unsafe and being used in an unsafe manner, and we didn’t say anything.

This morning, now the shakes have faded a bit, with calm consideration I think it is rigger number one who deserves a serious kick up the arse.

I mostly feel sorry for rigger number two and I hope he’s OK. I didn’t really see what he did in the melee to get model two out, good things I think, and in the aftermath he seemed to be doing good stuff comforting model two. Although he screwed up, that screw-up was facilitated and amplified by rigger number one.

Rigger number one brought in an unsafe bit of equipment and was misusing it. Having already had it topple over once he allowed another rigger to use it, and failed to spot that model number two was in danger because of his equipment, and that model number one, his primary responsibility, was in the path of danger from it as well. Worst of all I thought was his after-care of model one in the aftermath of both incidents, most egregiously after the second one where he was standing aside as someone else rescued his model.

I know people’s responses in a crisis are what they are, I’m happy that Ariel and I acted rather than standing back, but damn I wish I’d spoken up and forestalled the accident (Ariel was tied at that stage so it was me who should have passed our joint concerns on to the rigger).

I know we all make mistakes and if rigger number one had been acting differently before the accident I might be thinking “oh, how awful for the poor guy, he must be mortified. I’m glad the models are OK, I hope he will be too”, as I am for rigger two.

But rigger number one had been acting like a complete cock from the moment we entered the room.

He was stuck on transmit. He didn’t ask questions before broadcasting advice and advertisements for his immense skillz.

In a room full of riggers and models I don’t know, I didn’t dream of blurting advice to people who may well be a lot more experienced than I. I don’t consider myself a particularly skilled rigger. Trying to be objective I’d say I’ve acquired good, workmanlike competence over the years, and I do make the entirety of my living this way. I hope I am always open to advice and keep revising my safety ideas and risk assessments every time I tie someone up. So I do listen if someone offers advice, but I don’t feel competent to offer unsolicited advice myself, and that’s ultimately why I didn’t say anything before the accident.

Rigger number one had no hesitation telling me how I should tie Ariel (on a fucking bench, which is hardly a non-standard bit of bondage furniture). One of his suggestions seemed a bit loony to us: tie her the wrong way around on it. Well, yes, I could, but then the blood would rush to her head and she’d only have a short period of time in the position safely. Given the nature of the event such a short-duration tie would not have been fit for purpose. So we quietly ignored him.

I was tying up my wife, model and play partner of many years; we are both bondage professionals and we were working around an injury Ariel’s currently recovering from. He didn’t know anything about us before opening his mouth. I’m not saying we couldn’t have been making a mistake, but he didn’t find out anything about us before telling me what I should be doing.

Nor did he have any hesitation in informing his poor model, with whom I don’t think he had previously worked, about his great skills. He was a shit hot rigger (I believe he uttered those very words), how he had achieved great success in the field… although he admitted not making any money from it. They were about to do something really interesting bondage-wise. Talk talk talkity talk about himself and his immensity.

I don’t recall hearing much in the transmit stream along the lines of “what would you like to do?”, “how much experience do you have?”, “what sort of ties are comfortable for you?”, “have you got any existing injuries?”, “how long do you think you can hold a tie like that?” or even an “Are you OK?”. When she expressed reservations about the idea of being suspended for two hours, he blustered through with “ah, it is only a semi-suspension you see”. In the aftermath of accident one, I believe he should have untied her and done a proper pause, to check she was OK. In the aftermath of accident two, he did not attend to her safety, and that’s not acceptable.

I thought he was an arse. As it turned out, a dangerous arse.

Hywel.