Dear SHS Crew Members,
We congratulate Lee Byfieldt and Giuseppe Liberatore on their recent appointment as Field Managers in the states of South Australia and the ACT respectively.
A concerted recruitment drive has seen an influx of talent. We warmly welcome all new additions to our team with the following advice, long embraced by our top Showies to whom we extend salutations. The enthusiasm of newcomers who display the right attitude and ability, tempered with the wisdom and experience of senior crew, creates the dynamics necessary to assist our Clients in their enterprises. All Crew Members should look out for each other as valued members of the team.
Employees of Show Support in the field must adhere to the MPS – Minimum Presentation StandardsΒ when representing the company. In summary, the MPS consists of black SHS Polo Shirts tucked into long black pants, both in good condition. Appearance is paramount so please be mindful to keep facial hair trimmed and hair combed or clipped, with long hair tied back. There should be no hats indoors, visible piercings or unconventional tattoos. Long black SHS shirts can be provided or plain long sleeved black T shirts can be worn under your polo shirt. In a nutshell, Show Supporters should always be highly presentable, neat and clean-cut for work in the corporate environment.
Black safety shoes in good condition must be worn at all times onsite. Hard hats and Hi Vis safety vests must be brought to every job in case they are required.
Perhaps the most critical part of a Show Supporter’s kit is the standard issue Show Support Waist Pack, sometimes referred to as the ‘bum bag’. This crucial item should be seen on every Showie, on every gig, brimming with tools such as a multitool (Leatherman, Gerber or otherwise) and two shifting spanners. It must be worn, not in your bag. There is nothing more frustrating than a worker who has to walk all the way to the loading dock to get tools out of their bag to perform their tasks. Expect Quality Control to conduct spot checks to ensure you have the mandatory tools on your person and can produce them on request at any time during your shift. Contact supplies@showsupport.com.au to be equipped with your SHS Waist Pack or other items listed above.
There are some seasonal exceptions for outdoor jobs and extreme weather conditions. The password for Policies, SWMS and Procedures under the WHS tab on the website has been updated for 2019. Check your confirmation messages for the new password.
As you may have noticed, the Minimum Presentation Standards contain three mandatory items of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). These are safety shoes (or boots), hard hats (or helmets) and Hi Vis safety vests. The safety of each and every Show Support Crew Member, as well as anyone onsite, is our highest priority.
All new Show Support Crew Members receive an Orientation Induction to show them the ropes and educate them about the Incident Report Form, which can be found on our website under the WHS and Feedback tabs, along with other aspects of our Safety Management System. Please read further information about Incident reports and remember that all Crew Members, no matter how long they have been with the company, are invited to use the form for any incidents or near misses, regardless of how minor they may seem. Similarly, any and all Safety Issues should be reported using the website form. More information can be found on the Reporting Safety Issues blog article. Remember, you can call 1300973016 anytime, 24 hours a day, if you are unsure about anything.
All Crew Members should use the Safety Induction when they arrive onsite. More information about the Site Induction can be found on the blog page in this Site Induction article.
Crew Chiefs should complete a Venue Safety Inspection every six months for each venue our crew work in. Please read more information about the Venue Safety Inspection. Ops should be uploading completed VSIs into Personnel Manager, so it is possible for CCs to see when a VSI is required. There is no rule against performing VSIs more frequently than the minimum time period, so feel free to complete them as many times as you feel necessary or when you consider safety conditions may have changed. The blog page contains several more articles with detailed information about Work Health and Safety.
Reliability is one of the most important attributes of a Show Supporter. To be reliable you must always attend the shifts you have accepted, never pull out of shifts you have accepted (especially at the last minute) and you must be punctual to all shifts. Failure to manage your own schedule efficiently is not an excuse to pull out of a Show Support shift. In the event of an emergency, you must telephone Ops to inform them you will be unable to attend your shift. Email or SMS is not a valid way to cancel a shift. Just to reiterate, punctuality and attendance of shifts you are booked on are requirements for reliability, not just at Show Support, but in general. Not showing up for a shift you’re booked on without notifying the office, known as blowing out a gig, is the cardinal sin at Show Support. Never do that. Prior to establishing Show Support, in all my years working as a loader and freelancer, I never cancelled a shift or blew out a gig. There have been plenty of crew come through the SHS ranks that have been the same. It’s really not that hard.
Pro-Activity is another essential requirement for all SHS Crew Members. You should always impress the client by showing the right level of initiative and completing the tasks assigned to you as quickly and effectively as possible. Every time you complete a task, inform the Crew Chief or Client immediately so they can assign you a new task. Repeat this process until the job is finished. Always check with your client and confirm the finish time before leaving your shift. The importance of being pro-active can not be stressed highly enough.
The word professional invokes a range of admirable characteristics. However, there’s much more to being a professional crew member than merely getting paid for your work. Consistent reliability and pro-activity are only at the tip of the iceberg. You should always be learning on the job, always working hard and making jobs go smoothly for the Client. Just as importantly, you should be impeccable in your presentation, well mannered, humble, competent, smiling and radiating enthusiasm. You should be endowed with a positive, can-do attitude. As a consummate professional, you are supportive of other Crew Members and discreet about the shifts you and others are booked on. You never complain. Your every action brings credit to the company and enhances your reputation in our industry. In essence, you focus on doing a great job, as part of a team, for the benefit and betterment of yourself, your fellow Showies and Show Support.
Keep up the solid work and continue to uphold the traditions that have made Show Support the premier recruitment and labour provider for the Australian Entertainment Industry.