Risk Management

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U SI RISK MANAGEMe{r / AUGUsT 1994

Jack Waflace cs senior via president at Willis Corwon Corp of Nashvi&, IN.

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• ,.tfliTtPEZE ARTISTS FLY THROUGH AIR ACROBATS TEETER ON

~ ~wuIsuspended 40 feet lii the alt enter cages with snarling U~ ci St tot out of cannons. EIqfl rform handstands and other

- •~‘flgUk1çs. This is the risk world of Ringling Brat-cd knmn a d.~kv Circus (Ringlfn~ there ‘The Greatest Show on BmW- - ----.,cf ~ tying arr~r at azenie and ~c ap~nt tl~t requirt n I~!t~%t fl*nne..1~.nt approach. -:

Ever shi~ KT. ~m~a Crcm flncn ~d Mesiageris lr~d its first performance in lSfl.~ L th~ ~ the na~ of the circus. Today, however. Ringffng’s-ciznn I tinfr maer~phisdcared operation than us predecnsor~ the Ringling circus now pr~enrs two separate units equal in scope and quality that simultaneously tour different pans of the United Stares. The circuses travel entirely by train, and each one visits approximately 41 cities per year, hauling their unique cargo of performers. their families, support staff, stage equipment and animals. Upon arrival in a given city, the circus must be up arid running within hours, and perfor mances are conducted with maximuffi concern for the safety of both per fornmrs and their audiences. Given the grueling travel and circus set-up schedule, and the inhereru danger of the performances. Ringiiiig has made safety and risk management the highest priority.

Purenin ni Puns Ringling’s performers, consisting of some of the most capable performers from around the world. form a virtual United Nations of talent. However, the incredibly daring and dangerous feats executed by Ringling’s per-

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formers are apparent in their risk. Among the hazardous and breathtak ing acts is the double-barreled human cannon, which propels its two human cannonballs at an astonishing 5 Cs of force. Once airborne, the two travel at speeds of 65 miles per hour. and must choreograph their landings per fectly into a net 110 feet away or risk LflJUC7.

- The high-wire act is also a Ringling mainstay — and an act that can result in senous injury. Russian husband and wife team Alexandre “Sash? Mednikov and Fatima Gadjkourba nova, along with their colleague lgor Arefiev. perform a spine-tingling series of stunts, including one in which Igor carries the two-person col umn of Faunia and [gor on his shoul ders until a blindfolded Sasha stands on the wire and launches into a back ward somersauLt. The act’s inherent hazardousness is best illustrated by an incident that occurred in 1983 during a cerformance in Kazak’nstan while the’, Were zertorrmng with a Russian arr,us. A bok broke off from the high wire apparatus. sending Sasha plum meting to the ground, fracturing his pelvis. Although doctors predicted the injury would end his career. Sasha fought back to full recovery, and six months later was once again on the wire.

Ringling also features: trapeze acts by the Flying Vargas and the Flying Alvarez family troupes who have per fected their art over generations: The Boulibekov Riders, master horseriders from Kazakhstan; and an assortment of gymnasts and dancers. Each per forinance requires expert training and precise timing. For example. in one act Orinbasar Kurmanbaev of The Boulibekov Riders climbs off the horses saddle and slides under its belly, then crawls back onto the mount from the other side — all while the horse is in lull gallop. A truly perilous feat, and in 20 years. Mr. Kurmanbaev has never fallen.

Animal acts, of course, are an inte gral part of The Greatest Show on Earth.” But when human perfonners mingle with animals such as cle phants. tigers and lions, danger lurks at every corner. Current Ringling ani

maL acts include the lion and elephant shows of Graham Thomas Chipperfield. Born into a family that owns the oldest circu in Britain, Mr. Chipperfield’s lion act involves a number of perilous feats, including crouching in the lion cage as a 350- pound lioness Leaps over him. Mr. Chipperuield’s elephant acts also involve several riveting tricks, but per haps none more exciting than the Terrifying Teeterboard Takeoff, in which one elephant strikes the teeter- board with its foot, sending Mr. ChipperfieLd’s somersaulting onto the back of another pachyderm. The teeterboard thck has not always gone smoothly, however, once, an elephant hit the teeterboard too had, sending Mr. ChipperfieLd’s onto the ground with a broken ankle. Even with superbly trained animals, accidents can happen.

One of Ringling’s most unusuaL animal acts is performed by Chepiakova & Kim. a husband and wile team (eatunng trained bears that rtde horses! Onginated by Lvubov Chepiakova’s mother and father in Kiev, Ukraine, decades ago, Lyubov and her Korean-born husband Vilorik Kim are continuing an act in which bears weighing between 220 to 440 pounds climb onto the backs of hors es, race around the ring, jump through hoops and even perform handsprings.

A S*rr Citus Given such acts, it is no surprise that injury is an ever-present risk in cirrus performing. However. Ringling’s top management is fully aware of these risks — as well as those associated with cirrus set-up and tear-down — and the consequent need to maintain effective. fuWy developed safety and loss control programs. This emphasis on safety forms a key component of Ringling’s corporate philosophy. In fact, when they purchased Ringling in 1967, Irvin and Israel reid declared that the saIe~y of Ringlin~s perform ers and support staff would be the company’s highest priority; today, safety and risk management remain a centraL concern of the organization. where it has the full backing of

Kenneth feld, Ringling’s current owner, president and producer.

Ringling, which works closely with its broker Willis Corroon. is regarded as having one of the lowest cLaim records in any industry. A regular fea ture of Ringling’s nsk management philosophy is frequent brainstorrrung sessions with Willis Corroon’s nsk management consuLtants that involve carefully analyzing all circus opera tions and procedures to continually improve the company’s claims and risk control record.

Ringling’s insurance program uses high deductibles and self-insured retentions, as well as third-party administrators for all lines. Ringling also has in-house counsel that are very proactive in the liability area, a hands-on file management system. and a sophisticated medical manage ment program for workers’ compen sation cases. Ensuring a safe circus for both performers and spectators requires support and technical empioyees expertly trained Lfl equip- merit handling and maintenance, Ranging’s support staff, whicri num bers approximately 150 employees per unit, is responsible for loading and unloading the circus trains, then setting up the rigging for each show, which includes tasks such as driving forklifts, hanging wires, ropes and cables from high elevations, and installing electricaL and lighting equipment — all activities traditional ly associated with significant workers’ compensation exposures. Ringling also operates its own prop shop in Sarasota, Florida, where in-house staff create all props, decorative designs and embeLlishments for the circus wagons; the activities of the prop shop are incorporated into Ringlings risk management program.

Setting up the circus takes between six and eight hours, and requires support employees to install approximateLy 25.000 yards of rope and rigging for each show, then check the torque of wires to ensure proper gauging. Maintenance staff must also confirm that all netting is correctly sited and that guide wires for aerial performers, or mechani calf in circus Lingo. are intact and

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accurately positioned. Since performers lives directly

depend on the equipment used in their acts, before each show Riqgling’s performers carefully test all netting. wiring and other apparatuses to ensure each piece of equipment is in perfect working order. Naturally, the safety of performers is paramount. so Ringling’s safety program includes a variety of other strategies to reduce injuries and illness, including nucri cionists who have counseled perform ers on proper diet and the tmportance of body warm-up exercises. beiore each show, and intensive safety train ing for dancers and gymnasts. As for

Q clowns, in 1968 Ringling foundedClown College, currently located inBaraboo, Wisconsin. the home and origmal winter quarters of the five Ririgling brothers. At the college, aspiring clowns are instructed in the proper use of pyrotechnics, safety techniques for acrobatics and stilt- walking, and the way to perform safe pratfalls. Overall, this emphasis on performer safety has helped keep per former accidents and injuries to a minimum.

After an engagement, members of the support staff disassemble the rig ging —a task that takes approximate ly two hours — and then reload the trains. Since their activities encom pass the entire range of workers’ com pensation exposures. Ringling’s loss control program includes detailed safety procedures for all high risk activities, as well as safety training materials such as booklets. So far, these intensive programs have helped RingLing experience, over time, a workers’ compensation rate modifier that dropped 60 points and is currently at an impressive rate of significantly less than 1.0.

For Ringling, maintaining a safe circus would be impossible without including animal handling and train ing in its Loss control program, A typ ical Ringlirig show includes elephants. lions, tigers, bears, llamas, zebras, cameLs and horses. Obviously, aniniat care and training require the work of experts. Surprisingly, however, there are no universities or other educa tional institutions that’specialize in animal trW’ g’. animal trainers devel op their skills based on time-honored techniques developed over decades and, an some cases, even centunes.

Ringling utLlizes positive rein lorcement. a specific amma training regimen that is based on mutual trust and respect between the trainer and the animal. At Ringing, animal train ing always begins in the animal’s infancy, and involves teaching the animal to perform alongside humans, as well as requiring that the difficulty of a given trick never exceed an aid rnal’s abilities. The company also expressly forbids trainers to whip. beat, physically or verbally abuse or withhold food or nter from animals n training methods.

To ensure the health and safety of the arilnials. Ringing maintains teams of trainers for each type of animal, a stablemaster, and a full-time veteri narian and veterinaijan’s assistant. As part of their normal care, Ringling’s animals are given daily health inspec tions and exercise, proper diets, clean and exemplary housing conditions. and regular personal contact with people. Also, to deal with emergen cies. the company maintains veteri narians on call in each city where the show will tour.

Ringling’s animal safety program results in healthy, well-conditioned animals that enjoy longer lives than

their counterparts in the wild. Ringing also provides 24-hour secun cy for the animals, whether they are being housed, transported or perform ing. Also, since circus animaLs are a source of joy to spectators. many visi tors may be tempted to touch or pet an animaL. However, since touching of animals represents a possible public liability exposure. Ringling cordons animals off from the public, prior to. during and after a show, as well as during the traditional animal walk, when the circus marches the animals into town to Idck off an engagement.

Since the natural habitat for many wiLd animals is gradually disappear ing, Ringling believes it can pLay a major roLe in the preservation and maintenance of animal species. En 1985. RingLing established an ele phant farm in central Florida where captive breeding progrims are used for performance animals. Earlier this year. two elephants named Romeo and juLiette, were born at the farm. For tts efforts. Ringling has received accolades from numerous animal groups for their experienced and humane treatment of exotic animals.

Turns in Turn Besides maintaining safe operations during performances. Ringlirig’s risk management program must also cover formidable transportation expo sures. Ringling has been transporting its circus by train since the lSTOs, and today operates the world’s largest privately owned trains, each of which is 53 cars long, including 32 coach can, 17 equipment cars, and four stock can specially designed to maxi mize the animals’ safety and comfort. Every week — and sometimes twice a week — each train travels to another city, hauling circus employees and their families, animals, wardrobes, sound equipment, props and conces sions.

Since its entire performance opera tion is strictly dependent on traLn travel, transportation safety is an essentiaL component of Ringling’s risk management program. To further the goals of transportation safety. Willis Corroon produced a train safety pro gram for Ringling including a safety

‘‘...~-~..tNrr I At’ctst 1994

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0 Since pedonne~’ lives direcily depend on the equipment used in their acts — and since injuries are most often due to equipment failures — before each show Aingling’s pedor~e~ carefully test all nening, wirino and other appaia~ses to ensure each.piece of equipment is in pedect working order.

video that discussed measures such as fire safety tips and warrungs about not walking between train cars, as well as safety booklets and other training measures

The train safety program paid off earlier this year when the circus laced one of its worst disasters — a [rain derailment in Flonda that killed two circus performers and displaced 88 employees for whom the company- owned train is a year-round home. Two boys aged seven and 10 who rode in the same derailed car in which an elephant trainer was killed escaped by finding and removing an emergen cy window, to the amazement of adults who watched them emerge unharmed. When asked how they knew to come out through the safety window, the children said they had seen the process explained on the train safety video, which provided a detailed explanation of how to find the window and remove its rubber seal to push the window out.

‘.Vhen the tram accident .,ccurred. Ringiing and Willis Cartoon had a business continuity plan in place that greatly helped the company overcome the tragedy. Immediately after the crash, a disaster ollice was set up on- site, and counsel,ors were hired to care for circus employees, their depen dents and animals. Mr. Feld, other senior company executives. Ringling’s risk manager. 100 other company managers. adjusters and outside con sultants were at the scene within 24 hours to help performers and their families deal with any trauma they may have suffered. Within 72 hours of the accident, all personal property claims were settled, and the show was already back on the road.

Since the accident was the first train-related fatality due to a derail ment at Ringling in more than 100 years. the company is convinced that trains remain the safest way to trans port its unique cargo of people. ani maLs and circus magic. This convic tion is based on the belief that if Ringling tried to transport the circus over the road in tracks, the potential for accidents ‘would be far greater. Nevertheless, the accident demon strated that a crisis can strike at any

time, thereby pointing out the necessi tyfor a sound business continuity plan.

For Ringling, running a business with such a diverse array of exposures is a chaLlenge that requires a corpo race.wide commitment to safety and risk management. Since R.ingling’s upper management provides this commitment, the company has been

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able to maintain highly safe operations that have aLso resulted in significant insurance cost reductions. These sav ings encompass all of Ringlings oper ations. including its two circuses, sev eral traveling Lce shows and a high- tech Las Vegas show. In regard to risk management, then, Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus does not clown around. RN

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AuGusT 1994/ Risc MANAGn4CNr 47