CIRCUS DIVISION free standing aerial rig TP420, TP560 and TP700: technical manual and certification

Certification and compliance

CIRCUS DIVISION is a whole new range of aerial equipment engineered, manufactured and certified in Italy by PLAY S.r.l. according to Directive 2001/95/CE of the European Parliament and the Council of 3 December 2001 on general product safety, and to the European legislation UNI EN 913:2019.

The retailer must provide the instruction manual in the language of the country where the product is to be used. It is essential to fill in all sections of the life sheet found in the manual and to keep the manual for each individual product in a safe place, so that it can be easily found in the event of an inspection and for annual checks by qualified personnel.

Technical data

Working load limit (WLL)	400 daN (approx. 400 kg)
Leg tubes	hot-dip galvanized steel, 80 mm diameter
Apex plate	8 mm laser cut and folded steel
Feet	4 mm laser cut and folded steel
Welds	none: the structure has no welded parts
Total weight	110 kg
Heaviest component	10 kg
Leg section length	175 cm, 5 kg each
Connecting pins	steel, 12 mm diameter, with spring cotter pin
Inspection	every 12 months, by a skilled person
Warranty	3 years from the purchase date
Manufacturing	designed and made in Italy

Warning: the workload of a system and its breaking strength are determined by the weakest link in the chain.

The CIRCUS DIVISION free standing rig is a tripod for aerial dance and acrobatics, featuring a series of characteristics that provide significant advantages in terms of safety, portability, versatility and stability. When you need a safe anchor point that adapts to all conditions, indoors and outdoors, it is an extremely practical option: a single rig for all aerial dance and acrobatic disciplines, for both amateurs and professionals.

Configurations

The rig can be assembled in three configurations, by choosing the number of sections per leg and the matching steel cable set.

Configuration	Sections per leg	Cable set	Height	Base
TP420	3	3 m	4.20 m	3.4 × 3.4 × 3.4 m
TP560	4	4 m	5.60 m	4.4 × 4.4 × 4.4 m
TP700	5	5 m	7.00 m	5.4 × 5.4 × 5.4 m

The apex plate features several slots and holes in which silks, ropes, lyras, static trapezes and any other aerial apparatus can be mounted. The accessories supplied allow you to mount your props either directly to the apex plate or through a rope, pulley and clamp system, which lets you hoist and replace props in just a few seconds.

Components and accessories

• stand for assembly and disassembly;
• legs in 175 cm sections;
• apex with pins and spring cotter pins;
• 15 m Dyneema static rope;
• wheels with axle;
• feet with pins and spring cotter pins;
• non-slip mats;
• anchoring devices bag;
• counterweight bag;
• cable sets of 3 m, 4 m and 5 m;
• manual self-braking winch.

Contents of the anchoring devices bag:

• 2 automatic locking carabiners;
• 3 screwgate carabiners;
• 1 Druid C.A.M.P. descender;
• 1 80 cm anchor sling;
• 6 Quick Links #8;
• 1 pulley;
• 2 30 cm anchor slings for attaching apparatus to the apex.

All components and safety accessories fit into a 60 × 40 × 22 cm case (15 kg) and a 65 × 40 × 10 cm bag (10 kg); the poles, 175 cm long, weigh 5 kg each.

Assembly, transport and stability

The structure can be assembled and disassembled without any tools. The leg sections are securely and quickly fitted together using stainless steel spring buttons; each leg is secured to its foot and to the apex plate using a 12 mm diameter hinge pin and a spring cotter pin. The stand and the manual winch with automatic brake guarantee maximum safety in all phases of assembly and disassembly.

The 80 mm tube diameter guarantees great stability, the conical fit of the tapered tube sections distributes the load evenly and removes any play between segments, and the total weight of 110 kg provides considerable resistance to the sudden weight shifts produced by aerial acrobatics.

Specific warnings for free standing rigs

Free standing tripods are not anchored to the ground and are therefore designed exclusively for static aerial apparatus, with swings that must necessarily take place inside the perimeter of the triangle of the base. Swinging beyond the perimeter of the base can unbalance the structure and must absolutely be avoided as it is potentially dangerous. Swinging also makes it impossible to predict the fall path and therefore to use safety mats correctly.

• If the tripod is assembled outdoors for long periods, exposure to the weather must be taken into account.
• Strong winds can topple the structure. The feet of the tripod have holes through which the structure can be anchored to the ground: the size of the stakes and the quality of the ground must be assessed by competent personnel.
• In bad weather it is always preferable to dismantle the tripod.
• Under no circumstances may aerial apparatus be left anchored to the apex of the structure without the supervision of competent personnel.

Inspection and withdrawal from service

In addition to the normal inspection required before, during and after each use, this product must be inspected by a skilled person every 12 months, starting from the date the product is first used. This date and the subsequent checks must be recorded on the product's life sheet. Check the legibility of the product's markings.

The product should be withdrawn from service immediately if any of these defects appear:

• cracks in the metal parts;
• permanent deformation of a metal part;
• corrosion that seriously alters the surface and does not disappear after light rubbing with sandpaper.

Any product involved in a serious fall must be replaced, as it may have suffered structural damage that is not visible to the naked eye.

Lifetime

The lifetime of the product is unlimited, unless a defect appears and provided that periodic inspections are made at least once every 12 months from the date the product is first used, recording the results in the life sheet. The following factors can reduce the lifetime: intense use, damage to components, contact with chemical substances, high temperatures, tears and abrasions, violent impacts and failure to maintain as recommended.

Maintenance and storage

Cleaning of the textile and plastic parts: rinse in clean water and neutral soap at a maximum temperature of 30 °C and dry naturally away from direct heat. Cleaning of the metallic parts: rinse in clean water and then dry. Always keep this product below 80 °C so as not to affect its performance. Withdraw the product from service if it comes into contact with chemical reagents, solvents or fuels, which could affect its performance.

Store unpacked in a cool, dry, dark place away from heat sources, high humidity, sharp edges, corrosives or other possible causes of damage.

Safety warnings

This equipment should be used only by trained and competent persons. Otherwise the user should be under the direct supervision of a trained and competent person. This document will not teach you techniques for work at height or any other associated activity: you must have received qualified instruction before using this product.

Aerial dance and aerial acrobatics, and any other activity for which these products may be used, are inherently dangerous. The consequences of incorrect selection, misuse or poor maintenance of the equipment could result in damage, serious injury or death.

The user must be medically capable to control his own security and any possible emergency situations. It is essential for safety that the anchor device or anchor point should always be positioned in such a way as to minimise both the potential for falls and the potential fall distance. Verify the free space required beneath the user before each occasion of use, so that in the case of a fall there will be no collision with the ground or any other obstacle in the fall path.

Being a full body harness the only acceptable body holding device that can be used in a fall arrest system, and given that by their nature aerial acrobatics and aerial dance generally do not provide the use of such devices, an approved safety mat placed in the fall path is required.

The product should only be used as instructed and no alterations should be made to it. It may be used in conjunction with any appropriate items of suitable specification and according to the EN standards, with due consideration to the limitations of each individual piece of equipment. Before using the equipment, take all necessary steps to familiarise yourself with rescue techniques should an emergency occur.

Responsibility and warranty

The company PLAY S.r.l., or the distributor, will not accept any responsibility for damage, injury or death resulting from misuse of or from modifications to a CIRCUS DIVISION branded product. It is the user's responsibility at all times to ensure that he or she understands the correct and safe use of any equipment supplied, that it is used only for the purposes for which it is designed and that all proper safety procedures are practised.

This product is warranted against any faults in materials or manufacture for 3 years from the purchase date. Limitations of warranty include: normal wear and tear, modifications or alterations, incorrect storage, corrosion, damage due to accidents or negligence, and use for which this product is not specifically designed.