Master electrician

In theatre, the master electrician (or chief electrician in the UK) is responsible for implementing the lighting design for a production drawn up by the lighting designer. This involves overseeing the preparation, hanging, connection and focusing of stage lighting fixtures. This can be done on a show-by-show basis, or as a resident position of a specific theatre. The tool of the trade of the theatrical master electrician is the adjustable spanner or crescent wrench, used to secure stage lighting instruments from lighting positions in the theatre. This wrench is typically attached to the belt or wrist with a lanyard, which is important because the master electrician tends to work at great height, from ladders, lift tables, catwalks, or lighting trusses, where a falling wrench may hurt people or damage property below. The master electrician supervises and is responsible for all other electricians working on any construction or installation project. Only the master electrician can pull the permits with the electrical authority, and they can only be registered with one electrical contracting company at any one time. Other electrical duties performed by any electrician include: Inventory and repair and maintenance of all lighting fixtures, cables, effects, power distribution, dimmers, networking and lighting control consoles. Organisation and purchasing of all consumables including color gel, gobos, Sharpies, and gaffer tape. Planning and implementing of the cabling (circuiting) of lights and electric power distribution. Documenting and tracking of all circuiting, addressing, and system configuration in cooperation with the Lighting Designer. Patching assignments of the control console based on the paperwork generated by the lighting designer and the planned circuiting. Occupational safety and health of workers and operational decisions as the head of the electrics department. Master electricians go through extensive on-site and classroom training, with work in more formal settings such as schools or colleges.