Anyone in the business for a number of years knows Phay MacMahon. After all, he’s “Phaymous” — his nickname for the past 32 years or so. As the authority in charge of hiring crew, MacMahon is hard on everyone when it comes to safety. He gives each crew member a detailed job description, outlining every single duty that’s expected of them. And with the recent spate of accidents hitting the headlines, MacMahon has also devised extra safety procedures in the form of accountability. Once production is set up, and before each and every showtime, each crew chief signs a document swearing that they have all inspected their areas. “Each crew chief has to sign off to show that elements of safety have been adopted and enforced,” he says. Although the production manager holds the ultimate responsibility, he says, everyone in the production family has to work together to make the team strong.
—From “Designer Watch” by Debi Moen, PLSN, Oct. 2012
