Use and Set-Up of Small Tents

Motion Picture Safety Bulletin #49 | Issued: 06/2025 | Download PDF

Overview

Tents are frequently used in motion picture productions. This bulletin describes safety guidelines for using and setting up small tents, which are generally considered to be less than 20 x 20 ft. (400 sq. ft.) in size. Tents larger than this may require a building permit, depending on the jurisdiction. For more information on large tents, see safety bulletin #50 Use and Set-up of Large Tents.

Types of commonly used tents

Marquee tent — Usually refers to a high-peak tent with a square or hexagonal frame. The design includes a floating centre pole.

Frame tents — Also known as pole tents, these are aluminum-frame tents with no centre pole. Instead, the tent poles reach the peak from either side. When the canvas is stretched over the poles, the roof may resemble that of a house.

Pop-up tents — These fold out into either a 10 ft. x 10 ft. (100 sq. ft.) or 10 ft. x 20 ft. (200 sq. ft.) structure and are simple to erect. Pop-up tents are lightweight, so they must be weighted down with sandbags or tied down. These tents are not completely waterproof or fireproof.

Hazards

Here are some things to consider when working with small tents.

Fire

Small tents may be flame resistant but are not fireproof. The fabric will burn if left in continuous contact with a flame source. Tents don’t have fire compartments to keep fires from spreading, so it’s important to consider the stability, resistance, and fire reaction of tent materials.

Electrical Power Lines

Power lines present the greatest risk of serious or fatal injuries. During installation or dismantling of the tent making contact or encroaching on the limits of approach to high voltage power lines can result in serious or fatal injuries.

Electrical Induction

Placing the tent too close to high-voltage lines poses a risk of electrical induction. If the tent is not properly grounded, voltage may gather in the metal frame and potentially cause a mild electric shock to workers if the tent is not grounded.

Overhead obstructions

Telephone lines, exterior lighting sources, and trees can present collision hazards.

Underground lines

Underground lines may include electrical, gas, and irrigation lines. Workers may drive stakes into the ground. This can potentially rupture an underground line and result in a gas leaks, power outages, or flooding.

Surface grade and composition

Hills and uneven surfaces can present slope hazards. For example, weights used to hold down the tent can shift on a hill. Parking lots can make staking difficult. On asphalt surfaces, weights used to hold down tents can shift in windy conditions.

Weather

Wind can damage or catch tents. Heavy rain or snow can cause tents to collapse. Refer to the tent manufacturer specifications for wind ratings and load capacities.

MSI

The MSI (Musculoskeletal Injury) risk associated with erecting, moving, or dismantling small tents typically arises from the physical demands of lifting, bending, twisting, and repetitive motions. These actions can strain muscles, ligaments, and joints. Prolonged or improper handling can lead to strains, sprains, or more serious injuries, especially if the task involves awkward postures, excessive force, or inadequate lifting techniques.

Risk assessments

When planning any activity where there will be a tent occupied by people or equipment, the first step is to conduct a risk assessment. A risk assessment will help identify hazards and the risks associated with them. Risk assessments are also required when there are changes in the workplace, such as a new location or new equipment.

When setting up a small tent, consider the following questions:

Can you identify high-voltage power lines? Do you know their voltage? Could you come within 20 feet of the power lines with long tent structural poles or other equipment? Refer to Table 19-1A.

Are tents set up underneath high voltage power lines? If so, ground should be installed to control electrical induction.
What wind speed is the tent rated to withstand? When must the tent be disassembled? Refer to the tent manufacturer specifications.
Have you checked the weather forecast? Consider the effects of rain, lightning, wind, and snow. You may need extra anchoring or weighting for stronger winds.

Emergency disassembly plan: The production should have a plan in place for when tents need to be disassembled for safety reasons (e.g., lightning, rain, wind, weather watch, weather warning, weather alert).

Are flame and heat sources kept far enough away from tent fabric? There should be no open flames and no propane heaters, only electric heat sources.
Check the tent for a label indicating its fire-retardant status.

Fire-retardant ratings: Some tents are treated with a fire retardant. For example, wall tents sold in Canada must be treated with fire retardant rated to CPA1-84. Pop-up tents are generally not treated with fire retardant.

What kinds of activities will take place in or around the tent?

Are guy ropes and stakes that pose tripping hazards marked adequately, especially during night-time work?

How stable is the ground where the tent will be assembled? Will it become muddy and saturated during a rainstorm?
Are there pipes or cables, branches, or other obstacles?
Where will the tent be set up and what will it be used for? Consider using a site map to identify where you plan to set up tents.
Can you identify any other potential risks?

Control measures

Management should assign at least one person on site who will be provided with a clearly defined set of responsibilities and authority.

When selecting and using small tents, consider the following:

Ensure long structural poles, extendable poles, and other equipment cannot accidentally come within 20 feet of high voltage powerlines during erection or dismantling of tents.
Ensure tents are properly grounded if they are beneath high voltage power lines.
Check with the authority having jurisdiction to find out if a permit is necessary for putting up the tent.
Make sure the tent is assembled on firm ground to ensure stability and prevent shifting or movement.
During heavy or persistent rain or snow assign a worker to monitor the tent roof for pooling water or snow and keep it from accumulating.
Check for overhead obstructions such as tree branches, power lines, or power poles. It’s important to identify underground and overhead utilities when erecting tents.
Contact BC 1 Call (bc1c.ca) before digging or staking.
Keep entrance and exit routes clear of obstructions.
Mark guy lines with flagging tape, traffic cones, or some other marker to prevent trips and falls.
Check weather forecasts. The wind-velocity rating of the structure should be available from the manufacturer.
Don’t use propane-fired heaters in tents. They are a fire risk and produce carbon monoxide. Instead, use electric heaters.
Encourage proper lifting techniques and ensure two or more workers are involved in assembling, moving, and disassembling tents to mitigate MSI risks.

Space for setup

Leave enough space to set up the tent. If it’s a pop-up, you won’t need much more space than the footprint of the tent. For other tents, leave at least 3 m (10 ft.) around the perimeter of the tent for setup. Add an additional 1.5 m (5 ft.) for guy lines securing the tent and another 1.5 m (5 ft.) on top of that for a work area.

Anchoring

Make sure the tent is securely staked to the ground or properly weighted. If you can’t use stakes, consider using sandbags or manufactured rubber tent weights, which have a larger footprint and might provide more stability. If you’re using weights on a hill, position them across the grade, not with the grade.

Motion Picture Safety Bulletin #49 | Issued: 06/2025 | Download PDF