April 20, 2023
The American Rental Association (ARA) has put together a whole host of Safe Tenting resources to help you not only create safe tenting installs for successful tented events but also reduce your liability.
- A Safe Tenting Resources webpage with downloadable tent ballasting charts. This is the place to learn about the resources available, including access to the training video series and three tent ballasting chart examples. Click here to access.
- The new, customizable Tent Ballasting Tool for non-engineered tents. This tool, which was created in partnership with the Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) Tent Rental Division, is designed to quickly and easily determine the minimum weight requirements to safely anchor or ballast non-engineered tents. To access, click here. You will need to log in to your ARA account.
- The new tent ballasting video series. To go along with this tool, ARA has developed an eight-part video series that is available on RentalU. Topics covered include: how ballast blocks are made, transporting ballast blocks, safely moving ballast blocks, installing ballast blocks, covering ballast blocks, teardown and storage of ballast blocks, why concrete ballast blocks are a better option over water barrels and tent ballasting solutions. The purpose of the series is to increase awareness of tent ballasting, share information on its benefits and provide best safety practices. These videos are free and designed to be used by everyone on your team to ensure they are following set standards for the safe ballasting of non-engineered tents.
- The new Tent Ballasting Guide. This guide, created in conjunction with ARA Insurance and also available on RentalU, offers important tenting and ballasting terminology, ballasting charts and additional safety information.
- The updated Emergency Evacuation Plan for Tented Events. This free download for ARA members not only underscores the fact that tents are not designed to be used as shelters in emergency situations, but it also educates all involved about their roles in ensuring the safe use of the equipment, highlights the industry’s best practices regarding measures to take when emergency situations occur and helps communicate to your customers the necessity of having emergency evacuation plans in place for their events. Click here to download when you are logged into RentalU. Otherwise, when in RentalU, type in “Emergency Evacuation” in the search bar.
- A Safe Tenting Webinar. This webinar, which occurred March 22, highlighted the importance of accurate tent ballasting, offered an in-depth demonstration of how to use the new tent ballasting tool, reviewed the ballasting diagrams and tenting resources and provided a Q&A session. Access a recording of the webinar by typing in “Tent Ballasting Tool Webinar” in the search bar on RentalU for answers to your tent installation questions.
