Here is the article I promised. It was on the bulletin board of the voice teachers studio at the local college. I have no idea if stage fog has any effect on pianos. David Vanderhoofven ******************************************** The Joplin GLOBE Wednesday, January 17, 2001 Page 4B Performes blame stage fog for vocal problems The Associated Press San Fransisco Those clouds of manmade fog that dazzle audiences nightly at operas, concerts and Broadway shows around the country may be doing more than creating atmosphere, Opera chorus singer Pamela Dale says the fog is making her cough. Even worse, she says, it is keeping her from reaching high notes during performances. "I'm just trying to keep my job", Dale says. "But how can you sing when you're coughing?" Dale, who sings with the San Francisco Opera, is one of many performers from New York to Seattle who have filed worker's compensation claims complaining of respiratory problems, throat irritation and other ailments that they blame on the fog. The type of fog that has given Dale the most problems, she says, is made from a chemical called glycol. It has been found to be safe in a number of studies and is used without problems in many performances. But over the past 18 months, the 52-year-old singer has filed more than 50 complaints sith the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, resulting in nine citations. OSHA found that the San Francisco Opera needed to provide more training and education about the fog, something that has been completed, according to opera spokeswoman Elizabeth Connell Nielson. "We are continually looking for whatever is the safest and most effective means of getting the kind of production results we want and need," she says. "We take very seriously any problem or complaint any artist might have.: The San Francisco Opera says it has dropped glycol fog more than a year ago because of Dale's complaints and because stage designers want different effects. They have instead used mineral oil, liquid nitrogen or dry ice, or combinations of those. Dry ice has been found to be safer, according to Michael McCann, who did a report on fog for the Center for Safety in the Arts. But Dale says the mineral oil fog also irritates her throat. The San Francisco Opera has permitted Dale and at least two other singers to skip any performances in which fog is used, including the current production of Mozart's "The Magic Flute." As a result, Dale is putting in about half her usual performances. "Our industrial hygienist has met with the chorus and said if you feel that you might have some sort of reaction to this, you're not going to lose your job, you're not going to lose your pay," says Russ Walton, the opera's director of human resources. Alexandra Nehra, another San Francisco Opera singer who has filed a worker's compensation claim, says her problems started during a performance of Verdi's "Nabucco" during a scene that used fog and propane torches. "I was coughing up black stuff, Nehra says. Glycol fog machine manufacturer Rosco International of Stamford, Conn., maintains the fog is safe when used properly, meaning not "overfogging" and using only the fluid recommended by the manufacturer. "We have been advised over the years that this is an extremely safe material to be around," says Eric Tishman, senior product manager. Even so, Tishman says the minimum amount of fog needed to achieve an effect should be used, or it could cause dryness in the throat and nose. Others maintain that the fog cannot do any permanent damage. "When somebody sees a smoke or fog like this, it's a psychological problem," says Jim Kehrer, head of pharmacoilogy and toxicology at the University of Texas. "If you see some sort of fog or smoke rolling at you, and you already have a breathing problem, it's going to get worse." A 1995 study commissioned by Actors' Equity Association and conducted by Consultech Engineering, a consulting company, found that the fog exposed pewrformers where much more likely to report respiratory problems. Another study, conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in 1994, found no evidence that the fog causes asthma as long as it is used correctly. But because the fog can be irritating or drying, the institute said, exposure to the fog should be minimized, the fluids should be heated to the lowest temperature necessary and the proper fluids should be used. Singers are not the only ones to complain. In 1995, nearly a third of the 25 members of the pit orchestra in the Broadway production of "Beauty and the Beast" complained of asthma-like effects, according to Bill Moriarity, president of American Federation of Musicians Local 802. One lawsuit was filed, and it is pending. Some audience members have also claimed to have suffered reactions. The San Francisco Opera posts notices to audiences when fogs or other special effects are used, though it is not required by law to do so.
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC