Every rigger knows that a clamp is only as reliable as the conditions it works in. Vibration from sub-bass speakers, the repeated cycling of chain hoists, or a single overtightened bolt can compromise a primary fixing without any visible warning. A safety bond is the device that catches suspended equipment when that happens.
This guide covers what safety bonds are, when they are legally required, and how to choose and install them correctly. The Doughty safety bond range covers loads from 5kg to 100kg, is BS EN certified, and comes with a test certificate included.
What is a Safety Bond?
A safety bond is a secondary retention device, consisting of a short wire rope loop attached to a suspended fixture and anchored independently from the primary fixing. If the primary fixing fails, the safety bond catches the fixture and prevents it from falling.
Safety bonds are used wherever equipment is suspended above people: concert stages and touring rigs, theatre lighting bars, broadcast studios, corporate event ceilings, and exhibition spaces. They are sometimes called safety cables or safety wires, though these terms are used interchangeably across the industry.
The difference between a safety bond and a safety cable:
A safety bond typically refers to a short loop of pre-formed wire rope with terminations at each end, rated to a specific SWL. A safety cable is a more general term that can describe the same product or a longer, multi-purpose wire. For stage and entertainment rigging, both terms describe the same category of secondary retention device.
Are Doughty Safety Bonds a Legal Requirement?
Yes. For suspended equipment at professional events and permanent installations in the UK, secondary retention is not optional.
Under LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998), all lifting equipment must be safe and must not put people at risk of injury if it fails. The Health and Safety Executive publishes specific guidance for the entertainment industry confirming that safety bonds are a required part of any professionally rigged lighting or equipment installation.
Venues, production companies, and touring organizations that do not fit safety bonds risk enforcement action, unlimited fines under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and civil liability if equipment falls and causes injury.
Beyond the legal obligation, the practical case is straightforward: a safety bond costs a few pounds and takes seconds to fit. The consequences of a fixture falling on a crowd or crew member are irreversible.
The Doughty Safety Bond Range: 5kg to 100kg
The Doughty safety bond range is made from wire rope, BS EN certified, and supplied with a test certificate. Each bond is rated to a specific SWL and is available in different lengths to suit different rigging configurations.
Doughty 5kg Safety Bond
The 5kg bond is the lightest in the range. At 2mm wire diameter and 500mm length, it is suited to small fixtures and accessories including LED strip lights, small PAR cans, gel frames, and similar lightweight equipment. Even small fixtures can cause serious injury if they fall from height, and the 5kg bond is the correct choice for any small suspended accessory.
Doughty 15kg Safety Bond
The 15kg bond is the most used in stage and event lighting. At 3mm wire diameter and 585mm length, it covers the majority of conventional and LED profile fixtures, Fresnel lanterns, and small moving heads. If you are building a standard lighting rig and are not sure which bond to use for a particular fixture, a 15kg bond covers most scenarios in this weight range.
Doughty 20kg Safety Bond
The 20kg bond steps up from the 15kg with the same 600mm length. Despite using 2mm wire, the construction and termination method achieves a WLL of 20kg, making it suitable for fixtures that exceed the 15kg bond's rating. Always check the fixture weight including any accessories before selecting this bond.
Doughty 36kg Safety Bond
The 36kg bond uses 4mm wire and an M8 carbine hook, one size up from the M6 hook on the lighter bonds. At 600mm length, it is suited to larger moving heads, heavier LED fixtures, and follow spots. The M8 hook provides a more secure attachment point for loads in this weight range.
Doughty 36kg Long Safety Bond
The 36kg long bond has the same wire diameter, WLL, and M8 carbine hook as the standard 36kg bond but at 1000mm rather than 600mm. The longer length is used where the fixture needs to be positioned further from the anchor point, for example where the primary fixing is on a bar above a truss chord, or where the fixture attachment point is not directly accessible for a short bond.
Doughty 100kg Safety Bond
The 100kg bond is used for structural rigging applications including truss sections, speaker arrays, large set pieces, and any suspended equipment where the load exceeds thecapacity of lighter bonds. This rating is also used in permanent venue installations where regulatory compliance requires documentation of secondary retention at structural load levels.
How to Install a Safety Bond Correctly
Correct installation is as important as choosing the right bond. A safety bond fitted incorrectly provides no meaningful protection and can give a false sense of security.
1. Identify your anchor point. The safety bond must be anchored to a point that is independent from the primary fixing. If the primary fixing is a clamp on a bar, the safety bond anchor must be a separate point — a different truss member, or a structural anchor point in the venue. If both the primary fixing and the safety bond are on the same clamp bolt, the bond provides no protection if the clamp fails.
2. Loop through the fixture body, not the yoke. This is the most common installation mistake. The safety bond must pass through the fixture body or a structural part of the fixture chassis — not through the yoke or hanging bracket. Yokes can detach from a fixture. If the bond is attached only to the yoke, it fails along with the yoke.
3. Keep the bond short. A safety bond should be as short as possible while still allowing the fixture to be aimed and adjusted. A long bond means the fixture falls further before being caught — increasing shock load on the anchor and the risk of the fixture swinging.
4. Secure the loop correctly. Ensure the wire terminations are properly closed and that the bond is not kinked, twisted, or under tension in normal use. The bond should be slack during normal operation and only loaded in a failure scenario.
5. Inspect before every use. Check each bond for kinks, broken wires, corrosion, or damaged terminations. A bond with any of these defects must be removed from service immediately.
How Often Should Safety Bonds Be Inspected?
Under LOLER, lifting accessories, including safety bonds, must be thoroughly examined by a competent person at least every six months. In addition to this formal inspection, a visual check should be carried out before every rig.
Remove a safety bond from service if you find any of the following during inspection:
- Kinks or permanent deformation in the wire rope
- Broken or frayed individual wires
- Corrosion on the wire or terminations
- Damaged, deformed, or incorrectly closed end fittings
- Any visible elongation or distortion suggesting the bond has been shock-loaded
A safety bond that has been shock-loaded, meaning it has caught a falling fixture, must be removed from service even if it shows no visible damage. The shock load may have caused internal damage to the wire strands that is not visible from the outside.
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