Boxoffice-January.07.1950

'
vided for theatre patrons. Staii-ways are
especially hazardous.
Many city ordinances require strong
handrails at all points where there are two
or more steps, and a center rail if a flight
of steps is more than eight feet wide.
Failure to comply with such a law will automatically
void a public liability insui'-
ance policy in case of injui-y on poorly protected
stairs.
In localities where such safety ordinances
do not exist, a provision in the liability insurance
policy sometimes covers the contingency.
In any event, failure to provide
handrails can easily lay a theatre owner
wide open to damage claims and possibly
the trouble and expense of court action.
DEFECTIVE SEATS
Defective seats that will catch clothing
or pinch fingers comprise another hazard.
Pi'equent inspection and immediate replacement
of seats with broken veneer,
cracked arms, torn upholstery, broken
springs or other defects will reduce damage
claims from this source, to say nothing
of improving patron goodwill.
Special care should be exercised to see
that electric switches in washrooms are
located where they cannot be touched
while a patron is in contact with grounded
plumbing fixtures or mechanical dryers.
Adequate lighting of aisles and flights of
stairs is essential to prevent stumbling.
This not only reduces danger of accidents,
but adds to patrons' comfort.
Easy-opening doors should be provided
that will not be snapped shut quickly by a
too tightly adjusted automatic door closer
as a patron enters the foyer or a lounge.
MAINTENANCE STAFF DUTIES
Members of the maintenance staff should
be instnicted to wipe up any puddles of
water that appear on floors of washrooms
or smooth-floored lobbies immediately in
order to remove a common cause of slipping.
They also should be cautioned to store all
tools and other articles where patrons cannot
fall over them.
A careful survey of the indi^adual theatre
probably will reveal other steps that
can be taken to remove accident hazards
and even safeguard that one person in 11
who is more "accident-prone" than the
other ten.
Damage suits or frequent claims for injury
are the poorest types of public relations
for any theatre. Therefore, aside from
the monetary considerations in individual
claims, the establishment of a reputation
that a theatre is safe and comfortable will
bring added dollai-s to the boxoffice.
Furthermore, if all theatre owners in the
coimtry reduced the claims for liability, it
would not be long until insui-ance premiums
were lowered by the underw^riters.
RECTIFIERS
F„r T-vmrr Siwm Thaatn
FOREST HARRISON, INC. 207 Railroad Ave.. Harrison, N. J.
BOXOFTICE :: January 7, 1950
For
YOUR
BOXOFFICE
Engraved by
]
our exclu£
process on
cite to your
specilicationB.
LAMOLITE
ADULTS j;
ILLUMINATED PRICE ADMISSION SIGNS
Our enlarged plant facilities assure
OVERNIGHT service from coast to coast.
Plastic Signs Engraved for the Entire Theatre
WRITE NOW TO: 'Patent Pending
Edgar S.
124 W. 2Isl St..
Bowman
New York 11, N. Y.
HlODfRfllZfS flflD BfflUTIfltS LOBBIES
EZY-RUG
COLORED RUBBER LINK MATTING
^nxipA. cuU ^l^i at iUe ^oo^
ugated ridges in the linlcs scrape the dirt
the (eet traveling across the mat, trap
the openings, keep it out of sight, pretracking
throughout the theatre ond
expens carpets, thus reducing clean-
o
and red •ating costs. Comlortable un-
foot.
Slip-proof. Prev
liability of law
heels. Non-trip
ccidenis.
Safe e
d edge.
educes the
with high
1 galvanized, rust-resisting
wire to form mots of any
spring steel desired shape up to 8 feet in width and of any
length.
Rolls up for easy, quick removal of dirt.
Available in your choice of pattern, emblem,
or lettering in any combination of
ten colors: brick red. black, light brown, dark
brown, gray, orange, white, dark blue, light
green and dark green.
We also offer Counler-Tred Matting for use
at candy counters and popcorn machines:
perforated corrugated matting for lobbies and
Tile-Top Sponge Matting for aisles.
AMERICAN MAT CORP.
"America's Largest Matting Specialists"
1719 Adams St. • Toledo 2, Ohio
J Please send free folder. "A M.it for Every Purpose."
12 Please send prices on Ezy-Ruo Mattino.
;H Please send information and prices on American
Counter-Tred Matlino for candy counters and popcorn
Name.
machines.
IN CANADA
America n Mat Corporation.
Canada Trust Building
Windsor Ontario
,
West U me, Ontario
35
I