All buildings have numerous panel points that exist at the intersection of the joist and support members. The joist is the load-bearing member that supports the roof. Other members, which are part of the roof structure, form the support structure. Members can be constructed from wood or steel. One member is vertical and intersects with the other member that is either horizontal or diagonal. The members form a triangle and panel points exist at the top and bottom of the triangle. Panel points provide a location for the attachment of rigging.
An example of a typical rigging panel point is found in the technical data from The World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This information is provided for users and must be followed for safety reasons. The standard weight capacity of a panel point is 2,000 pounds. The arena also lists distances from the ceiling to the floor under its rigging specifications. The distance from the floor to the ceiling of the arena as 79 feet with the distance to high steel as 78 feet 6 inches.
Another example of an arena is Prospera Place in Kelowna, British Columbia. It lists the standard weight for its panel points at the same 2,000 pounds with a floor to high steel of 65 feet. Prospera Place does not allow rigging at the high steel location. Rigging is done from low steel at 49 feet above the floor of the arena.
In addition to the standard panel points, the World Arena in Colorado Springs has some panel points with rigging plates. Those plates provide additional strength. They allow the rigging capacity to be doubled to 4,000 pounds. These panel points are part of the total rigging capacity of the gird in the World Arena. That capacity lists at 120,000 pounds which is the sum of all the available rigging points.
The Savannah International Trade & Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia is an example of a facility with difficult weight limits for panel points. The maximum load for rigging is 500 pounds. The Events Center at the Colorado State Fair located at the fairgrounds in Pueblo, Colorado falls in line with other typical arenas. It is 40 feet to low steel and each panel point holds a maximum of 2,000 pounds for rigging. Maximum weight over the stage area is 60,000 pounds.