Blog 12 - Health and Safety

Here are some of the main precautions and a risk assesments required when filming with a cast and crew:

Decide how to manage the risk. Your priorities should be:
1. Eliminate the hazard altogether
2. Reduce the scale of the hazard or substitute it with something non-hazardous
3. Isolate the hazard
4. Control the hazard
5. Use personal protective equipment
Review your assessment and revise it if and when necessary.

Access/egress
• Is access to the location suitable for the safe movement of personnel and equipment?
• Are there clear pathways for movement and circulation within the location?
• Can the location be easily evacuated in an emergency?

Alcohol/drugs
• If scenes require use of these substances they should be substituted with imitations.
• The general consumption of alcohol and non-prescription drugs should be prohibited on set.

Animals/insects
• Will the owners/handlers be present?
• If the animal is covered under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act then its keeper and licence must
accompany it.
• Consider the impact that a strange location or requests to perform unusual tasks can have on a
normally placid animal.

Audience/Public
• If the producer is arranging the event or the audience then arrangements must be made for the
health, safety and welfare of the audience.
• Audiences must be told:
- the emergency evacuation procedure
- first aid arrangements
- when hazards such as smoke, strobe lights or loud noises are to be used.
• There must be at least 1.5-metre buffer between the audience and any production activity or
equipment. This buffer zone must lead directly to an exit or perimeter gangway.
• Does your set or equipment present any hazards to members of the public?
Cables and grip equipment
• Avoid placing cables across access and egress routes and fire doors (consider people with
special needs)
• Cable control should, in order of preference be:
- fly cables above people or vehicles
- ramp cables that can not be flown
- use warning signs to deal with residual risk
• When using extension leads it is better to use one long lead with multiple outlets than to have
multiple leads in series or parallel.
• Will you be using any unusual mounts for your equipment? Supply details.

Communication Failure
• What could happen if you lost communications in an emergency (mobile phone failure, poor
reception, etc)?
• Do you have a contingency plan (where is the nearest landline phone or phone box)?

Confined spaces
• In safety terms a confined space is any space that is cramped, difficult to enter or exit or contains an atmosphere that is poisonous or difficult to breathe in.
• In many cases Personal Protective Equipment must be used (breathing apparatus, harnesses,
lifelines etc).
• Specialist camera and lighting equipment is required if the atmosphere is liable to ignition.
• The law prohibits children working in confined spaces.

Costume / Make-Up
• Do your costumes or makeup materials present any hazards to your cast or crew?
• Are they allergic to anything?

Derelict Buildings / dangerous structures
• The law requires a thorough risk assessment to be made of such locations.
• The building's owner or their representative must accompany you.

Diving Operations
• All diving in the United Kingdom is governed by the Diving at Work Regulations. The regulations
are supported by an Approved Code of Practice for Media Diving.
• You must engage a professional diver who is qualified to work within these regulations.

Electricity
• All portable electric equipment supplied by Staffordshire University has been tested and complies
with relevant regulations.
• The location’s owners or managers may also insist on testing the equipment. You must comply
with such requests.
• Always check the suitability of non-university equipment and on-site electrical supplies.

Explosives / Pyrotechnics / Fire effects / Smoke effects
• Use of these is governed by:
- Health and Safety at Work Act
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Act
- and covered by numerous industry guidelines and codes of practice.
• Get advice from an expert.

Fire (prevention)
• Do you have access to a fire extinguisher?
• Do you have a designated fire safety person?

First aid
• Do you have access to a first aid kit?
• Do you have a designated first aid person?
• Where is the nearest hospital / medical centre?

Food hygiene
• Will you be providing food either as a prop or for location catering?
• Can you control or vouch for its hygiene?

Glass
• Will glass be used or present anywhere on the set (windows, drinking glasses, etc)?

Heights (inc ladders, scaffolding, cherry pickers, etc)
• The law requires specific risk assessments and precautions for work conducted at any height
over two metres. These precautions include edge barriers and harnesses.

Hostile / remote environment
• A hostile environment is one which you know could cause you harm.
• A remote environment is where no one would hear you scream.

Lighting - work lights
• Work lighting should enable people to work without eye-strain or stress.
• Emergency lighting must be available if the general lighting fails.

Lighting - sets
• Set / location lighting must be installed in a way that prevents fire, tripping, electrical overload.
Night operation
• Be aware that people are generally less alert at night. Adjust your workload and expectations
accordingly.

Physical exertion
• Are your cast and crew physically capable of the tasks required?

Roads
• If shooting on or near roads please be aware that it is an offence to obstruct traffic, if you need to redirect traffic you must consult local police.
• High visibility clothing must be considered.

Slipping, tripping, falling
• Is there anything likely to increase the risk of these? Consider water, oil, cables, uneven surfaces, and general clutter.

Smoking on set
• As a general safety precaution you should consider making your set a smoke-free zone. If
necessary, create a designated "smoker's area".

Vehicles
• When shooting in moving vehicles you must consider the safety of all occupants and road users. • Equipment and operators must be suitably restrained.
• The driver's view must not be obstructed nor can the driver be distracted.