Blink of an Eye; On-set Health and Safety.
The Blink of an Eye: Why Health and Safety on Set Matters
The blink of an eye—that’s how quickly you can go from working on set to being in a hospital bed or, even worse (knock on wood). Filmmaking can be incredibly creative and rewarding, but it’s also fast-paced and stressful. This is when things often go wrong.
It might sound crazy, but health and safety isn’t here to ruin the fun. It’s here to make sure you can keep doing what you love—again and again. Health and safety’s main priority is to keep people and equipment safe while ensuring productions run smoothly and on time. The kicker is, when health and safety protocols are ignored, things can spiral out of control quickly—leading to delays, injuries, or worse. No one wants to be responsible for shutting down a production because of an accident that could have been avoided.
The Risks Are Real
Think about it: a cable, an unsecured light, or exhaustion from long hours can lead to serious consequences. That’s why taking a moment to assess risks, follow guidelines, and look out for one another isn’t just a formality—it’s essential.
Who’s Responsible?
Every film set should have a person in charge of managing health and safety, and in most cases, this responsibility falls to the Producer. The Producer should ensure all risk assessments are completed, recorded, and stored safely. The 1st AD is usually responsible for ensuring each department has completed and distributed their risk assessments and is also in charge of general health and safety on set. They’ll monitor things like cables in doorways and ensure no one is getting too hot or tired. Lastly, the individual Heads of Departments (HODs) are responsible for completing their own risk assessments that focus on the hazards and mitigation measures specific to their department. For example, a DOP might conduct a cine risk assessment or consult with the health and safety officer on the risks associated with the camera and lighting departments, as well as available mitigation measures.
Competence is Key
The key word here is competent. The person(s) in charge of carrying out the risk assessments must be able to prove they are competent to do the job if an investigation is carried out after an incident.
Common Hazards on Set
Here are a few examples of hazards you might typically find on a film set:
Loose Cables: Cables left in front of doorways or across stairways can lead to serious trips and falls. A simple measure is to put a trip mat over them or, worst case, tape them down.
Unsecured Light Stands: Light stands can easily be knocked over, leading to serious crush injuries, cuts, head trauma, or even fires (if the cable tears). The solution? Properly securing the stand with a sandbag.
Fire Hazards: Hot lights placed next to flammable materials like curtains can start a fire, which could result in burns, smoke inhalation, and property damage. The key here is to keep hot lights away from curtains—or use cool-running lights like LEDs when possible. (Note: big LED lights still generate heat, so caution is still necessary.)
Manual Handling Injuries: Lifting large, awkward, or heavy objects can cause back or limb injuries. Ensure everyone is trained on proper manual handling techniques or assign a dedicated person to instruct the crew on safe lifting practices. Make sure the instructor is competent and trained.
Low Visibility at Night: Working at night in low visibility conditions can cause slips, trips, and falls. The solution? Provide crew members with head torches or set up temporary lighting to increase visibility in the work area.
Even with everything in place and the best people on the job, things can happen. Even experienced crew members can make mistakes. That’s why health and safety is everyone’s responsibility.
Real-World Example: A Close Call on Set
I was on set one day, and although we weren’t particularly tired, it was dark, raining, and the conditions weren’t ideal. Three crew members were raising a light on a large combo stand when someone accidentally turned the lock-off nut the wrong way. In an instant, a whole section of the stand collapsed, sending the light crashing down onto the lower section.
Luckily, no one was injured—but it could have been much worse. Looking back, there were several things wrong in this situation:
1️⃣ The Wrong Stand for the Job: The DOP deferred to the gaffer, who was head of the lighting department. The DOP did suggest using a wind-up stand, but the gaffer didn’t have one and assured them it wasn’t necessary. In hindsight, a wind-up stand would have been a much safer choice, removing the need for manual lifting and reducing the risk of hands slipping on wet metal.
2️⃣ Human Error with the Lock-Off Nut: Ironically, it was the gaffer himself who turned the lock-off the wrong way. It’s easy to say, “That’s basic stuff, how do you mess that up?” But in high-pressure environments—especially in the dark and rain—these things happen. Stress affects memory and reflexes, even for experienced crew members. This is exactly why I label every lock-off nut clearly, with black text on a bright yellow background. People laugh at me for it, but this exact incident proves why it’s necessary.
3️⃣ Standing Clear of Rigging Areas: The light in question was an Aperture 1200D with a Fresnel and barn doors. If anyone had been underneath, they could have been seriously hurt. This is why the rule exists: NEVER EVER stand under a light while it’s being rigged.
Despite these missteps, some things were done right:
✅ Anti-sink pads under each leg of the stand prevented it from tipping over in the wet, soft ground.
✅ A waterproof junction box kept the end of our extension cord safe from dust and moisture—because electricity and rain don’t mix.
These measures were part of the risk assessment and helped mitigate the potential hazards (like sinking in wet ground).
The Lesson?
Even when you trust your team and follow safety measures, mistakes can still happen. What matters is learning from them and adapting moving forward.
Moving Forward: A Safe Set is A Happy Set!
As we move forward, always remember: safety should be your top priority on film sets. As long as you’re doing everything you can to minimize risks, you’re doing your part. Health and safety can’t be covered in a single blog post, and I’m trying to keep these somewhat short. But if you’re still reading this—thank you, and Happy and Safe Shooting!
