Shocking TV & Movie Set Accidents that Call for Better Health & Safety Protocols

Photo by Lê Minh: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-camera-equipment-3062554/
Strict health and safety protocols on TV and movie sets protect the lives of everyone involved in the production process. But the news that there have been at least 43 fatalities and 150 cast and crew experiencing life-changing injuries on American film sets over the past three decades is worrying. You’re sure to recall the 2021 accident involving Alec Baldwin where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins lost her life when a prop gun was fired while making the movie Rust. Let’s take a look at other high-profile accidents in the industry and how they can be prevented.
Gunshot accidents
Shockingly, the shooting incident on the set of Rust isn’t the first serious gunshot accident to take place on a movie set. Back in 1993, Bruce Lee’s son Brandon Lee was killed during the filming of The Crow. The gunpowder in a blank bullet was ignited and Lee died shortly afterward. Jon-Erik Hexum is another actor who lost his life by a gunshot. While filming the movie Cover Up, he shot himself with a prop gun. There are lots of steps that can be taken to keep TV and movie sets using guns safe. These include the blank cartridges being crimped to a point and never having live rounds on set. To reassure everyone, the gun handler on set should fire dummy rounds at the floor in front of the assistant director and the actor who’ll be using the gun.
Serious falls
Falls are another common occurrence on movie and TV sets. Angela Bassett’s stunt double Sonja Davis was filming scenes for Vampire in Brooklyn when she fell more than 40 ft to her death. Meanwhile, stuntman John Bernecker lost his life in a stunt where he fell 20 ft onto a concrete floor when filming The Walking Dead. Construction workers responsible for building scenery are at risk during production when using ladders. This could be due to a defect in the ladder or it not being properly secured. As serious injuries will occur from this type of fall, ladder accident lawyers will get involved to investigate the incident, determine negligence, and seek compensation. Construction workers should work in pairs to prevent these types of accidents from occurring, PPE should always be worn, and safety checks should be done before each use of a ladder.
Vehicle-related incidents
A vehicle was responsible for Dylan O’Brien experiencing serious injuries while filming Maze Runner in 2016. The actor was reportedly hit by a stunt car which left him with shocking facial injuries. He says he now thoroughly checks his safety gear when filming stunts. Ricardo Cornelius was also injured by a rolling car during the filming of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. Having an experienced 1st AD on set can help to improve safety on set and lower the chance of vehicle-related incidents. It’s also important that the safety management inspects and signs everything off before filming commences.
When filming a movie or TV show, the health and safety of all should be prioritized. Otherwise, serious accidents and loss of life can occur, as demonstrated in the cases above.
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