Health and safety
When working in film and video production, the need to manage people, equipment and locations can create hazards.
This is why health and safety awareness is an important part of the film-making process.
Before any shoot, film-makers should write a risk assessment. This document allows them to:
- identify potential hazards
- decide who is most at risk and how they might be harmed
- evaluate the likely risks - think about the chance and severity of harm that each hazard might cause
- judge whether an actual risk is likely from the identified hazard and what steps should be taken to remove or lower that risk
The risks you will need to assess will differ based on what you are shooting.
When shooting indoors with lighting stands, lights and camera equipment you will need to take the following precautions.
| Precaution | Reason for precaution |
| Make sure that lights and cameras are properly secured. | This will ensure that lights and cameras do not fall from their stands, potentially harming members of your cast and crew and damaging equipment. |
| Ensure that lights are a safe distance away from your performers. | To ensure that there is no risk of injury from bright light or heat and to ensure that there is no risk of your performers knocking any lights over during the shoot. |
| Ensure that all electrical cables are taped down. | This will ensure that no cast or crew member can trip over the cables and hurt themselves or damage equipment. |
| Ensure that fire exits are not blocked. | Cast and crew will need direct access off the set or location should a fire or other emergency occur. |
| Ensure that power sockets have not been overloaded. | Plugging too many electrical items into a single socket may damage fuses and will greatly increase the chances of fire, explosion or electrical injury. |
| Ensure that lights are allowed to cool down before being moved. | Lights can become extremely hot and even when they are switched off they may still cause serious burns. Hot lights may be dropped more easily and vital components such as bulbs are much more fragile and prone to breaking when they are hot. |
| Precaution | Make sure that lights and cameras are properly secured. |
|---|---|
| Reason for precaution | This will ensure that lights and cameras do not fall from their stands, potentially harming members of your cast and crew and damaging equipment. |
| Precaution | Ensure that lights are a safe distance away from your performers. |
|---|---|
| Reason for precaution | To ensure that there is no risk of injury from bright light or heat and to ensure that there is no risk of your performers knocking any lights over during the shoot. |
| Precaution | Ensure that all electrical cables are taped down. |
|---|---|
| Reason for precaution | This will ensure that no cast or crew member can trip over the cables and hurt themselves or damage equipment. |
| Precaution | Ensure that fire exits are not blocked. |
|---|---|
| Reason for precaution | Cast and crew will need direct access off the set or location should a fire or other emergency occur. |
| Precaution | Ensure that power sockets have not been overloaded. |
|---|---|
| Reason for precaution | Plugging too many electrical items into a single socket may damage fuses and will greatly increase the chances of fire, explosion or electrical injury. |
| Precaution | Ensure that lights are allowed to cool down before being moved. |
|---|---|
| Reason for precaution | Lights can become extremely hot and even when they are switched off they may still cause serious burns. Hot lights may be dropped more easily and vital components such as bulbs are much more fragile and prone to breaking when they are hot. |