An incident in which a stunt performer fell 25 feet and sustained life-changing injuries on a movie set has landed a production firm with an £800,000 fine for safety failings.
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Joe Watts was filming a fight scene for the Fast and Furious 9: The Fast Saga movie at the Warner Bros studios in Hertfordshire, southeast England, when the line on his stunt vest became detached, causing him to fall onto a concrete floor. He sustained a fractured skull and traumatic brain injury.
IN STUNT WORK, IT IS NOT ABOUT PREVENTING A FALL, BUT MINIMISING THE RISK OF AN INJURY
The production company, FF9 Pictures, had not addressed the possibility of a ‘rope snap or link failure’ during the initial risk assessment of the stunt, investigators found. There was no system for double checking that the link had been properly engaged and tightened, or for checking the link for signs of deformation or stretching between takes. The manufacturer’s website states that the link used is forbidden for use as PPE and shock loading should be avoided.
Luton Magistrates’ Court was also told the company failed to inspect Joe’s harness for six months, and did not extend crash matting after the sequence of the stunt was changed.
HSE inspector Roxanne Barker said the stunt performer could easily have been killed. ‘In stunt work, it is not about preventing a fall, but minimising the risk of an injury,’ she added.
Last month, FF9 Pictures pleaded guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act. As well as the £800,000 fine, it was ordered to pay £14,752 in prosecution costs.
Sentencing, district judge Talwinder Buttar said Joe is fortunate to be alive and added that she was ‘astonished’ that the crash matting was not adequate.