While some jobs present high risks, others do not.
A production company will more often than not reside on the safer side of things, however, there are some lower risks to still be aware of for production company employees and contributing individuals when they are on a set. These risks involve lights, cameras, cords, and any unsupervised movement or activity.
The highest risk people face while working on a set is lifting, moving or being around heavy equipment. Cameras, lights and the tripods they stand on are really not always the most stable objects—a simple bump can send the lights or camera flying! If one comes striking down on a head or across a body, it is likely that it will knock the individual down or give them a pretty good cut. If the stand is stable but the equipment is not properly screwed on or tightly secured, the same thing can happen; not to mention, when these objects come crashing down, the glass may shatter and spray anyone in the proximity. To avoid an accident like this, equipment managers, DPs (cameramen), and gaffers (light artists) need to be sure everything is secure, and that others are careful as they walk past the equipment.
Lights, as obvious as this may seem, are not only dangerous because of how large or heavy they are, but because of the illuminating brightness that they project. There is a reason why gaffers yell, “STRIKING!” before a shot is taken—they do not want to blind anyone who might be looking towards the bright lights they are about to turn on.
The sets that production companies utilize are oftentimes dimmed in order for the director to control the lighting of a shot. This makes any cords that slither along the ground become a hazard in the lowlight. All individuals on the set need to familiarize themselves with the surroundings and be cautious as they move around in order to avoid taking a dangerous spill.
Another safety hazard people need to be careful of while on a set is their own negligence towards things they might do while operating at a non-production location. To elaborate, a shot may need to be made in a kitchen, and, in order to access electricity, the refrigerator might need to be unplugged. If the fridge is not plugged back in and someone eats or drinks something in the uncooled fridge, there might be a big problem. Production company workers on the set also need to be careful not to leave anything dangerous or sharp around in order to avoid an accident that could arise once they finish shooting at that location.
A lot of this is no more than simple common sense, but accidents still happen and caution needs to be taken. The most danger that actually takes place on a set is probably when an action-scene is being filmed. If there is any stunt being shot, a stunt coordinator needs to be on the set with the production company. Besides dangerous stunts, most harm or accident could be avoided easily.
To learn more about on-set or video production related information, check out Fusion 360 for all your filming studio interests.
