TVP 1520

Introduction to Studio Production.

Ravi Vadgama

Health and Safety

What is the purpose of health and safety?

To protect people from work-related injury or illness.

To protect employees and employers against legal action.

Who enforces Health and Safety?

Legislation is enforced by the ‘Health and Safety Executive’.

They have the right to:

Enter a work-place without notice

Stop work where injury is foreseeable.

Collect evidence, photographs and statements to aid a prosecution.

A company has a legal requirement to prepare a health and safety policy as set out in the Management of Health and Safety at work regulations 1999.

Everyone working on a production has a legal duty to look after his/her own health and safety, and that of others.

COMPANY’S RESPONSIBILITY:

a) Provide & maintain equipment – safe and without risk.

b) Provide safe storage, handling and transportation.

c) Provide information and instructions.

d) Maintain entrances and exits free of risk.

e) Identify all risks with a view to eliminating or controlling them.

f) Comply with statutory requirements.

RISK ASSESSMENT

DEFINITION

HAZARD: Is a potential to cause harm

RISK: Are consequences if that harm occurs and the likelihood of it occurring.

A risk assessment highlights and eliminates hazards.

A risk assessment is done by a competent person who:

a) knows the planned operation very well.

b) Appreciates what could go wrong.

c) Knows the people involved and others who may become involved.

d) Knows the location or environment.

e) Recognises hazards and can see how they may turn into risks under working conditions.

f) Has commonsense and competence in H&S.

IT IS A LEGAL REQUIREMENT TO NOTIFY THE LOCAL H&S OFFICE IMMEDIATLEY OF:

Ø FATAL or major injuries.

Ø BONE FRACTURES, except of those in the hand or foot.

Ø AMPUTATIONS, where the bone or joint is completely severed.

Ø LOSS OF SIGHT or penetrating injury, chemical burns to the eye.

Ø ELECTRIC SHOCK requiring medical treatment or loss of consciousness

Ø DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS

Ø ACUTE ILLNESS or LOSS OF CONSIOUSNESS due to exposure to any SUBSTANCE.

Ø HOSPITALISATION FOR 24 HOURS as a result of an injury.

ANY DANGEROUS OCCURANCE, including:

Ø COLLAPSE.

Ø EXPLOSIONS.

Ø ELECTRICAL FIRE.

Ø FIRE resulting in work stopping more than 24 hours.

Ø COLLAPSE of SCAFFOLD.

Ø UNINTENTIONAL IGNITION of explosive.

Ø UNINTENDED COLLAPSE of a wall or floor or any building structure.

5 STEPS TO CARRYING OUT A RISK-ASSESSMENT

Step 1 Look for hazards

Ø Don’t get bogged down with trivial hazards; concentrate on those posing a significant risk of injury or harm.

Step 2 Decide who might be harmed and how

Ø Think about who may be affected and those who are particularly at risk.

Step 3 Evaluate the risk

Ø Consider the chance and severity of harm that each hazard may cause, taking existing control measures into account.

Ø Judge whether an actual risk (high, medium or low) is likely from the identified hazard. Determine the necessary control measures using the

Ø following hierarchy of approach:

o _ avoid the risk completely; but if this is not possible

o _ reduce the risk to acceptable levels;

o _ provide training and instruction, and personal protective equipment if the risks cannot be controlled in any other way;

o _ reduce risk at source by developing safe systems of working, giving

o collective measures priority.

Step 4 Record the significant findings

The significant findings of the risk assessment should be recorded and

communicated to those people who may be affected. In practice, this means

ensuring that the production team and any contractors are informed of the

significant hazards, the likely risks and the required control measures. Keep

a record for future reference, it will help to demonstrate compliance with

legal duties. The legal requirement to record findings applies if five or more

people are employed but smaller companies are recommended to record

details in order to show that they have carried out risk assessment.

Step 5 Review and revise your risk assessment

New hazards can be introduced if there is any significant change in the

activity, equipment, substances or procedures. Risk assessments should be

revised following any significant change or when they become out of date. If

there have been no changes, the assessment should be reviewed at least once every three years to ensure that the precautions are still working effectively.

EXAMPLE OF A RISK-ASSESSMENT

CAMERA PLATFORM

HAZARDS	WHO IS AT RISK?	CONTROLS	SEVERITY OF INJURY	CHANCE OF INJURY	RISK	CONTROL MEASURES
Falling from height	Camera Operator	Scaffold erected by competent contractor	Serious	Low	Low	Restrict access to camera-operator
Falling objects and equipment	People at ground level	Toeboards fitted	Serious	Low	Low	All equipment secured. Warning signs.
Scaffold falling over	People at ground level	Scaffold erected by competent contractor	Serious	Low	Low	Scaffold checked before use. Scaffold not to be used in bad weather.