Risk Assessment

What is a risk assessment?

A risk assessment is a procedure that is enforced by the law, it is an operation where a company for a film will have to go to the area that they shooting the film beforehand and look around the area for any hazards or dangers that could possibly occur whilst shooting the film. If this is not done and someone is injured then this can be taken to court and it can cost the company and considerable amount of money to pay of the charges accused against them.

When is a risk assessment used?

A risk assessment is used by governing bodies at by the company who will tell the film producers before they film to go and check the scene for any risks however if this is not implemented by the producer and the risk assessment is no complete then he or she themselves will be sued and charged for the hazards that have happened.

Who is a risk assessment used by?

The producer is the main person to use a risk assessment in terms of film making. This is because they are the ones who actually  They use it to analyse the risks that may occur within the filming of the film.

Why do we use risk assessments?

It is very important to carry out a risk assessment before filming your shots. Filming is a job and the set of a scene can be called a workplace.This means that The Health and Safety At Work Act (1974) is applicable to all crew and cast involved in the film. The act states that all employers or responsible persons on the workplace must carry out a detailed risk assessment to assess the hazards and risk of the hazard harming any person on that workplace in open hours. This makes it a criminal offence and against the law to not carry out a risk assessment. If a risk assessment is not carried out before going onto to set, if an accident happened to any one on set then you would be liable. This means it would not be the company’s fault and all the responsibility would be put on the management of the set.

Our Risk assessment for our film: 

Hazard / Risk	Action
Broken or uneven pavement could lead to a risk of tripping up. This area will be in use frequently and all crew and cast are at risk.	Highlight the Hazard – Use a cone to highlight the broken/uneven areas. If area becomes more defected barrier off the area, and make land owners aware of the need for maintenance.
Wet, fallen Leaves on the ground cause lead to a risk of slipping over. The area will be in frequent use and all crew and cast are at risk.	Ensure leaves are swept back, out of the way prior to filming and maintained frequently. Cutting back, or removal of trees is not an option
Bad weather such as strong winds, and rain could lead to a risk of injury. All crew and cast are at risk.	Check weather forecast regularly prior to filming. Ensure disposable rain ponchos are at hand in case of rain. If weather is too bad i.e. strong wind, hail, thunder and lightning postpone filming.

These risks and hazards could happen during any point during filming as all locations we will be filming in are outdoors, and have a brick pathway that could have broken/uneven areas.