The Workers’ Compensation Board of British Columbia (WorkSafeBC) has completed an incident report on the fatal motorcycle accident of Joi Harris on the set of Deadpool 2 in 2017.

Harris was performing her first film stunt when she was killed on set in Vancouver, August 2017. Harris, a former motorcycle racing rider, lost control of her motorcycle and crashed through the window of a building hitting her head on the frame.

WorkSafeBC looked into the causes of the accident and any related factors that might have contributed to the death of Joi Harris, so that similar incidents in the future can be prevented. Their investigation found several factors and possible violations of the production company’s own safety procedures that may result in legal action in the future. These included a lack of safety headgear and failure to complete important health and safety documentation, including a stunt safety inspection checklist and a production activity notification checklist, as required by the production’s own health and safety programme.

As part of Vancouver’s Film and Production Initiative, WorkSafeBC has created a prevention team that works with employers, unions and the industry and safety association called Actsafe. Actsafe’s aim is to increase awareness in the industry about employer’s requirements and responsibilities. Companies in the industry are required to identify risks and hazards of work activities, develop safety controls and implement health and safety measures to ensure a safe workplace for employees.

WorkSafeBC’s focus on film and TV production includes:

• Enforcing the Workers Compensation Act and Occupational Health and Safety Regulation through site inspections.

• Meeting with senior leaders of major studios, production companies and union organisations, to remind them of their responsibilities under the Act and Regulations, including the workplace roles and responsibilities of various parties and the importance of supervision and risk assessment.

• Engaging with producers and production managers who are responsible for planning and directing the work.

• Continuing to work closely with Act safe to promote occupational health and safety in the film and production sector.

Stunt work accounts for over half of all film-related injuries, with an average of five deaths for every 2,000 injuries. From 1980 to 1990, there were 37 deaths relating to accidents during stunts1.

For further health and safety assistance on your production, call our team today: 0203 301 1256

1 SHP Online

Blog Post Author: Vandana Thanki