Film Fire/Life Safety Inspection Checklist
This helpful fire/life safety inspection checklist covers fire department access, parking, exiting, and pyrotechnic special effects for use in the motion picture industry.
This helpful fire/life safety inspection checklist covers fire department access, parking, exiting, and pyrotechnic special effects for use in the motion picture industry.
These guidelines are intended to give recommendations on the safe use of open flames on motion picture sets. This Safety Bulletin does not apply to full or partial body burns, fire breathing, or fire juggling. Such stunts should be performed only by qualified stunt persons under carefully controlled conditions.
This Safety Bulletin applies to pyrotechnic materials such as explosives and flammable or combustible liquids, gases and solids when used to create pyrotechnic special effects.
The Actsafe Spotlight shines on Bill Ryan, Special Effects Coordinator in the films and television industry in Vancouver.
Please find our Actsafe Special Effects Safety Inspection Checklist form below:
Actsafe shines the Spotlight on Philip Moessinger, Aerial Rigging Specialist with Riggit Services Inc.
Anyone who is responsible for rigging must understand the legislation before proceeding with any rigging work. Rigging is one of the most dangerous tasks in the theatre and it presents hazards for:
• The operator (musculoskeletal and other bodily injuries)
• The performers or crew onstage below (being crushed by falling scenery)
• The audience (being crushed by falling scenery)
• Other set pieces, furniture, stage floors and the rigging equipment itself.
All stage combats and stunts should be choreographed or arranged by a fight/stunt director who has specific knowledge of the requested type of stunt. This document contains safety guidelines for the safe execution of stage combat, stunts and use of weaponry (including firearms) in the motion picture, television, performing arts and live events industries:
The following recommendations and guidelines are intended to give general guidance on the preparation, safe set-up, and performance of stunt sequences. You should also refer to the Safety Bulletins and General Code of Safe Practices for Production, which address concerns regarding specific equipment and/or procedures on the various topics listed in the Safety Bulletin Table of Contents.
This info sheet will help employers and supervisors with important safety considerations when making decisions around which kind of passenger vehicle to use in transporting employees, workers and other staff personnel.
The decision to use 15 passenger vans instead of other vehicles to transport crew should always be carefully considered. 15 passenger vans are known to be unstable and are prone to crushing when involved in rollover accidents. Even with reduced passenger loads the vehicle has a high centre of gravity, which can compromise the vehicles’ stability. A 15 passenger van that is fully loaded with passengers has a potential for rollover that is five times higher than when the driver is the only occupant.
When heavily loaded, there’s a problem of understeer at low speeds and of oversteer at higher speeds. This can cause issues for drivers who are unfamiliar with this issue. Loading the 15 passenger vans to their Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) also moves the centre of gravity to the rear.
15 passenger vans are only recommended when transporting workers to and from set or when driving short distances at low speeds. They are not recommended for transportation of workers at high speeds, long distances or in less than favourable road conditions.
Despite the name, it’s best not to have more than 10 passengers (including the driver) in a 15 passenger van. Always ensure that the vehicle is still within the GVW when passengers are loaded.
8 passenger vans are a recommended alternative for transporting workers in unfavourable driving conditions or at higher speeds.
Any vehicle that is manufactured to carry over 10 passengers is considered a bus. Drivers of these vehicles must possess a Class 1, Class 2 or Class 4 license.
When assigning a driver, ensure that they have the appropriate license.
Drivers should provide a driver’s abstract to ensure that they are safe drivers. Keep a copy of their abstract on file.
All drivers should receive an orientation outlining policies on pre-trip inspection logs, cell phone use and any other relevant company policies.
Use drivers who are familiar with the vehicle’s driving characteristics and who are observant of driving conditions and speeds.
Legislation requires that all employers must ensure that a young (under 25) or new (to the worksite) worker is given health and safety orientation and training specific to his/her workplace before the young or new worker begins work. This includes drivers and any passengers who are on a work related trip. Further information about Young and New Worker Orientations can be found here.
Vehicles must be inspected semi-annually (every 6 months) at a designated inspection facility authorized by the Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement Branch.
A pre-trip inspection and plan must be carried out by a qualified person each day before the first trip to ensure that the vehicle is in a safe operating condition.
The pre-trip inspection must include:
Before beginning any trip, the driver must ensure that all passengers are properly seated and wearing their seat belts. Seat belts must be worn whenever the vehicle is in motion.
It’s important to ensure that tires are properly inflated as research has recently found that 1 of 4 tires on 15 passenger vans are either under or over inflated. In some cases, the recommended pressures for front and rear tires may not be the same. Information on recommended pressure levels can be found:
A sample tire information label can be found here.
Additionally, Transport Canada recommends having four winter tires for driving in cold, snowy or icy conditions.
For trips lasting more than one day, the inspection must be carried out on the second and every subsequent day of the trip. This should preferably happen before the start of the trip or no later than the first rest stop of the day.
Written documentation of inspections must be kept. Drivers must also keep a log of hours.
How a van is loaded changes how it handles. For this reason it’s important to follow the loading instructions in the owner’s manual.
Know how much weight your van can carry. To find this information:
If the owner’s manual is not available, get a new one from your local dealer or search for one online.
Commercial weigh scales can be used to check the weight of your loaded van; this can be done whether the scale is open or closed.
Cargo should be kept low and secure. This helps to keep the van’s centre of gravity lower and reduces the risk of a rollover accident.
If carrying loads within the vehicle, tie-down straps, cargo cages, headache racks/luggage stops (strong wall-like structures within the van) or other restraints should be used to protect the driver and passengers against shifting cargo during travel. Loose loads can cause serious injuries during sudden stops and, especially, in the event of a collision.
Actsafe does not endorse carrying of luggage/cargo on roof racks or the pulling of trailers with these vans. Both have been shown to be unsafe with 15 passenger vans.
Registrar, Passenger Transportation Branch
This site provides information about the licensing requirements for those currently involved in, or wanting to obtain authority for, operating commercial ground passenger transportation services, as required by the Passenger Transportation Act and the Passenger Transportation Regulation.
Refer to WorkSafeBC OHS Regulation 17: Transportation of Workers.
The material in this publication is intended only as educational information. This publication does not replace the Occupational Health & Safety Regulations administered by WorkSafeBC. Employers and workers should always refer to the regulation for specific requirements that apply to their activities.
Actsafe Safety Association would like to acknowledge and honour that our workplace and classrooms are located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Qayqayt, S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō), Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group, səl̓ilwətaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsleil-Waututh), šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmaɁɬ təməxʷ (Musqueam), and Stz’uminus peoples.
Actsafe is a not-for-profit health and safety association supporting British Columbia’s arts and entertainment industries.
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