This is a step-by-step guide to assist you in complying with the Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHSA).
Step 1: Contact your Production Safety Representative
- Contact your Production Safety Representative to arrange a Safety Orientation Meeting for you and your Heads of Department. If you do not know who your Safety Representative is, contact the Warner Bros. Department of Safety & Environmental Affairs (S&EA) at (818) 954-2890.
Step 2: Complete and Print Out the Production Safety Manual
Features and Scripted Television Productions:
- Print out 3 copies of the Television and Feature Production Safety Manual one each for:
- The Production Office
- Assistant Directors
- Construction Coordinator
Non-Scripted Television Productions:
- Print out 3 copies of the Non-Scripted Television Production Safety Manual one each for:
- Line Producer
- Stage Manager
- Construction Coordinator
Step 3: Distribute Production Safety Responsibilities to All Production Employees
- Print out and distribute the Position Safety Responsibilities for the key positions on your crew
Step 4: Ensure All Employees are Trained
- Check the training status of every employee you hire.
- Tell your crew members that they MAY NOT perform any work for which they have not been specifically trained and authorized!
- Your Production Safety Representative can help you arrange for any training your crew may need, such as a forklift, condor, fall protection, etc.
- Access the Codes of Safe Practices to help train your employees.
- Please have your employees sign a Codes of Safe Practices Acknowledgement Form for any Codes of Safe Practices you give them.
Step 5: Provide Safety Guidelines to Cast and Crew
- Every employee is to read the Production Safety Guidelines. Print these guidelines for your crew.
- All employees (Production and Construction) should sign an Employee Acknowledgment.
For Non-Scripted Television Productions, use:
Step 6: Establish Site-Specific Emergency Response Plans
- An Emergency Response Plan (ERP) describes the actions and procedures that need to be taken during an emergency.
- Production should create an ERP for each worksite and filming location that includes, but is not limited to:
- Site / location plan
- Notes showing paths, areas of egress, muster station/area
- Emergency contact information
- Communicate the Emergency Response Plan to cast and crew so that they are aware of how to react in emergency situation. Production employees should speak to their supervisor if emergency procedures are unknown.
Step 7: Department Heads Complete Inspections and Other Forms and Risk Assessments
- State and federal laws require that your compliance with safety laws be documented. We have provided some simple Safety Forms to help you.
- A space at the top of each form will tell you who is responsible for filling it out, and when it needs to be done.
- The Production Coordinator must fill out:
- Distribute and fill out all relevant Safety Forms to all Heads of Department (HODs).
- A Forms Chart has also been provided as a guideline for what forms need to be done, when, and by whom.
Step 8: Include Safety Hotline Information on All Call Sheets
- See that all Call Sheets refer to the appropriate Ministry of Labor Ontario Safety Bulletins that apply to the day’s scheduled production activities.
- Attach PDF files of the Safety Bulletins to all Call Sheet email blasts.
- Post applicable Safety Bulletins on set where all Cast and Crew can review them.
Step 9: Step 9: Conduct Bi-Weekly Safety Talks
- Have your Construction Coordinator and other HODs give a Safety Talk every other week.
- Have employees sign a Safety Talk Attendance Form. Send the original to the Production Office and a copy to your Production Safety Representative.
Step 10: Post Important Safety Posters
- Post important Safety Posters.
Step 11: Report Safety Concerns
Inform everyone on your cast and crew that they can anonymously report all safety concerns by calling the Safety Hotline at (818) 954-2800 or (877) 566-8001 Toll-Free (U.S./Canada) or by submitting an anonymous report online at safetyontheset.com/report-an-incident/
Step 12: Maintain Safety Program Records
- Maintain copies of the completed written:
- Production Safety Program
- OHS Program Cover Sheet
- Inspection Forms
- Safety Forms
- Incident Reports
- And other applicable records (e.g. engineering, environmental, drone flight plans, etc.)
- Copies of department specific records, (e.g. inspection, training sign-in sheets) should be maintained at the Production Office and or stages and locations.
Congratulations!
By completing this step-by-step guide, you have put your production on track to compliance with the Occupational Health & Safety Program. If you have any questions at all concerning the safety of any aspect of your production, please call your Production Safety Representative or the WB Department of Safety & Environmental Affairs at (818) 954-2890.
Thank you and have a great season!