Workplace Safety in TV, Film and Theatre

Workplace safety in TV, film and theatre is receiving increased industry attention following recent discussions around working conditions and injury reporting across productions.

Findings referenced by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) from IPC’s 2025 report based on the Impact of Injury 2024 (IOI24) survey suggest that workplace injuries within stage and screen production remain a significant concern.

The article references findings showing:

• 85% of respondents said they or a colleague had experienced an injury at work

• 79% said they had personally been injured while working in production

  
  

These figures reflect concerns that many within the industry already recognise. Long hours, compressed schedules, physical demands and high-pressure environments can all contribute to unsafe working conditions becoming normalised.

When Pressure Becomes Part of the Risk

TV, film and theatre productions are fast-moving by nature. Crews are often working against tight deadlines, adapting to changing locations and managing complex technical setups under pressure.

In these environments, risks can emerge quickly:

• Fatigue from extended working hours

• Manual handling injuries during set builds and equipment moves

• Slips, trips and falls in busy backstage or location areas

• Electrical and lighting hazards

• Vehicle and crowd management challenges

• Communication breakdowns between departments

• Pressure to continue working despite concerns

  
  

Freelancers and temporary crew can also feel reluctant to raise issues if they are worried about reputational impact or future work opportunities. Over time, this can create a culture where near misses go unreported and avoidable risks become accepted as part of the job.

Set Safety Requires More Than Compliance

Health and safety within production should never be treated as a box-ticking exercise.

Effective set safety starts long before filming begins. It relies on practical planning, clear communication and experienced oversight throughout every stage of production.

This can include:

• Production risk assessments

• Location safety reviews

• Crowd and audience management planning

• Fire safety considerations

• Contractor coordination

• Welfare provision for cast and crew

• Emergency procedures and incident response planning

• Ongoing monitoring during live production activity

• Production safety training and competency development including Production Safety Accredited scheme for managing tv/film health & safety and IOSH managing safely: productions & live events and IOSH Leading Safely for senior production and organisational leadership teams

  
  

Importantly, good safety management also supports production efficiency. When crews feel supported, informed and able to raise concerns, productions are often better organised and more resilient under pressure.

Supporting Safer Productions

As conversations around safety culture continue across the industry, many production companies are recognising the value of involving experienced health and safety professionals from the outset.

At Calvin Hanks, we provide practical health and safety support tailored to the realities of stage and screen environments 

From location filming and studio work through to live events and complex productions, experienced safety management and leadership-focused training can help identify risks early, improve coordination across departments and support safer working conditions for cast and crew.

The industry will always involve fast-paced environments and challenging logistics. However, the findings highlighted by the CII and IPC reinforce the importance of ensuring that deadlines and production pressures never come at the expense of worker wellbeing.