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Why On-Set Safety and Speaking Up is Our Collective Responsibility

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What really makes a set safe?

In this episode, we speak with Samantha Wainstein, Chair of the Mark Milsome Foundation, about the pressing realities of health and safety in UK film and TV. Following the tragic, preventable death of camera operator Mark Milsome in 2017, the Foundation has worked to challenge industry norms and advocate for safer working conditions.

Samantha shares why safe sets are calm sets, what simple things every employer can do to protect their crew, and how cultural change is just as critical as compliance. From visible signposting and risk assessments to tackling overwork and fear of speaking up - this is a powerful conversation about responsibility, culture and care on set.

The WorkWise for Screen podcast is supported by the BFI, awarding National Lottery Funding.

This episode covers:

  • What a safe set really looks like in practice
  • The legal (and moral) duty of care for employers
  • Why "everyone is responsible", but leadership must lead by example
  • The importance of proper planning, rest, and respecting turnaround times
  • Speaking up: how to build a culture of openness and collective responsibility
  • How tools like the Safety Passport are changing the landscape

Episode Topics

Introductions, discussing the importance of on-set safety, Samantha’s background in the Mark Milsome Foundation and what a safe set should look like in practice. (00:00 - 06:49)

The responsibilities and legal obligations of an employer, including providing training and creating an environment where employees feel able to speak up. (06:49 - 13:23)

The dangers of working while tired, keeping up with long-term changes in the industry and the advantage of a Mark Milsome safety passport. (13:23 - 20:51)

Conclusion and summary from Keith and Tacita, plus a discussion of resources available and the importance of sharing responsibility. (20:51 - end)

Episode Highlights

“Every single person working on that set, every single team member is responsible for it to be a safe set. Nobody gets a free pass. So if you are the most junior trainee and you see a wire on the floor that could be dangerous, or you feel too exhausted because you've done too many hours work, it is your responsibility to go and tell someone.” -Samantha Wainstein (8:53 - 09:18)

“One of the most, biggest causes of people having accidents and danger is related to their tiredness. The fact that the 11-hour turnaround is often abused. People need to know, employers need to know, that everyone should be given 11 hours, an 11 hour turnaround between leaving set and coming back the next day. The other thing that people need to know is that if someone is working more than 50 miles away, they should be given accommodation. I mean, the Road Traffic Act of 1991 says you must not drive if you're overtired. And so many crew tell us that they get in their cars after they finish working or in the morning, and they are so tired that they are scared they're going to have a car crash. And that is really serious.”  -Samantha Wainstein (13:21 - 14:17)

 

“The addition of the screen skills certification means that if somebody is, if you're a production, you're setting up your employing crew, it's very easy to see or to find out who has the production safety passport, who doesn't, and to fill in the gaps and make sure that everybody has the same Health and Safety training. And it doesn't have to be a Mark Milsome Foundation Health and Safety passport. There are a number of providers that work with Screen Skills to create this passport.”  - Samantha Wainstein (15:37 - 16:06)

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