Cameraman in Court Appearance over Breaching Health and Safety Regulations

Even Oscar Winners are not outside of the Workplace Health and Safety Laws which are there to protect the lives of workers and the public.  Christopher Corbould was cleared yesterday of failing to ensure the health and safety of Conway Wickliffe.  Mr Wickliffe aged 41 died during a stunt which was being filmed for the hit film Batman: The Dark Night which starred the late Heath Ledger in 2007.

The sequence which was being tested involved Mr Wickliffe hanging out the window of a moving car, during the test he lost control of the vehicle and hit a tree which resulted in instant death.  Mr Wickliffe was not wearing a seatbelt as he drove the 4×4 vehicle which was travelling at a speed of around 20mph.

Devastated Cameraman Found Not Guilty

The cameraman, Mr Corbould, was arrested after the death of the stuntman but was released without charge by the police.  The Health and Safety Executive then investigated the incident which resulted in the court appearance.  During the case the jury heard that the Oscar winning cameraman had briefed everyone involved in the shot on what they were supposed to be doing.  Prior to the accident the shot had been practiced three times each without any problems.  When it came to the test shot something went wrong.  Mr Corbould who was left devastated by the accident said that Mr Wickliffe had a responsibility and duty to take care of himself and his health and safety, which included wearing a seatbelt.

Solicitor said Health and Safety was Given Priority

After the not guilty verdict Chris Humphreys, the solicitor for Mr Corbould, stated that actors did not put their livelihoods in the hands of people who did not put safety first.  He also went on to say that directors and the producers of films would not give money over to people who also did not pay close attention to health and safety regulations.

Training of Employees a Vital Part of Maintaining a Safe Working Environment

Mr Corbould was found not guilty in this case and this can be used as a stark reminder of the importance of following health and safety regulations in any line of work.  The training of staff is imperative to creating an environment which is safe for everyone.  Having health and safety policies in place helps you to stay within the law, but everyone needs to be given the proper training to make sure they know how to protect themselves and others.

Veritas Health and Safety consultants organise and run training courses for employees on all levels.  The courses can be tailored to your needs, whether the training is for management, company bosses or workers.

If everyone is aware of the part that they play regarding health and safety in the workplace you can help everyone to avoid accidents.  The courses make sure you are aware of everything which is legally required of you, and can help you to carry out risk assessments and control of contractors.  There are many different aspects which can be covered either in-house or at a location to suit you.  For further information call 0800 1488 677 to speak to one of our health and safety experts today.

About David Cant

A chartered (fellow) safety and risk management practitioner with 20+ years of experience. David provides a healthy dose of how-to articles, advice and guidance to make compliance easier for construction professionals, Architects and the built environment. Get social with David on Twitter and Linkedin.