The production firm that produced Deadpool 2 has been slapped a $290k (£234k) fine after their stunt performer died on the shooting set.
Forty-year-old Joi Harris had to perform a motorcycle stunt in replacement for Zazie Beetz.
On August 17, while doing what she was asked for, Harris fell off the running bike and collapsed into a building. She died on the spot.
It was later found that Harris wasn’t even wearing a helmet during the shoot. The fact that makes the accident even more heart-wrenching is that it was her first-ever role as a stunt woman.
Following the incident, the production of the film was stopped for two days.
Now, after three years of the terrible crash, TCF Vancouver Productions LTD is being held responsible for its failure to provide a safe environment for the dangerous stunt.
The charge on TCF for violating five health and safety rules was imposed by The Workers’ Compensation Board of British Columbia, commonly known as WorkSafeBC.
In October 2019 when the rulings were held, WorkSafeBC claimed that the bike rider died because TCF “failed to ensure that the workplace was designed with safety controls in place so that the stunt performer or the motorcycle could not proceed beyond the perimeter of the film set.”
The report added: “Barriers were absent that should have prevented the stunt performer and motorcycle from leaving the set perimeter.”
WorkSafeBC findings further stated that the production company “failed to conduct a risk assessment addressing safety controls, speed of the motorcycle, and equipment limitations.
“The employer failed to complete important health and safety documentation, including a stunt safety inspection checklist and a production activity notification checklist, as required by its own health and safety program.”
Now that TCF has been penalized for its negligence, WorkSafeBC says that such punishment will urge production companies to take precautions and avoid similar incidents in the future.
After the ruling came, the insurance company issued a statement, saying: “The primary purpose of an administrative penalty is to motivate the employer receiving the penalty – and other employers – to comply with occupational health and safety requirements and to keep their workplaces safe.”
Replaced!