Foodles Production (a British subsidy of the Walt Disney Company), producers of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, face prosecution for its role in the accident leading to actor Harrison Ford breaking his leg on set. The incident happened when a heavy metal door fell on the set fell on Ford, which delayed production of the film for two weeks.
On Thursday, the British Health and Safety Executive informed the production company that it’s being charged with four counts of violating workplace health and safety laws.
“HSE has today informed Foodles Production (UK) Ltd that it will be prosecuted over four alleged breaches of health and safety law,”a HSE spokesperson said. “The charges relate to an incident during filming of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, which left Harrison Ford with serious injuries after he was hit by a heavy hydraulic door.
“By law, employers must take reasonable steps to protect workers – this is as true on a film set as a factory floor. We have investigated thoroughly and believe that we have sufficient evidence to bring the case to court.”
The injury, accident or not, caused a serious injury to an actor. So it’s not surprising the HSE, responsible for enforcement of workplace safety, has decided to take legal action.
Responding to the charges, a spokesman for Foodles Production told the BBC, “Cast and crew safety is always a top priority. We provided full co-operation during HSE’s investigation into the on-set accident that occurred in June 2014 and are disappointed in HSE’s decision.”
Star Wars: The Force Awakens became the third-highest grossing film of all time, earning more than $2 billion worldwide. Production for Episode VIII recently started, aiming toward a December 2017 release. I’m sure filmmakers did their best to ensure production was safe on The Force Awakens, but I’ll wager they’ll pay extra close attention following the HSE prosecutions.
