The location is a disused factory with a perfect view over the river. On the recce (a visit to check a location before shooting) the health and safety advisor notices a rotten floor on the first level, asbestos warning labels by the boiler room and no second exit from the roof. None of that stops the shoot, but it changes where the crew can walk, where the generator goes and which scene moves to another floor. The health and safety advisor is the person who helps a production find and reduce the risks before anyone gets hurt.

What a health and safety advisor does

The advisor works for the producer, who is ultimately responsible for safety on most productions, and with the production manager, who runs it day to day. Some productions hire an advisor for the whole shoot, others bring one in for specific days with stunts, water, heights or crowds. Their work starts in pre-production, with the script, the schedule and the locations.

From that they write or review risk assessments. A risk assessment lists what could go wrong in a scene or at a location, how likely it is, and what the production will do to prevent it. The advisor visits locations with the location manager, checks sets built by the construction manager, and helps the first assistant director give safety briefings on the day. When something does go wrong, they help record and investigate it.

Responsibilities

  • Review the script and schedule for scenes and locations with risk
  • Write or check risk assessments with heads of department
  • Visit and assess locations and studio sets before shooting
  • Review stunt and special effects plans with the stunt coordinator and SFX supervisor
  • Advise on working hours, rest, weather and welfare facilities
  • Attend high-risk shoot days and support safety briefings
  • Record incidents and near misses and advise on what to change

How the role touches the budget

No budget responsibility, but their advice shapes costs elsewhere. The advisor is usually paid a fee or day rate from a small line in the production budget. Their advice does create costs elsewhere, such as safety boats for a water scene, extra crew to manage a road closure or a medic on a stunt day. Producers sometimes see that as extra spending, but an accident costs far more in delays, insurance claims and reputation, and insurers often expect a production to show that risks were assessed.

How people get into the role

Most advisors combine a recognised health and safety qualification with experience in film, TV, events or construction. Some come from a crew background and add the qualification later. Others start in general safety work and specialise in production because it is varied and fast moving.

In TV and commercials

Broadcasters and large production companies often have their own safety teams who advise across many programmes. On commercials an advisor is usually brought in for specific risky shoots, such as stunts, drones, water or work at height, rather than for the whole production.