Advice that keeps the unit safe and the production within the law.

The job

You help the production meet its legal duties. You review the safety policy and risk assessments, visit stages and locations, and advise on anything hazardous: stunts, SFX, water, heights, vehicles, weapons, nights, crowds and set builds. You check specialist departments are competent and their method statements fit together.

You don't take over the producer's duty: the HSE is clear that an employer's legal duties can't be delegated, even to a consultant. You make sure the people who hold it can carry it out.

A typical day (in prep)

• Read the latest script and schedule for hazardous scenes.
• Recce a location with the 1st AD and location manager.
• Review risk assessments from the stunt coordinator and SFX supervisor.
• Check set build arrangements under the CDM Regulations 2015.
• Write a safety bulletin for the call sheet.
• Meet the production manager on welfare: hours, rest, heat and cold.

On shoot days you visit set for high-risk work, and help investigate and report any incident, including under RIDDOR.

Skills

• A sound knowledge of UK health and safety law and HSE guidance.
• Risk assessment, and explaining risk clearly.
• An understanding of how productions work, department by department.
• Diplomacy and firmness. You may need to stop something.
• Clear writing for briefings, bulletins and reports.

Qualifications

• A recognised qualification, such as the NEBOSH National General Certificate, is the usual starting point.
• Membership of IOSH, the professional body, at a grade that matches your experience.
• Consultants can register on the Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register (OSHCR), which the HSE points to.

Reporting lines

You report to the producer and production manager. Many advisers work for specialist safety consultancies booked by the production. On a large production an assistant adviser may report to you.

How people get in

Advisers come from health and safety roles in construction, events, broadcasting or the forces, or from production jobs followed by safety qualifications. Studio, broadcaster and consultancy assistant adviser roles are common first jobs.

Next step up

Senior adviser, production safety manager across a slate, or head of health and safety at a studio or broadcaster.

Find out more

• HSE: film, TV and broadcasting
• HSE: find a health and safety consultant
• No Bectu rate card covers safety advisers; rates are agreed with the production. See the ScreenSkills job profiles index for related roles.