Health and Safety

In any production following health and safety procedures is very important.

During our production we made sure:

·   -Unused equipment was not left plugged in

- Equipment bags were out of the way

- No wires were left lying around on the floor

-No food or drink were around electrical equipment

- Cameras were locked before left alone

-No one was running around in the studio

What should I do to minimise risks?

1.  Razor blades etc-Take care when you use them.  Pick them up and put them down carefully.  Put them down only in a safe place.  Dispose of them only in properly marked  containers - never put them in a waste bin.  Always use a sharp blade - blunt ones are more likely to slip when cutting.

2.  Tape recorders etc-Tuck ties, necklaces etc inside your clothing so that they don’t get caught.

3.  Electric shock-Check condition of plugs, cables etc.  You should NEVER be able to see the inner insulation.  If an item of mains equipment has a damaged case - don’t use it.  Take particular care with musicians’ equipment - many pop musicians have been electrocuted.  If in doubt - don’t use.  Get advice from a competent person, e.g. a technician.

Remember - electricity and water don’t mix, so you need to take special care if there’s water around, or if you’re outdoors and rain is possible.If appropriate, make sure you know the location of the main circuit-breaker (usually a red button on the wall which cuts all mains power).

4.  Location recording-Make a checklist of potential hazards - for example, if you’re recording in a factory, you would include things like fork-lift trucks, machinery, cables on the floor etc.  Against each entry you should say what you intend to do to minimise risks. The main location risks are to do with fire (both prevention and escape from); electric shock; tripping up; and falling objects.

5.  Noise-Many locations are also subject to loud noise - factories as well as rock concerts.  You should take steps to minimise dangers, by using ear defenders and by keeping as far away as possible from the source of sound.  This could mean not standing too close to loudspeakers, for example.  Also, make sure to plug headphones in before you put them on.  The other way round can lead to unexpected and damaging loudness!

6.  Fire -Look out for combustible materials, sources of sparks etc.  Don’t smoke.  Make sure you know the location of fire exits and fire extinguishers, and the procedure for raising the alarm.

Research By Steve Pike.

We also made sure everyone in the production team was aware of the emergency power cut off switch, which will turn off everything in the studio.