Risk Assessment - Woodland Road + Forest

Before filming in any locations I will need to carry out a full risk assessment. This is so myself, Jordan (the performer in my music video) and our driver remain safe while filming.

Roads have obvious safety dangers which I will need to address. I need to make sure I get the shots I need but I must ensure myself, Jordan and the driver of the car are safe and protected during filming. Below I have included the various risks of filming on the road along with the ways in which I will prevent any danger to the people involved.

Risk: Other vehicles on road
Prevention: To avoid causing any danger to ourselves or other drivers using the road I would ensure we always stayed on the left side of the road and that if we were stopped on the side of the road our hazard lights were on and that we were safely away from the vehicle. I will also make sure there was no cars in sight when we begin recording so there is less chance of us getting in the way or causing a risk for anyone.

Risk: Surface water and debris on the road (danger to driver, and performer running)
Prevention: To make sure there is no risk of debris or surface water on the road causing an issue for the driver or Jordan I will assess the road conditions before filming. I will sweep any debris off the surface and if there are any areas of water I will test to see if they are large potholes or shallow puddles. If they are potholes we will use a different section of road as they can cause damage to the car and if Jordan were to run and place his foot in one he could seriously injure himself.

The forest environment is also somewhere that poses certain risks in the form of safety hazards. I have thought about the main risks and I've recorded them with my methods of prevention below.

Risk: Branches and plantation
Prevention: In a forest, there is going to be a lot of trees, fallen leaves and low hanging branches. When walking through the environment I will ensure myself and Jordan are cautious about any branches that could be hazardous or any thin pieces of branch that sit near eye level as they could cause serious eye damage if they were to make contact with the balls of our eyes. At the time of year we are filming in the forest there will be leaves on the floor which may be slippery and may conceal submerged holes and burrows. I will therefore make sure we both walk carefully and will set a safe path for any running scenes etc.

Risk: Slippery/Dangerous mud and grassland
Prevention: Filming in Winter, we are likely to go to the forest soon after it has rained or snowed. This means the ground is likely to be wet, muddy and potentially boggy in some places. To prevent either of us getting hurt or uncomfortably wet/cold we will avoid all soft ground and stick to firmer, drier ground.

In the forest setting I also plan to use certain props for my music video. These items could be dangerous if used abusively and therefore I have risk assessed these things before the filming day comes.

Risk: Heavy car tyre (risk to performer, myself and camera equipment)
Prevention: To keep myself and Jordan safe when filming with the car tyre we will make sure we are able to lift it comfortably and without putting stress on our backs. We will also make sure the camera is protected when we film the shot of the tyre rolling towards the camera because any mud or dirty water that gets on the camera lens would be an issue for further filming.

Risk: Cathode ray tube tv (danger of explosion)
Prevention: With cathode ray tube TV's there is a large vacuum behind the screen and in front of the CRT (cathode ray tube) which can explode if the screen or shell is smashed or even slightly fractured. To avoid this happening we will release some of the pressure by breaking the tube before smashing the screen for filming. There is also a small amount of lead and phosphorus in some CRT TV's and therefore we will need to wear dust masks for this scene so we do not inhale any dust or fumes. We will also wear eye goggles when smashing the glass screen as some pieces of glass may come towards us and it's important we are safe.