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Star Wars Production Company Fined Almost $2 Million For Harrison Ford's Injury (bbc.co.uk)
New submitter Shimbo writes: Foodles Production (UK) Ltd was fined 1.6 million British pounds (almost $2 million) at Aylesbury Crown Court today after pleading guilty to two charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act at an earlier hearing. Judge Francis Sheridan said, "The greatest failing of all on behalf of the company is a lack of communication, a lack because, if you have a risk assessment and you do not communicate it, what is the point of having one?" The fine is a result of an unfortunate incident while filming Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Harrison Ford was reportedly knocked to the ground and crushed beneath a heavy hydraulic door when he walked on to the set of the Millennium Falcon -- not believing it to be live. The 71-year-old actor suffered a broken left leg. Prosecutor Andrew Marshall said, according to Britain's Press Association, the door acted like a "blunt guillotine," coming down "millimeters from his face." The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) told the court that Ford was hit with a force similar to the weight of a small car.
I am a bit curious on why they didn't use styrofoam for the automatic doors. When they are molded and painted it is tough to tell the difference. However if they close on someone. The injures would be much less.
The cost of fixing a styrofoam door would be less than the cost of breaking a stars leg.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
Ford was hit with a force similar to the weight of a small car
The force was not with him, that day.
Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
Sound like a legendary way to leave.
He was actually completely clear of the door, but reached back to grab his hat
The one that lowers to form a ramp to enter the ship. Can't have actors walking on a styrofoam ramp. TFA says in the 1977 movie, the door/ramp was lowered by hand using pulleys. Guess someone decided the new movies deserved a fancy mechanized door. Except since this is for a movie and not "real" use, it was designed and built by prop makers who never really gave much thought to safety since the very low frequency of use of their props meant accidents were exceedingly rare.
Ford's lawyers are irrellevant. This action was taken by the UK Health and Safety Executive.
"When I grow up, I want to be a weirdo"
May the force be equal to mass times acceleration.
This signature is false.
So, you're complaining because the movie content fits the rating, but you didn't understand the ratings until you went and double checked?
I'm really not sure how this is Disney's fault, and the fact that you want to see them punished reflects poorly on you.
the fine is proportional to the company who it is levied against.
and it's not a settlement or reimbursement to Ford, rather it's a fine for breaking safety regulations. like, in the uk it is not up to you or your employees if you adhere to safety regs, it's the law. undoubtedly it is that way because long time ago industrial scrooges exploited the workers safeties based on "if they don't want to work they don't have to".
But later versions were edited to show the door shout first.
But Ford has lawyers and a lot of money.
Not his lawyers doing this. Not him starting it either.
The production company has a lot of money. They should be fined just enough so that it hurts for a fuck-up like this. They will learn, and the risk of it happening again will be decidedly lower. That is a good thing.