Occupational Health, Safety and Hygiene in Media Workplaces
This domain tests whether you can spot a hazard on a set or in an edit suite and describe the correct control. Media workplaces are unusual: temporary locations, heavy equipment, hot lamps, cables everywhere, long hours and shared gear.
Hazard groups and controls
- Electrical – hot lamps, distribution boards, extension leads. Use ELCB/RCD protection and proper earthing; never daisy-chain extension boards; never pull a plug by the cable; keep water away from power; switch off before changing a lamp and let it cool.
- Rigging and work at height – every light stand gets a sandbag, placed low on the column over the long leg; overheads get a safety chain; use a ladder with three-point contact; no lone working at height.
- Trips and falls – cable ramps or gaffer tape across walkways, clear fire exits, adequate work light.
- Manual handling – two-person lifts for heavy cases, bend the knees, keep the load close.
- Noise – earplugs at concerts, generator areas and loud playback.
- Fumes and dust – haze fluid, smoke machines, paint and sawdust need ventilation.
- Display screen work – chair height, screen at eye level, regular breaks to avoid eye strain and back pain.
- Hygiene – sanitise shared headsets, microphones and boom poles; separate the food area from equipment; wash hands; do not share water bottles.
Fire and emergency
Know the extinguisher classes: CO₂ or dry powder for electrical fires, never water. Learn the exits and assembly point, the first-aid kit location, and the nearest hospital. Dial 112 in an emergency and report near-misses.
Worked example
A 1K tungsten lamp on a C-stand sits in a corridor with its cable crossing the walkway. Reasoning through controls: sandbag the stand, add a safety chain to the head, tape or ramp the cable and keep a clear route, check the plug load and earthing, keep flammable material away from the hot fixture, and confirm an extinguisher is nearby.
Traps that cost marks
- Saying "water" for an electrical fire.
- Sandbagging the wrong side of the stand.
- Believing an extension board can be plugged into another extension board indefinitely.