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While accidents in the workplace are common, the job of a stuntman is perhaps one of the more dangerous. They knowingly put their bodies on the line to film scenes that the actors cannot or will not, and some give their lives in the pursuit of their careers. Last year, there were a few deaths among stuntmen in Georgia alone – one on the set of AMC’s popular TV-series “The Walking Dead.” Now, the production company behind the series is facing a fine after an investigation of the death, the Insurance Journal reports.
33-year-old John Bernecker died on July 12 from his injuries when he fell on the show’s set in Senoia.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration stated in a news release that the agency had issued a “serious citation” to the production company. Stalwart Films, LLC was sent a proposed fine of $12,675, the maximum available, for “failure to protect from fall hazards.”
Stalwart Films, LLC has a period of 15 days following receipt of the fine to either pay or request a hearing with the agency to contest the violation.
The citation claims that the production company could have done a number of things to reduce the risk to those performing stunts. Those things included reducing the fall distance, and providing protective equipment to lower risks.
Bernecker fell head-first 22-feet onto concrete after attempting to grab a railing to stop his fall. Bernecker was supposed to from a balcony over a railing onto some pads to cushion the fall.
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