A media company and its director have been prosecuted after an employee suffered life-changing head and brain injuries while filming from the open boot of a moving car in Devon. The worker fell onto the tarmac during filming for a motorcycle review and has been unable to return to work since. [press.hse.gov.uk], [hsmsearch.com]
The incident occurred in May 2021 at Broadsands car park, Paignton. After planned drone filming was completed, additional footage was filmed from a moving vehicle. The employee climbed into the boot of a car driven by James Foster, director of Superhub Ltd. As the vehicle moved, the boot liner slipped, causing the fall. [press.hse.gov.uk], [hsmsearch.com]
A joint investigation by Devon and Cornwall Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found:
- No risk assessment had been carried out.
- The vehicle was unsuitable for filming activities.
- There was no means of safely restraining either the employee or filming equipment.
- Established HSE guidance for filming from moving vehicles had not been followed. [press.hse.gov.uk], [hsmsearch.com]
Superhub Ltd was fined £45,000 and ordered to pay costs. James Foster received a 16‑month prison sentence suspended for two years after pleading guilty to health and safety offences and causing injury by wanton and furious driving. [press.hse.gov.uk], [hsmsearch.com]
Key lesson: No photograph, video or piece of content is worth risking a life. Proper planning, risk assessment and suitable restraint systems are essential whenever filming involves moving vehicles. [press.hse.gov.uk], [hsmsearch.com]
