Safety concerns for artistes working in the entertainment industry
The entertainment industry comprises different careers. It is a dynamic field of music, film, theatre, and dance. It is an industry where you will meet various roles, such as directors, actors, artists, artists, managers, photographers, and security personnel. Artiste include dancers, actors, musicians and others. As glamorous as the industry is, the most neglected aspect is the health and safety concerns within the job.
In this blog, Our focus is on the artiste. Most times, pressures and target to meet exposes them to various health and safety concerns that can be detrimental to their body. All industries have different health and safety issues, and the entertainment industry is no exception. The safety concerns every artiste faces in the line of work are plenty. The list below is never exhaustive.
However, they should take a leaf from the list of the safety concerns below and address them to protect their safety.
Here are some of the safety concerns every artiste should consider regarding the health and safety of their work.
1. The physical health of the artiste
All actors, dancers and musicians are human beings. They have their physical body. The human body can sustain an injury when not protected enough. The artiste exposes their body during stunts, performances, and rehearsals. They can sustain an injury from these activities.
The series of questions from this part should be, are there measures to prevent musculoskeletal issues and injuries during any of these activities?
The artist works with various types of equipment like Stage props, machinery, and others. This equipment can be dangerous. Are there measures in place to protect the artiste when using this equipment?
If there are no measures, It will impact their physical health during the production.
2. Occupational hazards and exposure to health risks
The hazards from the work are occupational hazards. How are these hazards maintained to prevent no or less exposure of workers to them? The filming activities can expose them to Hazards from chemicals, Hazardous substances, and the other materials used in the performance. The noise hazards from the sound equipment can damage the ear over a prolonged period because sometimes, it is above the recommended noise level of 85 decibels. The artists can be exposed to extreme weather conditions like extreme hotness and cold when producing a movie.
Putting the proper measures in place to handle these hazards will help to protect the artist from harm.
3. Mental and emotional well-being.
The artiste’s mental and emotional well-being should be supported and prioritized every time. There should be an arrangement to address burnout and mental health issues among their colleagues. Sometimes, the artiste can suffer discrimination, harassment and abuse because of their profession. Is there a system in place to checkmate these things and ensure that it stops if it has been happening? Also, is there a system that encourages reporting this kind of harassment, bullying, and discrimination among them? They should create an arrangement for open communication and issues around psychological safety.
4. Fatigue and work-life balance
Due to the demanding work activities around them, they suffer fatigue. There should be policies that ensure that all the artist manages their work hours. The policy should be among their professional bodies. The production crew has to incorporate break and rest hours into their time. Also, irregular travel times should be discouraged.
5. Some artiste are disabled.
Some artistes are persons with disabilities . There should be a provision for accommodating these people while they are at work. Consider the accessibility for these people in their line of duty.
6. Substance abuse and addiction issues
The entertainment industry is not immune to substance abuse. Substance abuse can have a terrible effect on the health of the artiste. Such an environment must have activities and programs that discourage people from going into substance abuse. Engage more in education and creation of awareness to all their members.
Read also:
- The difference between first-party, second-party and third-party audit
- Toolbox talk on unsafe act and unsafe condition
- 7 Effective ways to boost employee morale.
7. Unfair working conditions.
Unfair working conditions around pay could be a problem that will affect the health and safety aspect of the artiste. Some of them are freelancers with unstable jobs and poor benefits. However, in places where unions exist, they should negotiate for fair working conditions among their unions and associations.
Final thoughts: Safety concerns affecting the artiste in the entertainment industry.
The list of safety concerns affecting the artistes in the entertainment industry is never exhaustive. There could be other safety issues that may be more pressing than the ones that made this list. However, all responsible persons must come together to prevent and control the safety risk concerns affecting the artistes in the industry.
Onyeka Emma is a QHSE Professional with more than 10 years of experience in occupational health and safety, which spans many industries such as construction, beverage, oil and gas, etc. He has many health and safety certifications, including NEBOSH IGC, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018 Lead auditor certificate. A member of IOSH, ISPON, and Nigeria Red Cross Society. He is interested in business, entrepreneurship, Speaking, and motivating people to do better for themselves. He enjoys leisure with a good motivational book.
