Production
On-Set Safety Protocols
A safe set is a professional set. This course walks through the protocols that keep cast and crew safe on a low-budget shoot — from the daily safety meeting to electrical, rigging, firearms, and stunt hazards, working hours, and what to do when something goes wrong.
By Will Roberts — updated August 14, 2026
What you'll learn
✓How to run a real safety meeting and build safety into your call sheet
✓The major hazards — electrical, rigging, firearms, stunts — and how to control them
✓Who is responsible for safety on set, and how the chain of command works
✓How to handle fatigue, working hours, emergencies, and incident reporting
Pairs with this tool
Filmmaker Toolbox
Build your safety meeting agenda, call-sheet safety notes, and an incident-report template in the Filmmaker Toolbox — so every shoot day starts with a clear, documented safety plan.
Open Filmmaker Toolbox →Course chapters
Module 1 — Foundations
I7 min
Why a safe set is a professional set — and why it starts with you
Why Safety Comes First
II8 min
The daily safety briefing and building safety into the call sheet
The Safety Meeting
III7 min
Set etiquette, protocol, and the chain of command that keeps a set safe
Set Etiquette & Chain of Command
IV8 min
Who is actually responsible for safety — the 1st AD, dept heads, and you
Who's Responsible for Safety
Module 2 — Core Craft
V9 min
Power, cabling, and lighting — the most common set hazard, controlled
Electrical & Power Safety
VI9 min
Stands, rigging, overhead loads, and working safely at height
Grip, Rigging & Heights
VII9 min
The non-negotiable rules for firearms, blanks, and prop weapons on set
Firearms & Weapons on Set
VIII9 min
Stunts, vehicles, fire, and special effects — when to bring in a pro
Stunts, Vehicles & Effects
Module 3 — Putting It to Work
IX8 min
Long hours and fatigue are a safety issue — how to manage the schedule
Hours, Fatigue & Wellbeing
X8 min
Weather, water, heat, cold, and locking down a hazardous location
Location & Environmental Hazards
XI9 min
First aid, emergency plans, and what to do the moment something goes wrong
Emergencies & First Aid
XII7 min
Safety paperwork, sign-offs, and the mistakes that get people hurt
Safety Paperwork & Mistakes