Help and Advice - Health and Safety

RISK ASSESSMENTS

A risk assessment should be made of all work processes, work equipment and workplaces that present a potential risk to employees or others who may be affected their activities. These must be provided by both the Head of Department/Chief/Key Make-up Artist and the production in writing before work commences for them to become legally binding.

Employers of more than 5 people should ensure the significant findings of these assessments are recorded along with those potentially exposed to the risk. The production, therefore, must inform employees of any significant dangers and introduce the correct safety measures.

The employee should co-operate with reasonable instructions from the employer, use tools and equipment properly and inform your employer (or another responsible person) if you are aware of any hazardous or potentially hazardous situation.

Insurance cover may not be applicable unless operatives are proven to be qualified  (this is especially relevant to those doing work experience and not being paid). Do not take a job beyond your capabilities - competence is a prerequisite. The department head (or their representative) must be aware of the abilities of their staff.

NASMAH has produced easy-to-use risk assessment forms (as Word documents) for the different environments we work in:

      For studio make-up room

      For mobile make-up vehicles (trailers or caravans)

      For crowd tents

MOBILE MAKE-UP VEHICLES

Mobile make-up vehicles (trailers or caravans) should be checked, preferably by the person hiring the vehicle, that all the relevant certificates for insurance, gas safety, electrical appliances and so on are valid/current and that the drivers are of the required standard with the correct licence.

Access to vehicles should be by means of stable non-slip steps with a handrail. There should be good working space and ventilation within the vehicle, no trailing leads to electrical equipment and appliances must not be covered when in use.

Fire extinguishers and first aid kits should be prominent. Fire exits and doors must be kept clear. Gas bottles must be stored correctly (usually outside the vehicle).

Make-up staff must arrange for a sharps bin (for sharp items like used razors and glass) and a flammables waste container (for IPA, acetone and other such waste). Both must be labelled correctly. Do not put spirits in the nearest bin.

HYGIENE AND GOOD WORKING PRACTICES

Make-up must be used hygienically and products/tools should not be shared. Leading artists should have their own make-up but other artists make-up may be from a general stock, in which case the amount of product required should be taken with a clean spatula/brush and placed into a container or onto a palette.

Separate make-up brushes, sponges and puffs must be used for each artist and disinfected/cleaned before being used on someone else. There are disposable brushes, mascara wands, sponges and puffs available, as well as disposable disinfectant brush wipes that sterilise brushes. Scissors, tweezers and other metal tools can be disinfected with surgical spirit or IPA.

Barbicide should be available for disinfecting combs and hair brushes. Electrical clippers and razors must be disinfected between uses. A 'dust off' air spray (used for camera lens) is effective for cleaning hair out of clippers.

Any infectious condition must be dealt with carefully so as not to put yourself or others at risk of infection. Disposable brushes should be used on cold sores and disposed of correctly.

There should be an adequate supply of towels and these should not be shared if faces are being cleaned. Do not leave dirty towels lying around. Hands should be washed, and seen to be washed, between each make-up. A small bottle of hand disinfectant is useful on set.

AIRBRUSHING

As more and more of us are asked to airbrush as a form of make-up application it is vital we take this into account when doing risk assessments. Airbrushing pushes both carriers and pigments into the air surrounding the make-up artist. Therefore, good ventilation is essential, especially if more than one airbrush is being used. Windows should be opened and, if possible, an extractor fitted. In mobile make-up vehicles/rooms, roof vents should be opened and an extractor should be available. In tents or locations make-up rooms, make sure tent flaps are left open and fans are available.

Ventilation is most important as more chest infections are coming to light from people who have used airbrushes for some time. When airbrushes are used in garages, protective clothing and masks are compulsory. We don't use anything presently to protect ourselves - make sure your working environment is safe.

EMERGENCIES

The productions should have well-publicised emergency procedures in place and ensure that you are aware of what to do should there be an emergency e.g. fire evacuation, accident and injury.

Where there is no recognised health and safety representative, there is a legal right to leave a place of work at any time on your own initiative should you believe that you are faced by serious and imminent danger.

Large productions should have a unit nurse or doctor (they are not health and safety reps). There should be good paramedic cover for stunts and hazardous special effects, plus a sufficient number of trained first aiders.

Check that evacuation routes are kept clear, appropriate fire extinguishers are in place, butane and propane canisters are stored safely and no smoking rules are observed.

WORKING WITH CHILDREN

When dealing with and making up children, all permission (even for the smallest effect) must come from the child's parent/legal guardian and no one else.

HOURS OF WORK AND REST BREAKS

The Working Time Regulations state that all workers are entitled to a rest break of at least 11 continuous hours between work days i.e. from wrap time to the personal call time the following day. You are also entitled to a weekly rest break of 24 hours within each 7-day period, or a fortnightly rest period of 48 continuous hours within each 14-day period. The production can legitimately ask you to work into your break, but this is only for certain circumstances, and you are entitled to get this time back.

Workers cannot be forced to work for more than 48 hours per week, though we know a working week in film is often much more than this! You agree to 'opt-out' and work more than 48 hours - this has to be in writing.

Long working hours can seriously damage health and there should be an informal arrangement within the department to ensure people get their breaks. For further information, check out the following external websites:

BECTU's guide to rest breaks

Government's guidance on working hours