The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has fined Foodles Production (UK) Ltd £1.6m after a metal door badly injured actor Harrison Ford on set at Pinewood Studios.
The production company, owned by Disney, admitted to breaching health and safety laws at Aylesbury Crown Court after the 74-year-old actor was pinned by his pelvis to the ground by a steel door.
The door, which was on set of the latest instalment of Star Wars - The Force Awakens, was operated remotely by a special effects operator who was unable to physically see the actor. He was ordered to close the door upon a signal from a spotter - which was later described as a "crazy approach" by Judge Francis Sheridan.
This ruling came to light during the same week another end-user company was fined £500k for a tragic death caused by an unsafe gate. Cases like this further substantiate the need for industry installers, maintainers, repairers, manufacturers and distributors to work together to ensure automatic gates, barriers, doors and roller shutters are safe for use.
