A new report finds hazardous lead dust on TV and movie sets, which might be secretly harming film crews.
Everyone loves a huge action scene. Basically, throw a few huge explosions, a thousand gunshots, and an epic fire and you have the opening scene to a blockbuster superhero movie. While it looks amazing on screen, it takes a lot of time planning and equipment to make those scenes come to life. In the process, film crew members are putting their lives on the line in the process. In fact, many stunt actors are forced to drive through walls, get hit by cars, and fall down stairs over and over again for a living. But, what if I told you there’s a potentially hazardous toxic dust that could secretly harm film crew members?
According to a Los Angeles Times report, an entertainment industry safety group is warning that many of these action scenes scenes produce particles of lead, creating a potentially dangerous toxic dust upon explosion. From LATimes:
“These bits, combined with the settled fume, can contaminate clothing, hair, furnishings, and even cameras and equipment,” according to a new report by Arts, Crafts & Theater Safety Inc., a nonprofit group that has consulted for clients such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Yale School of Drama. “This dust can expose the cast, crew, spectators and people occupying the space to lead.”
“It simply doesn’t make sense to use lead products in situations where cast, crew and even the public may be exposed,” wrote Rossol, who is a chemist and industrial hygienist.
Apparently, during every explosion seen on set particles of lead dust are thrown into the air, which can cause a number of different symptoms such as:
- High blood pressure
- Abdominal pain
- Constipation
- Joint pains
- Muscle pain
- Declines in mental functioning
- Pain, numbness or tingling of the extremities
- Headache
- Memory loss
- Mood disorders
- Reduced sperm count, abnormal sperm
- Miscarriage or premature birth in pregnant women
In addition, a single explosive lead styphnate could expose people on sets to above the allowed limit for the substance set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the government agency that regulates the exposure to toxic chemicals in the workplace.
In one scenario outlined by Rossol, the detonation of a single lead squib in a 100-square-foot room could expose people in it to more than 20 times OSHA’s “permissible exposure limit” for the chemical.
While there are alternatives to using lead explosives on film sets, it is up to the movie or TV show’s producers, prop masters and other crew members to make sure they are used. As the LATimes pointed out, “in an industry that is cloaked in machismo, it’s not clear whether Rossol’s report will strike a chord”
For the full report visit LATimes.
