You may not know it, but a stunt double was killed during the filming of Ryan Reynolds‘ ‘Deadpool 2.’ It occurred while stunt double Joi Harris was riding a motorcycle. She was thrown from it and into the window of a building, striking the frame with enough force that she died from her injuries. Eyewitnesses at the time told local reporters that the stunt person appeared to lose control of the bike and run into a nearby building through glass. They said producers put pressure on 40-year-old Harris, who had never done motorcycle stunts on a film, to perform that day as a stand-in for Zazie Beetz, who portrayed Domino in the film.
RELATED: Canadian Investigators Blame Studio for ‘Deadpool 2’ Stunt Death
WorkSafeBC, the Canadian equivalent of OSHA (a government work safety investigation board) recently completed their investigation of the accident, and concluded that fault lay squarely with the filmmakers and not at all with Harris. In particular, their report noted:
“TCF (TCF Vancouver Productions Ltd) failed to conduct a risk assessment addressing safety controls, speed of the motorcycle, and equipment limitations…. The employer failed to complete important health and safety documentation, including a stunt safety inspection checklist and a production activity notification checklist, as required by its own health and safety program.”
WorkSafeBC investigators added that TCF failed to ensure that the workplace was designed with proper safety controls, barriers, and headgear, as required by health and safety regulations. They concluded:
“TCF failed to ensure the health and safety of the stunt performer by failing to provide adequate supervision with respect to this work activity.”
A 20th Century Fox spokesperson, commenting on the WorkSafeBC report, stated:
“Safety is our top priority, and while we respectfully disagree with some of the report’s findings, Fox thoroughly reviewed its stunt safety protocols immediately following the tragic accident and has revised and implemented enhanced safety procedures and enforcement.”
WorkSafeBC’s findings could result in an administrative penalty for violation of the Workers’ Compensation Act or the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The agency is now considering whether to impose a penalty based on its findings.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
