A federal agency said it found no safety violations following a seven-month investigation into an April crash that injured crew members during an action sequence on the set of Eddie Murphy’s metro Atlanta-filmed feature “The Pickup.”
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration closed its investigation Oct. 17, a spokeswoman told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday. Further details about the investigation and its findings were not made immediately available.
“The Pickup,” an Amazon MGM film, is still in postproduction. Representatives from the studio did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
OSHA began the investigation in April after a car and truck collided and rolled over during an action sequence in “The Pickup,” filmed at the private Stockmar Airport in Villa Rica, about 30 miles west of downtown Atlanta. The purpose of an OSHA inspection is to identify potential safety or health hazards in the workplace.
The scene called for the crew to execute a Precision Immobilization Technique, or PIT maneuver, which is a police pursuit tactic where a vehicle makes contact with another to turn it sideways until it halts. The two vehicles, an armored truck and a BMW SUV, were carrying eight crew members: seven in the truck and one driver in the SUV.
The controlled stunt did not go as intended. After the armored truck pulled up alongside the SUV and swerved into it, both vehicles veered off the road and the armored truck flipped on top of the SUV. Both vehicles rolled over and landed upright.
Eight crew members were hospitalized and two were ejected from the truck. One crew member, dolly grip Marvin Haven, sustained broken ribs, multiple fractures in his neck and back, a skull fracture requiring facial reconstructive surgery and a punctured lung, according to a GoFundMe page set up for Haven.
The crash was one of several onset accidents across the U.S. that were widely reported this year.
Public discussions about the safety of crew members on set have picked up speed over the last three years, ignited by the highly-publicized shooting incident on the film set of “Rust.” Actor Alec Baldwin, who was also a producer on the film, was rehearsing with a prop revolver when it fired a live round, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The film’s onset armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in March, and was sentenced to 18 months in a New Mexico state prison. Baldwin was also charged with involuntary manslaughter and had pleaded not guilty, but a New Mexico judge dismissed the case against him in July. He will not be tried again.
In light of Hutchins’ death, there has been an industrywide effort to increase safety on film sets. It was a key priority for the crew members’ union — the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees — in its contract negotiations with Hollywood’s major studios and streamers. The two new contracts ratified by members included new language for firearm safety and working in extreme temperatures, and penalties for productions infringing on an employee’s rest period. Employers also must offer courtesy housing or round trip transportation for crews working more than 14 hours.
Additionally, starting next year, each major studio filming in Georgia will assign a safety officer to a feature length production as part of a pilot program. From the start of a production, the safety officer will work with producers and crew members to identify possible hazards or safety issues that could be encountered. The potential concerns could include performing dangerous stunts, working in hazardous locations or dealing with chemicals or lead paint.
In a statement, a spokesman for IATSE said the union appreciates the work from OSHA’s Atlanta office in investigating the crash.
“IATSE members are the best in the industry and work hard to ensure their safety and the safety of those around them. This incident is a reminder that all workers deserve to earn a living in a safe environment,” the spokesman said.
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