2018Vehicles and Mounts forum
Safety equipment and rigging for camera operators working on vehicle-mounted shots
What the thread found
- A full-body climbing harness worn backwards provides better security than a waist-only harness when working on moving vehicles.
- Safety lines should include a shock-absorbing mechanism to prevent bone fractures from sudden tension, rather than using rigid lines without any give.
- Operators should wear protective gear including a helmet and knee pads to guard against impacts with equipment like speed rails and rigging components.
- Soft padding should be wrapped around rigid structures like poles or speed rails that operators may lean against during vehicle work.
- Communication between the operator on the vehicle mount and the driver is essential for emergency stops.
- Webbing loops and carabiners in various thicknesses and lengths should be carried as part of the standard kit for rigging flexibility.
- Foot placement or stirrups made from heavy webbing should be provided to secure the operator's position on the vehicle.
- Thin, high-strength rope such as vectran can be used to prevent camera arms from exceeding their intended range of motion or bottoming out.
- Climbing-rated carabiners and webbing provide appropriate load capacity for operator safety.
- Safety equipment suppliers specializing in fall protection can provide harnesses and lanyards with proper load ratings for this application.
Depends on
- The recommendation to use a horse-riding helmet assumes fall speeds similar to mounted horseback riding.
- One participant had not actually used one of the harness options on a job, only preferred it theoretically.
- Specific product recommendations were mentioned but the participant had not yet contacted the supplier to verify suitability.
- The discussion does not cover load-bearing calculations or specific breaking strength requirements.
- No information provided on regulations or industry standards that may apply in different jurisdictions.