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| Harrison Ford could have died in Star Wars set accident, court hears | Harrison Ford could have died in Star Wars set accident, court hears |
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| A film production company has admitted health and safety breaches after an incident in which Hollywood star Harrison Ford was crushed by a hydraulic door on the set of the Millennium Falcon spaceship while filming the latest Star Wars movie. | A film production company has admitted health and safety breaches after an incident in which Hollywood star Harrison Ford was crushed by a hydraulic door on the set of the Millennium Falcon spaceship while filming the latest Star Wars movie. |
| Ford, who was knocked to the ground and pinned down by the heavy door, could have been killed in the incident as he rehearsed during shooting for Star Wars: The Force Awakens at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire on 12 June 2014, a court heard. | Ford, who was knocked to the ground and pinned down by the heavy door, could have been killed in the incident as he rehearsed during shooting for Star Wars: The Force Awakens at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire on 12 June 2014, a court heard. |
| The then 71-year-old was reprising his role as Han Solo when he was hit by the door, which had been designed to mimic the action of a door on the set of the original Star Wars film, released in 1977. | |
| Foodles Production (UK) Ltd, which is owned by Disney, admitted two breaches under health and safety legislation. | Foodles Production (UK) Ltd, which is owned by Disney, admitted two breaches under health and safety legislation. |
| Andrew Marshall, prosecuting, told Milton Keynes magistrates court that Ford had gone through the door with another actor and hit a button. | Andrew Marshall, prosecuting, told Milton Keynes magistrates court that Ford had gone through the door with another actor and hit a button. |
| He started to walk back through the door, believing the set was not live and that it would not close. | He started to walk back through the door, believing the set was not live and that it would not close. |
| But the court heard it was remotely operated by another person, and that as the star passed underneath it he was hit in the pelvic area and pinned to the ground. | But the court heard it was remotely operated by another person, and that as the star passed underneath it he was hit in the pelvic area and pinned to the ground. |
| Marshall said there was a “risk of death”, saying: “It could have killed somebody. The fact that it didn’t was because an emergency stop was activated.” | Marshall said there was a “risk of death”, saying: “It could have killed somebody. The fact that it didn’t was because an emergency stop was activated.” |
| The actor was severely injured, breaking his left leg in the incident, and was airlifted to hospital in Oxford. | |
| Marshall said the circumstances created a risk of death and had the emergency stop button not been pressed the situation could have had a different outcome. | |
| The Health and Safety Executive said the the power of the rapidly closing metal-framed door meant Ford was hit with a power comparable to the weight of a small car. | |
| Ford himself talked about the incident during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show before Christmas. He said in the original film a door would have been closed with a pulley and a stage hand. | |
| “But now we had lots of money and technology and so they built a fucking great hydraulic door which closed at light speed,” he said. | |
| Foodles pleaded guilty to one count under section two of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which related to a breach of duty in relation to employees, and a second under section three, a breach over people not employed by the company. | |
| The company is due to be sentenced on 22 August at Aylesbury crown court. | |
| Defending, Angus Withington said that while Foodles pleaded guilty, it would contest the level of risk involved. | |
| The HSE welcomed the guilty plea but said it had been a “foreseeable incident”. A spokesman said: “The British film industry has a world-renowned reputation for making exceptional films. | |
| “Managing on-set risks in a sensible and proportionate way for all actors and staff – regardless of their celebrity status – is vital to protecting both on-screen and off-screen talent, as well as protecting the reputation of the industry.” | |
| A spokeswoman for Foodles said the company had co-operated fully with the HSE investigation. “The safety of our cast and crew was always a top priority throughout the production.” |