Disney has been fined $36,000 for a crew member’s fatal fall on the set of the upcoming Marvel series “Wonder Man.”
J.C. “Spike” Osorio was a lighting technician who died on February 6 after falling through a catwalk at Stage 3 of the Radford Studio Center in Studio City.
A California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) investigation found that the catwalk had a deteriorated section of wood that was improperly nailed to a roof support.
“The deteriorated ledger was weakened likely due to age, environmental conditions and repeated stress loads over many decades,” the investigative summary states. “As the crew walked along the catwalks, the employee stood on the weakened section of catwalk. Suddenly, and without warning, the ledger supporting the floorboard broke apart and collapsed as the employee was standing on this section of catwalk. The employee fell 41 feet and forcefully impacted the ground below.”
On August 6, Cal/OSHA issued two “serious” citations of $18,000 each to Disney and Marvel’s Ionic Productions. They also issued two citations to Radford Studio Center for $22,500 each, for a total of $81,000.
Disney and Radford have 15 business days to appeal the decisions.
Osorio’s wife, boom operator Joanne Osorio-Wu, and mother, Zoila Osorio, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Radford in May, alleging the studio knew the catwalks “were in a dilapidated condition and in desperate need of repair.”
Their lawyer, Erika Contreras, said, “The citations issued by OSHA against Radford Studio Center confirm that Mr. Osorio’s death was 100% preventable,” Contreras said. “It also confirms Radford Studio Center failed in its non-delegable duty to properly maintain, repair and inspect its premises. Unfortunately, Mr. Osorio paid the ultimate price for Radford’s failure.”
Hackman Capital Partners, who bought Radford Studio Center in 2021, stated in a proposal for updating and expanding the facility that it was “aging and outdated,” suffering from “decades of under-investment.”
Friends of Osorio launched a GoFundMe fundraiser for the family’s legal fees.
Osorio was a member of IATSE Local 728. The union said in a statement that they are “grateful to Cal/OSHA for their commitment to making our workplaces safer.”
Many studios upgraded their catwalks following Osorio’s death.
“The loss of Spike was and is needless as everyone should go home safely after a day’s work,” IATSE said in their statement. “While we recognize and appreciate the work that all the major studios have done in retrofitting their soundstages since this tragedy, there are many non-Union facilities that lack the resources and oversight to make this possible. We remain steadfast in our commitment to the safety of our members, and holding our employers to their federally mandated duty of a workplace that is safe and free from hazards. We continue to provide support to Spike’s family as well as his crew. The loss is felt deeply.”
They said in a February remembrance post that Osorio was the “most wonderful, thoughtful, and loving husband, a caring son, a wise brother, a strong friend, a brave veteran, a euphorbia enthusiast, a meticulous lighting technician, and a stickler for safety at work.”
“Wonder Man” wrapped filming this spring. The miniseries will consist of 10 episodes and premiere on Disney+ under the “Marvel Spotlight” banner.
Source: Variety
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