This resource does not replace the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and its regulations and should not be used as or considered legal advice. Health and safety inspectors apply and enforce these laws based on the facts they find in the workplace.

Overview

When stage combat, stunts and weapons are involved in a performance, there is far greater risk of serious or fatal injury than during more regular performance activities. This guideline covers the safety precautions employers and workers should take when choreographing and performing stage combat and stunts and working with weaponry of all types.

The use of stage combat, stunts and weaponry as part of a live performance presents direct hazards (such as stab wounds or fall injuries) and indirect hazards (such as repetitive strain injuries resulting from stunts, or hearing damage from the discharge of a firearm).

While there are no special regulations for the use of stage combat and/or stunts in a live performance, the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and its regulations will apply. Employers must ensure that all municipal, provincial, and federal laws, including the Firearms Act, are followed.

This guideline has been developed to:

  • help employers and workers understand and assess some of the risks
  • assist in planning and use so that stage combat, stunts and weaponry can be performed and used safely in live performances

Performer flying

This guideline does not cover performer flying.

For information on special requirements for aerial stunts, please refer to the Performer Flying and Aerial Stunts guideline.

Terms used in this guideline

This guideline uses several industry-specific terms. These definitions are provided for clarity and guidance only and, unless otherwise noted, are not definitions found under the OHSA or its regulations.

Antique firearms
Muzzle loading or flintlock firearms manufactured before 1898.
Blank cartridges (blanks)
Casings used to simulate the sound of a gunshot. They have all the elements of live ammunition except for the projectile.
Bore
The interior of the barrel of a firearm.
Burrs
Jagged cuts and pieces of metal that bladed weapons may develop when one blade strikes another blade or solid object.
Bladed weapon
A weapon with an edge attached, for example sword, knife, daggers, pole arms.
Competent person
As defined in clause 1(1) of the OHSA: "A person who (a) is qualified because of knowledge, training and experience to organize the work and its performance, (b) is familiar with this Act and the regulations that apply to the work, and (c) has knowledge of any potential or actual danger to health or safety in the workplace."
Fight captain
A person assigned by the fight director responsible for monitoring and maintaining fights and/or stunts for the duration of the production.
Fight director
A person responsible for staging and co-ordinating all fights and/or stunts.
Fire arm
A barrelled weapon capable of firing live ammunition or blank cartridges. The Firearms Act governs the possession, transportation, use and storage of firearms in Canada.
Flintlock
The method for exploding the charge or cartridge of a firearm by using a piece of flint to create a spark that ignites the gunpowder stored in the barrel of the gun.
Hang fire
A delayed fire in which the firing pin strikes the primer but it does not create enough flame to ignite the powder instantly.
Live ammunition
Ammunition capable of firing a projectile.
Prohibited weapon
A weapon not allowed by the Criminal Code and/or the Firearms Act.
Proofing
Ensuring that a firearm that has been unloaded or is about to be loaded is free of blank ammunition and any debris that may inadvertently become a projectile.
  • P — Point the firearm in a safe direction.
  • R — Remove all ammunition.
  • O — Observe that the chamber is empty.
  • V — Verify that the feeding path (magazine) is clear.
  • E — Examine the bore to ensure it is free of obstruction and debris.
Replica firearm
A device designed to look like a real firearm, but incapable of firing a projectile or a blank. According to the RCMP website:
  • a replica is considered a prohibited weapon, unless it resembles an antique firearm as defined by the Criminal Code
  • you cannot sell or give a replica firearm to an individual or to an unlicensed business, however, you may lend a replica firearm to anyone who borrows it specifically to fulfil their duties or employment in a motion picture, television, video or live performance
Retractable weapon
A weapon with a blade that is intended to disappear into the weapon's handle, grip or shaft.
Safe lane
A choreographed direction/range in which a firearm may be safely pointed, where discharge and vented gases (whether intended or accidental) will not risk causing injury or damage. Broadly defined: not toward any person or nearby object.
Stage combat
A co-ordinated series of moves creating the illusion of violent intent, requiring specific timing and skill, involving either unarmed combat or the use of weapons.
Stunt
Any activity that is not normally executed by the average person and which performed incorrectly would most likely result in bodily injury.
Vent
The direction of the hot gas that is produced when a blank is fired. A firearm may vent down the barrel, out the top or the sides.
Weapon
Any object used in a staged fight for attack or defence.
Weapons handler
A person responsible for the maintenance and security of all weapons during rehearsal and performance.

Rights and duties

The main purpose of the OHSA is to protect workers from health and safety hazards on the job. It sets out duties for all workplace parties, including employers and supervisors, as well as both duties and rights for workers. All workplace parties must know their general and specific rights and duties under the OHSA for creating, participating in and maintaining safe workplaces. In addition, all workplace parties should make themselves familiar with the material contained in this guideline.

There are licensing requirements under the Firearms Act for the purchase, storage and use of firearms. The Canadian Firearms Program website has information on Possession and Acquisition Licenses (PAL) and Firearms Business Licenses. All workplace parties must comply with all legal requirements for the possession of firearms and replica firearms.

For productions with stunts and/or weaponry, there should be a fight director, who is responsible for choreographing or arranging all stage combats and stunts. The fight director should be a competent person as defined in the OHSA.

For productions with weaponry, there should be a weapons handler, who is responsible for the maintenance and security of all weapons during rehearsal and performance. The weapons handler should be a competent person as defined in the OHSA.

Event planning

The following steps should be taken to ensure the safety of the public, performers, and production workers in all live performances that include stage combat, stunts and weaponry:

  1. Conduct a risk assessment as part of the event planning.
  2. Choose products and processes appropriate to the desired effect, that have the lowest risk level.
  3. Make sure all workers know what to expect before a rehearsal or performance, including adequate training and rehearsal.
  4. Make sure that all weaponry and any object involved in a stunt is used safely during a rehearsal or performance.
  5. Make sure a protocol is established for the inspection, maintenance, handling, storage and transportation of firearms and replica firearms.

Risk assessment

For a general overview of the risk assessment process, refer to Risk Assessment for Productions.

Areas of concern and risks to be assessed for the use of weaponry include the following:

Bladed weapons

Bladed weapons may cause injuries including cuts, slices and bruises, depending on how the weapon is wielded. They may also cause more serious injuries, such as damage to the eyes.

All bladed weapons should:

  • be secured in locked storage when not in use
  • have their points and blades made safe, including the removal of nicks and burrs (see also section 84 of the Regulation for Industrial Establishments)
  • have handles and grips that provide a secure hold during fight conditions

Retractable bladed weapons do not always retract and should not be used. A retractable blade may be an acceptable option:

  • where the action is slow, deliberate, and self-directed (and may be easily aborted)
  • where the target is an inanimate object

In such cases, extra care should be taken.

Firearms and replica firearms

Firearms loaded with blank cartriges can cause burns, abrasions or, if discharged too close to a worker, death.

  • The weapons handler must secure all firearms and replica firearms in locked storage when not in use.
  • Treat firearms as though they are loaded at all times.
  • Never use live ammunition.
  • The weapons handler should be the only worker responsible for the inspection, loading and unloading of the firearms in use.
  • The sound of gunshots is potentially dangerous to hearing. Ontario Regulation 381/15: Noise requires the employer to "take all measures reasonably necessary in the circumstances to protect workers from exposure to hazardous sound levels" (see also the Sound Levels Guideline).

Product selection

Weapons not designed specifically for stage combat are more likely to cause injury, as they do not consider the action and environment of live performance.

  • Only weapons specifically made and designed for stage combat or approved by the fight director should be used.
  • All weapons should be appropriate for their use and properly maintained. They should be replaced if damaged or employed in a way not designed for their use.

Training and information

In a production that includes the use of weaponry, where the potential for serious injury is greater than normal, the training of workers and the communication of information is vital.

  • All workers, including performers, should be informed when a production will include stage combat, stunts and weaponry.
  • All stage combats and stunts should be choreographed or arranged by a fight director. The fight director should have specific knowledge of the requested type of fight or stunt.
  • When hiring performers for a part that involves stage combat, the employer should consider the skill and training of the artists and engage those performers who are capable of performing the roles safely.
  • The fight director should always consider the skills, training and physical limitations of the individual artists when staging and coordinating all fights and stunts.
  • When a fight director is engaged only for rehearsals and not for the run of the production, a fight captain should be assigned to learn the fight staging and maintain it throughout the production. The fight captain should be a competent person, as defined by the OHSA.
  • Fights and stunts should be given adequate rehearsal time and training for principal performers and understudies. Time requirements should be made in consultation with the fight director and/or fight captain.
  • The weapons handler may designate any necessary assistants and should be given adequate time to train them on the procedures they must follow.

Safe work plan

Safe work plans create a structured approach to workplace health and safety through each stage of a production by:

  • applying the results obtained through risk assessment
  • training and other information
  • setting out the general and specific obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act

Before rehearsals begin

Identification, inventory and storage

  • All weapons should be identified and accounted for at all times.
  • All weapons should be properly and securely stored when not in use.
  • Employers should maintain an inventory of the number and type of weapons in its possession. Each weapon that is purchased, constructed, or modified should be photographed and added to an armoury inventory with a full description.
  • Holsters, belts, and rigging equipment should be stored separately from the weapons.
  • At no time should any weapon be accessible to members of the public.
  • Risk assessments, both initial and ongoing, should consider all aspects of weapons used in a production, including their storage and use.
  • Open flame or sparks should not be permitted in any area where ammunition or gun-powder is stored, and appropriate signs should be posted.
  • Employers should make sure there is a weapons handler in any production where weapons are involved.
  • Keys to weapons storage should be carried on the weapons handler's person and should not be kept anywhere accessible, such as a desk drawer or hook on the wall.

Introduction to the weapons

All workers using and exposed to weapons must understand how to safely work with them and be familiar with their use. No one should ever be asked to work with a weapon in rehearsal for the first time without prior training.

  • All weapons are dangerous. No one shall engage in horseplay while in possession of, or while using, any weapon (see clauses 28(2)(b) and 28(2)(c) of the OHSA).
  • The fight director should be consulted about the risk assessment, design and possible modification of the relevant physical elements (scenery, props, costumes — including headgear and masks — and weapons) for the production.
  • The fight director or weapons handler should test fire all firearms to determine the safe working distance.
  • The weapons handler should discharge firearms in the presence of all workers involved in the production to ensure an awareness of sound levels, safety considerations and potential dangers.
  • If a problem such as a misfire, hang fire, or jam occurs in rehearsal or performance, a procedure should be in place to deal with it immediately.
  • A back-up plan should be in place in the event of a bladed weapon breaking during performance.

Before a rehearsal or performance

Rehearsal rooms should be of a size to allow for the safe execution of a stunt or fight.

The floor surface should allow for safe footing for the performers, considering the needs of the production (see section 11 of the Regulation for Industrial Establishments).

The fight director should be responsible for the choice and safety of all weapons. In the absence of the fight director during the production, the weapons handler should be responsible for maintaining the safety of all weapons.

During fights and stunts a performer's vision should not be restricted. This should be considered for performances using masks, headgear, eyeglasses, changing lighting levels, and special effects such as strobe lights.

All workers with the production should be notified that firearms will be fired.

During a rehearsal or performance

Loading firearms and setting out weapons

Loading firearms should take place in a separate area that is restricted to the following workers:

  • fight director
  • fight captain
  • weapons handler or their assistants
  • performers who are to use the weapons

No other worker should handle the weapons at any time. Workers not involved in the loading process should be kept away from the loading space.

Firearms should be loaded as close to their "entrance" or firing time as practicable.

Once a firearm is loaded

  • Firearms should be proofed before loading. Once a firearm is loaded, it should be kept under constant supervision.
  • Once a loaded firearm is set on a props table, it should be identified to warn users that it is live.
  • Firearms and replica firearms should be set out separately and clearly marked, so that one cannot be mistaken for the other.
  • Performers should check their own bladed weapons prior to the performance in the presence of the weapons handler.
  • Once a weapon has been used onstage, it should be returned to the props table.

Stunt and stage combat protocol

Procedures should be put in place to maintain a safe, smooth-running environment for rehearsals and performances that include stunts and fights.

  • Employers must comply with the requirements under Regulation 1101 (First Aid Requirements) of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 to provide and maintain First Aid supplies. Cold packs should be available.
  • Employers must comply with the requirements under Regulation 1101 of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 to have a worker with First Aid training in charge of the first aid station. That worker should be available for all fight/stunt rehearsals and performances. Access to a telephone is essential.
  • There should be a fight/stunt run-through before each performance or run.
  • The risk of repetitive strain and bruise injuries should be minimized.
  • Stunts and fights shall not be rehearsed or performed in an environment that could compromise the safety of the workers (for example temperature, weather, illumination, sound levels — see sections 21 and 129 of the Regulation for Industrial Establishments and the Noise Regulation).
  • The actual weapons, props, costumes, headgear, masks, make-up (prosthetics), footwear and stunt equipment used in the fight or stunt should be made available to the performers to allow for adequate rehearsal time and for any necessary modifications.
  • All workers in the vicinity should be warned when there is to be a run with live firearms.
  • Always maintain safe lanes and directions when firing a firearm.
  • Under no circumstances should the vent of a firearm be directed at anyone.
  • Take care to avoid flying objects such as the ejection of spent cartridges, especially from automatic and semi-automatic firearms. Spent cases can be hot and travel several metres (see sections 80 to 82 and 84 of the Regulation for Industrial Establishments which set out the circumstances under which a worker is required to wear personal protective equipment).
  • Each performer should use the same bladed weapon in all rehearsals, performances and fight run-throughs.

Weapon malfunction

Protocols should be established if a weapon does not function properly. All workers handling or working near a weapon should be made aware of the procedure.

  • Never fire a firearm with dirt, sand or any foreign blockage in the barrel, venting or cylinders. Never put a firearm down in such a way that dirt or sand might cause a blockage.
  • In the case of a misfiring, hang fire or jam, the firearm and ammunition should be checked and made safe. If the worker handling the firearm is not sure what is causing the problem, the firearm should be taken out of use until the cause can be determined.
  • If a bladed weapon breaks during rehearsal or performance, do not continue the fight with that bladed weapon.
  • Additional weapons should be available as backup in case the original weapon malfunctions or breaks during rehearsal or performance. These backup weapons should be the same as the weapons they are replacing.

After a rehearsal or performance

At the end of each rehearsal or performance:

  • only the weapons handler or their assistant(s) should remove the weapons from the props table for storage
  • no other person should touch the weapons for any reason whatsoever
  • firearms should be unloaded and proofed before storing
  • firearms should have a trigger lock in place when in storage

Contact us

If you need more information, please contact the Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Health & Safety Contact Centre at 1-877-202-0008 on Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or webohs@ontario.ca.

Resources

Authors

This guideline was developed and revised by the following industry professionals on the Stage Combat/Stunts and Weaponry Sub-committee of the Advisory Committee for the Safety Guidelines for the Live Performance Industry in Ontario.

Current

  • Marilyn Lawrie, Stage Manager
  • Daniel Levinson, Fight Director
  • Miriam Newhouse, Actor
  • John Stead, Fight Director

Past

  • Jim Biros, Canadian Actors' Equity Association
  • James Brewer, Fight Director
  • Robert Cannon, Chiropractor
  • David Drum, Chiropractor
  • Mark Erwin, Chiropractor
  • F. Braun McAsh, Fight Director
  • John Nelles, Fight Director
  • Miriam Newhouse, Canadian Actors' Equity Association
  • Martin Zwicker, Young People's Theatre