SAFETY LEGISLATION SOUGHT FOR STUNT PEOPLE

In the wake of a number of recent work-related injuries to stunt people, an attorney who represents several of them said he will ask the state Legislature to enact stricter safety guidelines.

Jerry Kroll, who represents stunt man Max Maxwell, 32, said he also plans to ask the state Assembly subcommittee on sports and entertainment to strengthen qualifying procedures for stunt people and stunt coordinators.

The subcommittee, chaired by Gary Condit (D-Merced), will hold a hearing on employee safety on entertainment sets Aug. 14 in Los Angeles.

Kroll filed suit last week in Los Angeles Superior Court against Cannon Films on behalf of Maxwell, who was injured June 7 while in Atlanta shooting a sequence for the Cannon film “Invasion USA.”

Kroll said a special effect called for a door to be set aflame by actors playing terrorists. However, the door exploded and Maxwell, seated 60 feet away, was struck by flying debris, suffering a fractured arm and multiple cuts, Kroll said. “He (Maxwell) still has not fully recovered,” he added.

The suit seeks unspecified damages to compensate for Maxwell’s injuries, which Kroll alleges were caused by lax safety procedures on the set.

“Although he was lying there injured, they kept filming,” Kroll said. “They blew him up. There’s no way this could have happened if there were adequate safety procedures.”

Chris Pearce, chief operating officer of Cannon Group, refused to comment.

At issue is a lack of guidelines for stunt-person qualification from the Screen Actors Guild, Kroll said. No professional certification is required for stunt people by SAG, a union spokesman confirmed.