Amazon MGM's upcoming Tomb Raider television series has been cited by the UK's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for breaches of safety regulations at Shinfield Studios. The ruling, obtained by Deadline, determined that the production violated the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations of 2002.
The specific violation concerns the inadequate protection provided to the crew during the handling of isocyanate paints. The HSE indicated that crew members did not undergo the required "biological monitoring" when working with these substances, which are known to cause asthma. Guidance necessitates the use of protective equipment when spraying isocyanate paints, as they can produce an "invisible mist" that lingers for up to 20 minutes. Employers are responsible for understanding and communicating the necessary clearance times for the areas where such substances are used.
In response to the breaches, the HSE issued an "improvement notice" to the production in April. The production reportedly addressed and rectified the issue within a month. Such notices are not common for TV productions, particularly for projects of this scale, making the Tomb Raider series reportedly the most high-profile production to receive such a ruling in the past four years.
This incident follows a previous production halt in March, when star Sophie Turner sustained an injury. Filming resumed approximately two weeks later after Turner's recovery. While these safety issues are not explicitly linked, two significant health-related incidents on set cast a shadow over the production's overall safety record.
The Tomb Raider series is developed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, known for her work on "Fleabag" and "Killing Eve." The cast includes Sigourney Weaver, Jason Isaacs, and Keeley Hawes, who was the original voice actor for Lara Croft in the games. A release date for the series has not yet been announced, with filming having commenced in January.