Disney has to pay a $36,000 fine because a “Wonder Man” crew member died on set

Disney has been fined $36,000 following a CAL/OSHA ruling in connection with the death of Juan Carlos Osorio on the set of Marvel Studios. Miracle Man in February.

Osorio, 41, was a rigger working at Radford Studios in Studio City. He died on February 6 while collecting and removing lighting cable equipment high up on Stage 3.

According to a CAL/OSHA report, “The employee (Osorio) was standing on the weakened section of the walkway as the crew was walking along the walkways. Suddenly and without warning, the beam supporting the plank broke apart and collapsed as the employee was standing on that section of the walkway. The employee fell 40 feet and struck the ground below with full force.”

He died at the scene. The series had not yet been filmed at that time.

Osorio was a member of IATSE Local 728 and the union issued the following statement today:

IATSE Local 728 is grateful to Cal/OSHA for their commitment to making our workplaces safer. The loss of Spike was and is unnecessary, as everyone should go home safely after a day of work. We recognize and appreciate the work all major studios have put into retrofitting their sound stages since this tragedy, but there are many non-union facilities that lack the resources and oversight to make this possible. We remain true to our commitment to the safety of our members and hold our employers to their federally mandated duty to provide a safe and hazard-free workplace.

Here is the full description of the incident from the CAL/OSHA report:

On February 6, 2024 at 6:50 a.m., an employee was working as a technical engineer for a television and film production company. The employee was working with a crew that included Employee #1 and Employee #2. The crew was working on wooden catwalks in Phase 3. The crew was collecting and removing lighting cable equipment hanging from the wooden platforms. One platform was accessed by a wooden staircase that led up and connected to the other wooden catwalk platforms. The walking surface of these catwalks consisted of wood planks of various sizes, including 2'x6' and 2'x8' boards. These planks were supported from below by 2'x4' wood supports (sometimes called “ledgers”). One particular section of this catwalk had a damaged ledger that did not support the 4'x12' support beam below, but was improperly nailed to a roof truss. The damaged support had likely weakened due to age, environmental conditions, and repeated use over many decades. As the crew walked the walkways, the employee stood on the weakened section of the walkway. Suddenly and without warning, the support supporting the plank broke apart and collapsed as the employee stood on that section of the walkway. The employee fell 41 feet and struck the ground below with full force. Emergency medical services determined the employee's death shortly after the fall. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, neck, and legs.