Stalwart Films, which produces AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” has been hit with the maximum allowable fine for the death of series stuntman John Bernecker.
In a statement issued by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on Friday, Stalwart Films was cited for “failing to protect employees from fall hazards while filming the television show, ‘The Walking Dead.’”
“OSHA issued a serious citation and proposed penalties totaling the maximum allowable fine of $12,675, for the company’s failure to provide adequate protection from fall hazards,” the statement reads. “OSHA investigated Stalwart’s filming location in Senoia after a stuntman was fatally injured after falling more than 20 feet.”
“This tragedy should serve as a wake-up call for the entertainment industry,” said OSHA Atlanta Regional Administrator Kurt Petermeyer. “The entire industry needs to commit to safety practices for actors and stunt people involved in this type of work.”
In July, Bernecker was filming a stunt for Season 8 with series regular Austin Amelio. The stunt required him to fall approximately 22 feet off of a balcony onto a safety cushion below. But according to assistant director Matthew Goodwin, Bernecker failed to get a “good separation” from the balcony. He landed on his head and neck on the concrete next to the safety cushion, per the incident report from the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office.
An on-site medic rendered aid immediately, and Bernecker was airlifted to an Atlanta medical center, where he was placed on a ventilator. His family opted to turn the ventilator off the following day. Many of the main cast offered their condolences to Bernecker’s family via social media shortly after he died.