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On 20 October 2008, the 34-year-old woman, who does not wish to be named, was working as a volunteer costume designer at Beaconsfield Film Studios in Buckinghamshire.

She was attending to an actor's costume before filming when she fell from an unguarded platform edge at the top of a staircase that formed part of the set.

The woman was critically injured, fracturing vertebrae in her back and was diagnosed with permanent paralysis from the waist down. She has been left in chronic pain.

Following the incident, the school, which provides education in film and TV production, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for safety breaches that led to the incident.

High Wycombe Magistrates' Court heard that the school did not have a safe system in place to prevent falls.

The HSE’s investigation also concluded it was evident the school did not have adequate management arrangements for the effective planning and execution of the student film it was producing at the time.

The HSE found there was no edge protection at the top of the stairs.

Actors, carpenters and other students were at risk of falling while carrying out assembly, decoration and lighting work from the staircase.

The National Film and Television School, of Beaconsfield Film Studios, in Buckinghamshire, pleaded guilty to breaching s. 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974, which covers the duty of the employer to ensure the health and safety of affected non-employees, and regulation 5(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which covers planning and risk management issues.

The organisation was fined £17,500 and ordered to pay costs of £4787.

Article courtesy of Croner