Star Wars firms fined £1.6m after Harrison Ford broke his leg

Star Wars Firms fined £1.6m  ( $2m) after Harrison Ford  (74), broke his leg on the set of the latest Star Wars movie. The actor was injured in June 2014 at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire as he reprised his role as Han Solo.

 He was struck by a metal door on the set of the Millennium Falcon Spaceship, and was airlifted to hospital for surgery. The door that struck the Hollywood superstar had been designed to mimic the action of the spaceship on the original set. At a previous hearing, Aylesbury Crown Court, was told the actor, could have been killed.

Foodles Production (UK) Ltd, owned by Disney, pleaded guilty earlier this year to two charges brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The HSE said the power of the rapidly-closing door meant Ford was hit with a force comparable to the weight of a small car. Judge Francis Sheridan said the firm had failed to communicate its risk assessment to the actor.  “If you they had included Mr Ford in all the discussions, he might have at least been alert to the dangers that he had to avoid.”

“The Court acknowledged both the additional safety protocols that were immediately implemented, and that it was very safe production in all other respects.”

Foodles in a statement said “ It deeply regretted this unfortunate on-set accident.”