Spotting OSHA Violations in Movies: Hollywood’s Biggest Fails

Ever watch a movie and just scream at the screen, “THAT’S A FINE!”? We do it all the time! Hollywood is fantastic at explosions, but *terrible* at workplace safety. The truth is, most people have no idea what OSHA is, so it’s no surprise that we see so many glaring OSHA violations in movies.

We’re here to change that. It’s time to pull back the curtain and have some fun spotting all the ways Hollywood gets it wrong. In this post, we’re analyzing two huge hits, *Enemy of the State* and *The Office*, to see just how bad their safety culture is!

(A special thanks goes out to contributing safety expert Anne Evans for her assistance in creating this post.)

Movie #1: Enemy Of The State (1998)

This clip is from the late 90’s blockbuster ‘Enemy of the State’. What’s especially hilarious about this clip is that management had the audacity to place a ‘Safety First’ poster in the *same room* as a handful of critical OSHA violations. Honestly, this kind of negligence—paired with a “safety first” sign for show—is way too common in the real world. In this case, Hollywood’s depiction of workplace safety is scarily accurate.

The Violation: Flammable Liquid Storage

We can see the hotel stocked their supply closet with a tray of lighters just *feet away* from several gallons of cleaning solution marked as ‘FLAMMABLE’ in large red letters. YIKES.

This is a clear violation of 1910.106(d)(5)(iii) which states:

Storage shall be prohibited except that which is required for maintenance and operation of building and operation of equipment. Such storage shall be kept in closed metal containers stored in a storage cabinet or in safety cans or in an inside storage room…

While this discussion centers on OSHA, NFPA 30 also has a *lot* to say about ignition source control (50 feet!) and managing hazards for flammable storage. A fire here could result in both OSHA *and* Fire Marshal inspections.

The (Partial) Compliance

Funnily enough, the hotel *did* seem to comply with 1910.106(d)(7)(i)(a), which requires a fire extinguisher near the entrance of the room.

They also complied with 1910.106(d)(7)(iii), which requires control of open flame and smoking. They posted signs! Good for them?

Another Violation: Poor Sprinkler Clearance

At 3:17, you can briefly see storage piled up within 18 inches of the ceiling. In a small room like this, piling materials that high crowds the sprinkler head and violates NFPA 30, which requires clear aisles and space for fire fighting.

Movie #2: The Office (Episode: “Boys and Girls”)

In this classic clip, Michael seizes Daryl’s Forklift and makes a *huge* mess in the warehouse. This scene is a goldmine for finding OSHA violations in movies… or in this case, TV shows!

The Violation: Forklift Horseplay

Michael was engaging in ‘horseplay’, which is specifically forbidden by 1910.178(n)(9):

Stunt driving and horseplay shall not be permitted.

The Violation: Untrained Operator

As Michael had *clearly* not been trained to use the forklift, his usage violated 1910.178(l)(1)(i):

The employer shall ensure that each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation…

Seeing as Michael is the branch manager and does this stuff all the time, we can assume management (ahem, corporate) is not ensuring operators are competent. That’s a huge fine!

The Violation: Unattended Forklift

Michael was able to just *hop on* the forklift while it was running with the forks elevated. This indicates the forklift was left unattended, which violates 1910.178(m)(5)(i):

When a forklift is left unattended, load engaging means shall be fully lowered, controls shall be neutralized, power shall be shut off, and brakes set.

Common Questions About OSHA in Movies

What are the most common OSHA violations in movies?

The biggest ones you’ll see are total chaos! You’ll spot a lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (like no hard hats in a construction zone), blocked exits, improper chemical storage, and characters working at height with no fall protection. *The Office* warehouse is a classic example of poor forklift safety.

Why do movies and TV shows ignore OSHA rules?

For drama and comedy! It’s just not as exciting to watch a character properly fill out a hot work permit or put on safety glasses. And let’s be honest, Michael Scott wouldn’t be as funny if he was a competent, safety-conscious manager. They bend the rules to make the story more entertaining.

Can you use movie clips for safety training?

Absolutely! And it’s one of the *best* ways to start a meeting. Using a fun clip of OSHA violations in movies is a fantastic icebreaker. It gets your crew talking, laughing, and (most importantly) pointing out what’s wrong. It’s way more engaging than just reading a rulebook.

Do you know of a movie or T.V show that has massive OSHA violations?

Let me know in the comments below and it might be featured in Round 2!