Opinion | Being a COVID-19 compliance safety officer

Megan Murphy, COVID-19 compliance safety officer for the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts

A compliance officer is responsible for ensuring outside regulatory and legal requirements are adhered to, as well as internal policies and bylaws; this often translates into telling people what they can and cannot do when trying to accomplish their goals. 

I have been working in compliance for a few years now. When the pandemic hit, I transitioned from oversight in cannabis manufacturing to student film productions here at Chapman University. The shift was interchangeable for me — instead of tracking product development through the pipeline, I now track student productions through their growth. Since joining the team in January 2021, I have assisted Chapman Production Management in developing and implementing policies specific to student productions. How can they film? Where can they film? What can they film? 

The pandemic has added a new degree of policy to cover cautions of viral spread and illness. As the COVID-19 compliance safety officer for the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, I vet each student production against federal, state and local guidelines, as well as those established within Dodge College itself. When a production’s creative goals toe the line of policy, or cross it altogether, I must get creative in uncovering solutions that allow them to move forward. 

It is not always simple on either end. We have been very circumspect in our development and oversight of these policies given the current climate, but it is all in the name of safety. I think it is important the students understand that their safety is more than a priority for us. It is a value that we plan to maintain beyond the pandemic. 

For the most part, students have received the new guidelines well and have done a remarkable job of meeting these new standards. Productions are chaotic in nature and there are so many moving parts that the crew needs to account for. Now, we have added multiple layers of personal protective equipment (PPE), vigorous sanitization procedures, check-in screenings, testing and more. 

Students now must submit safety plans that detail answers to the questions posed earlier in this opinion piece. Supporting staff now initiate audits to review how policy is being maintained on set. This has allowed us to make corrective actions in the moment and confirm students’ safety plan proposals are being executed as written and approved. 

Student productions should be proud of what they have managed to create within the limitations of policy and in consideration of the various setbacks that have occurred. COVID-19 has been a constant moving target for them as much as anyone else, but they have gained invaluable experience that will only promote their success when they enter the film industry. And to the success of all, we have not had one student production come down from a COVID-19 incident since my time here.