Amazon MGM Studios' Tomb Raider series starring Sophie Turner cited for UK safety violations after paint chemical exposure risks at Shinfield Studios.
Amazon MGM Studios' high-profile television adaptation of Tomb Raider has hit another roadblock during production in Berkshire, England. The upcoming live-action series, spearheaded by Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge and starring Game of Thrones alum Sophie Turner as iconic archaeologist Lara Croft, breached United Kingdom health and safety regulations during filming earlier this year at Shinfield Studios.
According to official enforcement records from Britain's Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the show's dedicated production entity, Project Temple Productions Ltd, failed to meet mandatory worker safety standards regarding hazardous paint exposure.
Why Did Britain's Health and Safety Executive Citation Happen?
An investigation conducted by the UK Health and Safety Executive determined that Project Temple Productions Ltd breached critical legal obligations under both the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.
The violations stemmed specifically from set preparation work involving the spraying of isocyanate paints inside Shinfield Studios:
- Lack of Biological Monitoring: Project Temple failed to conduct required biological testing on crew members to verify whether safety control measures were effectively protecting workers from chemical absorption.
- Invisible Mist Hazards: Isocyanate spray applications create invisible airborne mists that can remain suspended in unventilated studio spaces for up to 20 minutes.
- Occupational Asthma Risks: Isocyanates are powerful sensitizers known to cause occupational asthma, severe skin irritation, and chronic breathing complications if adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and airflow controls are ignored.
In response to the finding, the HSE served an official Improvement Notice against Project Temple in April 2026. The enforcement action was not a criminal prosecution or a monetary fine, and public records confirm the production company successfully complied with all mandated health and safety protocols within a month.
Was Sophie Turner Involved in the Safety Violation?
The safety citations issued by the HSE pertain strictly to the management practices of the production company and do not involve lead actress Sophie Turner personally.
However, the safety ruling represents the second major obstacle faced by the production team this year:
- On-Set Injury: Principal photography was temporarily paused back in March 2026 after Turner sustained a minor injury during an action sequence.
- Brief Pause: Amazon MGM Studios confirmed at the time that filming was halted as a precautionary measure to allow Turner time to fully recover.
- Unrelated Events: The regulatory authority presented no evidence linking Turner's earlier physical injury to the chemical safety breach in the studio paint department.
What Is the Current Status of the Tomb Raider Series?
Despite set interruptions, production on the series continues to move forward in England and Spain. The project represents a joint collaboration between Amazon MGM Studios and developer Crystal Dynamics, the studio responsible for overseeing the franchise under parent company Embracer Group.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge serves as creator, writer, and co-showrunner alongside Chad Hodge, with Jonathan Van Tulleken directing key episodes. Turner inherits the dual pistols of world-famous adventurer Lara Croft following famous cinematic turns by Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander.
She is joined by an elite ensemble cast including Sigourney Weaver, Jason Isaacs, Martin Bobb Semple, Jack Bannon, John Heffernan, Bill Paterson, Paterson Joseph, Sasha Luss, Juliette Motamed, Celia Imrie, and August Wittgenstein. While plot details remain closely guarded secrets, the show is expected to spearhead a massive interconnected universe on Prime Video alongside upcoming multiplatform video games from Amazon Games.