Damage, Loss and Theft

Your responsibilities and liability

Damage: Negligence vs. Wear and Tear

While “loss” and “theft” are straightforward concepts, “damage” is sometimes a gray area. The College of Media, Communication and Information considers damage to be related to negligence, as opposed to “normal wear and tear.”

Examples of Negligence

A camera dropped from an unattended tripod, a lens left in a hot car without protection, a dropped light, etc.

The person who reserved and checked out the equipment must replace equipment damaged due to negligence, regardless of who actually damaged the equipment.

Equipment Loss

The person who reserved and checked out the equipment, regardless of whose care the equipment was under at the time of loss, must replace any equipment lost during the time of the reservation. Remember this if you choose to crew up with other students and assign them certain pieces of equipment.

Theft

In the event of theft, you are required to notify local police immediately, and to notify the equipment facility as soon as possible. If you are able to provide a police report, in most cases you will be covered by the University of Colorado insurance plan. 

Malfunctioning Equipment

If you are experiencing a problem with a piece of equipment while on a shoot, you are encouraged to contact the equipment facility right away. Often, the problems are relatively minor and can be easily fixed. If the problem is beyond immediate on-site repair, bring them in to checkout as soon as possible.