Events
A very brief gallop through the things you might
need to think about when planning to organise an
event
Health and safety plan
Covers all aspects of Health and Safety
management at the event
Event overview and risk factor overview
Site plans
Full risk assessments for event
Overview of safety management procedures,
lines of control and communication etc.
Analysis of specific hazards and how you will
manage these
Staffing
Emergency plans
Welfare
Contact details and other useful information
Site planning for outdoor events
Consider:
Emergency Access Gates and routes
Fire control
Crowd movement
Other criteria
Site or event specific criteria
Emergency Access Gates and routes
Emergency Access Gates and routes should be
at least 4 meters wide
Emergency Access Gates and routes should
have no overhead structure or cable less than
4.5 meters from the ground
Emergency routes should be capable of taking
the weight of a fire-fighting appliance, which is
around 12.5 tonnes
Emergency routes should be capable of coming
within 50m of any structure
Fire control
Sufficient gaps should be allowed between
structures to prevent the spread of fire. A sixmetre gap should be imposed between all
significant structures such as:
Stages
Marquees
Performance / workshop / stall areas
Bars and Catering
Crowd movement
Crowd movement and safety is an overreaching
consideration to be born in mind when deciding
on the site plan. You should aim to place
features carefully in order to:
Avoid potential areas of overcrowding
developing
Avoid potential bottlenecks occurring
Avoid problems associated with queues
Avoid hazards in public areas
Common sense will be your greatest ally. For
example:
Don’t place a bar next to the main stage
Don’t place catering where the queue will
spill onto and block a path
Don’t place a generator at the bottom of a
slope that children are known to enjoy rolling
down
Etc. etc
Other criteria
Existing terrain, natural features and hazards
Slopes
Existing paths
Areas likely to become waterlogged in the case
of extreme weather
If applicable, problems encountered in previous
years
Vehicle movement
Restricted access areas
Amount of space needed around structures
Spreading welfare and first aid facilities
throughout the site
Optimal positioning of control features
Disabled access
Staff facilities
Risk rating of areas
Any relevant preventative and protective
measures identified in risk assessments
Any other factors as applicable
When deciding the site plan you should consult
with the landowner, the statutory and Emergency
services and other site users as appropriate. Risk
assessments can be extremely useful as an aid to
making difficult placement decisions in a safe and
logical manner. It is vital to make site visits. Too
many people have placed a catering stall in a nice
clear section of map only to find on the day that
the area concerned was on an incline and
unsuitable for the stall.
Welfare
Staff welfare
Toilets
Rest facilities
Catering arrangements
Drinking water
First aid facilities
Staff working hours, breaks and relief periods
Don't forget cover during set up and take down
periods
Public and participant welfare
Toilets
Catering arrangements
Drinking water
First aid facilities
More facilities may be required for larger events
(message boards, collection points, cloakrooms,
counselling facilities, specialist first aid etc.)
First aid
For staff make an assessment of what first aid
cover is required based on the guidance to the
Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations
Public are not covered under these Regulations
but are covered by general duties. Make an
assessment of what public provision is required.
Guidance is given in HSG195 A Guide to
Health, Safety and Welfare at Pop Concerts
and Similar Events
Employ reputable first aiders
Consider:
Procedures for different levels of injury
Role of event staff in procedures
Patrolling arrangements if applicable
Emergency procedures and calling the
Emergency services
Reporting procedures
Toilets
HSE recommendations for toilet provision at
outdoor events are as follows:
For events with a gate opening time of 6 hours
or more:
1 toilet per 100 females.
1 toilet per 500 males plus 1 urinal per 150 males.
For events with a gate opening time of 6 hours
or less:
1 toilet per 120 females.
1 toilet per 600 males plus 1 urinal per 175 males.
In order to use the recommendations you should
use the peak capacity of the event (as opposed to
numbers attending throughout the day, if
applicable) and the expected male female split.
Unless there is a good reason to do otherwise you
can assume a 50:50 split. You may need to make
further assumptions that may raise or lower the
assessment of toilets required at the event. For
example, if you are expecting the event to have a
high audience turnover i.e. the average person
will not be staying for very long, if there are public
toilets close by or if the event is situated very
close to people’s homes, then you may need less
provision.
Drinking water
HSE recommendations for the provision of free
drinking water at outdoor events are as follows:
1 outlet per 3000 people and 1 outlet per 10
caterers in the same area.
Control and coordination
Produce a detailed Health and Safety plan for
the event with in depth supporting documents
such as risk assessments and site maps and
plans
Ensure full liaison has taken place prior to the
event with relevant statutory and emergency
services and that relevant event documentation
has been shared
Produce clear briefing sheets for all event
personnel and organise training sessions
Ensure all appropriate licenses and insurance
are in place
Ensure you operate a robust event control on
the day of the event. Position event control in a
clear space with good view of the event site. Do
not combine with any other station or structure
that may prove a distraction to the efficient
running of event control
Always keep the public informed and feed them
as much information as you can. Information is
one of the best tools to combat disaffection or
panic
Signage should be sufficient, clear and
unambiguous. Signs must be safely and
securely erected
Site maps and emergency instructions should
be made available to the public
Although mobile phones do have their uses be
wary of relying completely on them for staff
communication
Radios should be provided for key festival
personnel and an agreed radio procedure
followed
A mobile phone list should be provided as a
back up
Ensure you are able to contact other key
personnel on the day quickly and easily, for
example police, land owner, license holder etc.
Ensure management and supervision
hierarchies on the day are clear
Ensure the event Health and Safety plan and
personnel briefing sheets provide adequate
instruction re how to deal with difficult and
emergency situations and when and how the
emergency services should be called
Ensure the event emergency plans are fully
communicated, resourced and agreed by all
concerned
Assess numbers of first aiders and stewards
you will require for the event. Guidance on
public first aid is available in HSG 195
When assessing minimum stewarding
requirements for the event / constituent areas
you may need to think about:
Audience profile
Expected numbers
Performer profile
Nature of area / event
Specific tasks needing to be undertaken
Potential problem areas
Risks and hazards associated with area / event
Overcrowding and crowd movement /
management issues
Presence of vulnerable persons
Spread of facilities
Issues from previous years, if applicable
Location of control facilities
Any relevant preventative and protective
measures identified in risk assessments
Any other relevant factors
Electricity
Undertake risk assessment
Use an electrician:
At outdoor events an electrician can be
invaluable to check equipment and make
electrical connections and before the day to
give advice if required
For indoor events an electrician may be
required if equipment is complex or
dangerous
Ensure PA and other electrical equipment is
fitted and managed by competent persons
Ensure RCD protection is in place, preferably at
the switchboard
Ensure all portable electrical equipment is PAT
tested
Ensure all generators are fenced off and
earthed
Ensure any other potentially dangerous areas
are fenced off
Provide suitable fire extinguishers
Provide appropriate signage
Take extreme care if working near overhead
wires
Outdoor events may need to check for the
location of underground supplies
Monitor and manage electrical safety at the
event
Carry out visual checks and inspections as
required
Information, instruction and training
Use the lowest voltage you can
Not overload extension leads or sockets
Check all equipment is correctly fused, earthed
and insulated
Keep water away from electricity
Keep the general public away from electricity!
Do not rely on other people’s electrical
equipment being safe
Encourage staff to report electrical problems
and act on these promptly
Cables and wires are potential trip hazards. These
should always be secured and located to minimise
risk of slips, trips and falls e.g. against walls in
preference to floors, located out of public areas
where possible, located out of access or traffic
routes where possible
Cable ramp
Cable matting
Gaffa or duck tape
Key documents
Electricity at Work Regulations
HSG85 Electricity at work safe working
practices (£7.95)
GS50 Electrical safety at places of
entertainment (£6)
HSG107 Maintaining portable and transportable
electrical equipment (£7.95)
INDG231 Electrical safety and you (£0)
INDG 247 Electrical safety for entertainers (£0)
Fire protection
Undertake a fire risk assessment
Manage dangerous substances
Assign and train 'competent persons' to assist
with fire safety measures
Maintain relevant equipment
Information, instruction and training
Provide general fire precautions:
Fire detection and warning systems
Fire fighting equipment
Ensure there is sufficient means of escape
and that this is safely maintained
A plan of action should fire occur (emergency
procedures)
Indoor events will be most straightforward. You
will need to apply the same principles to outdoor
events as best as you can. For example, fire
wardens and stewards can provide fire detection,
klaxons, bull horns and / or PA announcements
can provide fire warning. See my website for how
to calculate occupant capacity for outdoor events
Things to consider:
Electrical fires
Fire risks caused by staff / participant activities
Fire risks caused by public activities
Risk of fire in refuse bins or temporary refuse
build up
Risk of fire from existing vegetation
Safe storage of flammable substances
Arson
Use of fire retardant materials
Positioning of relevant signage
Sharing information with other parties on site
Fire breaks - positioning of stalls, activities and
other instillations at outdoor events
Fire instructions
Smoking
Electrical safety
Unauthorised access
Stage areas
Tents and marquees
Stage areas
Electrical safety
Use of fire retardant materials
No smoking
Management of any dangerous activity
Suitable fire fighting equipment
Evacuation plan
Tents and marquees
As 'stage areas' above
Sufficient number of signed fire exits or at least
two open sides to provide a means of escape in
case of fire
Should be able to be evacuated in under 2
minutes
Monitor overcrowding and keep exits clear
Key documents
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order
A Guide to fire precautions in places of
entertainment and like premises (around £20
from TSO)
Fire safety an employers guide (£9.95 from
TSO)
Fire Safety Risk Assessment - Large Places of
Assembly
Fire Safety Risk Assessment - Theatres,
Cinemas and Similar Premises
Fire Safety Risk Assessment - Open Air Events
and Venues
(All £15 or free to download from DCLG)
Noise
Where employees are exposed to the lower
action level [daily / weekly exposure of 80 dB(A)]:
Undertake a noise risk assessment
Make hearing protection available on request
Provide information, instruction and training
as required
Where employees are exposed to the upper
action level [daily / weekly exposure of 85 dB(A)]:
Undertake a noise risk assessment
Reduce noise levels using organisational and
technical measures. Hearing protection
should only be relied upon as a last resort
Make hearing protection obligatory in signed
'hearing protection zones'
Provide information, instruction and training
as required
There is also a exposure limit value of 87 dB(A)
Reduce the risk of hearing damage to
employees / volunteers to the lowest level
reasonably practicable
Assess or measure noise levels to determine if
you have any duties under the Regulations
Remember the action levels are for 8 hours
exposure so you will need to scale up / down
your measurement accordingly. You can find a
ready reckoner to do this on the HSE website or
at www.healthandsafetyforthearts.com
The noise risk assessment should
include consideration of:
The level, type and duration of exposure
The effects of exposure on vulnerable
employees
Measures needed to comply with the Noise at
Work Regulations to reduce sound levels /
exposure to sound levels - at source where
possible
Any indirect effects of noise exposure e.g.
inability to hear warning signals
Any interactions between noise and vibration
Any extension of exposure to noise at the
workplace beyond normal working hours and /
or exposure in rest facilities
Sharing information on risks to health and
safety with any affected parties
Published information and guidance
When considering strategies to reduce
sound levels / exposure to sound levels
you should consider:
Reducing noise levels at source if possible
Any information provided by manufacturers of
work equipment
The availability of alternative equipment which
is less noisy
The availability of personal hearing protectors
with adequate attenuation characteristics
Determine what sound levels you will aim for
throughout the event and what steps will be
taken to ensure levels are kept within agreed
limits
Careful setting of levels at sound check stage
Positioning and type of loudspeakers and other
equipment used
Regular monitoring and control by competent
persons throughout event
Monitoring from different areas with a portable
decibel meter, where required
Monitoring and controlling levels of back line
equipment where appropriate
Use of shift working and / or rotating tasks to
reduce length of exposure of individual staff
Use of quiet periods between acts
Encouraging personnel to remain in backstage
(low noise) areas unless there is a specific need
to enter stage (high noise) areas
When considering who is exposed to
noise levels you should consider:
Audience
Performers
Participants
Stage crew
Sound engineers
Those in immediate environment inside event
Those in immediate environment outside event
Protecting the audience:
There is no specific Legislation setting the limits
for audience exposure to noise. The HSE
recommends:
A maximum sound level in any part of the
audience area of 107 dB(A)
If the sound level is likely to exceed 96 dB(A)
the audience should be warned in advance of
the risk to their hearing e.g. on tickets
The HSE have produced a dedicated website to
offer advice on noise at work to the music and
entertainment industries. Visit
www.soundadvice.info. There is also an extensive
Noise section on my website
www.healthandsafetyforthearts.com
Other specific hazards / considerations:
Site Set Up
Site Clear
Vehicle Movement and Gates
Control of Litter
Car Parking
Crowd management
Unauthorised Entry
Catering
Performance / Workshop Areas
Special events
Marquees and Structures
Fencing
Extreme Weather
The Handling of a Large Amount of Public /
Media Enquiries
Premature Cessation of the event
Strategic and Operational Risk Assessments
Slips, trips and falls
Manual handling
Special needs / vulnerable persons
Accident Reporting Procedure
Participant Contracts
Site Safety Rules
Stallholders Conditions of Operation
Managing Contractors
Stage safety
Procession routes
Public disorder
Structures
Road closure
Fireworks / pyrotechnics
Understanding the Terms of any Premises
License
The event Health and Safety officer
'a Guide to Health, Safety and Welfare at Pop
Music and Similar events' HSE (HSG 195)
'Health and Safety for Outdoor Community
Events' Abigail Cheverst