Event Safety Consultancy

Event Safety services assist the client with ensuring their moral, legal and ethical obligations are managed.

Our consultants are well versed with safety planning requirements and the cost effective solutions which are underpinned by in-depth, extensive experience, of the variety of major events with a first hand understanding of local authority and enforcement agency requirements.

Crowd Safety Consultants are professionally qualified and experienced consultants, with a wealth of experience to provide cost effective practical solutions, carry out Event Safety services throughout the UK and overseas.

Event Safety Services provided include:

  • Managing all Health & Safety & Fire Safety requirements under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 & the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
  • Event Safety Management Plans
  • Event Specific Risk Assessments
  • Fire Risk Assessments and Fire Management Plan
  • Approved Contractor Review
  • Safety Briefings
  • Inductions, Monitoring and Review
  • Evacuation Procedures
  • Contingency Planning
  • Showstop Procedures
  • Local Authority Liaison
  • Licensed Premises Safety Assistance
  • Event Control Room Representation
  • On Site Safety Management
  • Accident and Investigation Services
  • Incident Management Solutions

FAQ’s

Who is ultimately responsible for safety at my event?

You, the client, are ultimately responsible for the health and safety of everyone attending your event. This responsibility cannot be discharged. You must therefore satisfy yourself that you have appropriate safety assistance commensurate with the level of risk your event may be exposed to. The event organiser must satisfy themselves that contractors are competent. The event safety consultant can assist the client by reviewing all contractor health and safety information prior to commencing works.

Who enforces Health and Safety at Events?

In the UK, the local authority will enforce Health and Safety at events. Where the local authority are organising the event, the HSE will normally be the enforcing authority. Overseas, this may differ from country to country, however, any event which attracts crowds may be subject to enforcement action if something were wrong. A major concern amongst our clients, apart from ensuring a safe event, is the brand reputational damage which a significant incident could generate, particularly for the organiser, sponsors and performers.

Why do I have to have event safety services at all?

There are a number of primary reasons to engage competent safety assistance for your event.

  1. Legal
    There is a raft of legislation in place which states you must have competent safety assistance and provide a safe environment for workers and others that may be affected (e.g. members of the public, guests and performers).
  2. Moral
    No one wants anyone to get hurt at an event they are organising.
  3. Financial
    There are significant prosecution fines for breaches of legislation, legal fees and civil litigation to consider. The damage to brand reputation alone can be irreversible.

Is it a legal requirement for me to have to have an external safety consultant?

No, there is no requirement which states you MUST use an external consultant. The law does state that you must use a competent safety assistance which may very well be within your own organisation or the services of an external consultant. The key is to use someone with the qualifications and experience proportionate to the risks.

How do I know if someone is professionally qualified?

There is now a consultants register OSHCR (http://www.oshcr.org/) which can provide you with a list of people who have had to undergo a rigorous verification process to determine their suitability. The process includes qualifications, experience and references.

Communication is a key element of any event and plays a significant part, whoever you choose, try to ensure that they have the communication skills to achieve positive results and have the ability to communicate at all levels.

Also ask what other similar events they have provided consultancy services for and satisfy yourself that you have the right person before proceeding any further.

Remember, anyone can get the qualifications but you need to be confident that they can manage the safety of a significant incident during your event, or potentially, cross examination in a courtroom, as your representative, in the event something has gone wrong.

What safety documentation will I need for my event?

It all depends on the type of event but as a basis, you may require:

  • Event safety management plan
  • Event Risk Assessment
  • Fire Risk Assessment
  • Crowd Management Plan
  • A raft of risk assessments ranging from Food Safety & Hygiene through to Noise and Dangerous Substances (LPG, Diesel etc)

The key is to lease with a event safety consultant, or someone within your own organisation to determine what the requirements are for legislative compliance. Some organisations may want to ensure all bases are covered for each event based on a brand protection requirement.

Where can I seek further advice on event safety?

The Purple Guide (3rd Edition) has been produced using a panel of experts in the UK event industry. This guide has now formed the basis of other guides used internationally.