With roughly 35% of the UK visitor economy built on events, it’s no wonder that more and more businesses and individuals are looking to take a slice of the pie. But planning an event comes with a range of expected and unexpected security challenges, from crowd control to emergency response. A thorough event risk assessment is therefore vital to identify potential hazards, mitigate risks, and ensure the safety of attendees, staff, and performers: which is where we come in.
At X9 Security, we specialise in event security, helping organisers implement effective safety measures. In this easy-to-follow guide, we’ll walk you through how to create a comprehensive safety plan for events, covering everything from identifying potential threats to implementing control measures. So, whether you’re organising a small corporate gathering or a large-scale festival, this post will help you to prioritise security and compliance, keeping your event safe and enjoyable for everyone.
Skip to:
- What is a risk assessment?
- Who should create an event safety plan?
- Creating your safety plan for events
- Event risk assessment: The bottom line
What is a risk assessment?
Put simply, an event risk assessment refers to the process of identifying and evaluating potential hazards and then taking steps to reduce them effectively. A thorough risk assessment is thus crucial to ensure that event organisers and security teams can prepare for and respond to any incidents efficiently.
As a key step on the road to creating an event safety plan, it plays a key role in creating a safer experience for attendees, staff, and performers whilst also contributing to legal and insurance requirements.
Why is it important for events?
Without a clear understanding of the risks involved, even the best planned event can face unexpected disruptions, from medical emergencies to security threats.
By completing a risk assessment, measures such as emergency response plans and fluid security protocols can mitigate such risks, and, in the case that they still occur, allow for a quick and safe response. Beyond safety though, there are other key benefits to keep in mind:
- Smoother event operation: Reduces disruptions and ensures a well-organised event experience for all.
- Cost savings: Prevents costly incidents, insurance claims, and potential damage to reputation.
- Prioritisation of resources: Allows for a strategic safety and security plan based on which risks are deemed most important, which can in turn ensure that you make the most of your budget.
- Liability and legal requirements: Can help to demonstrate due diligence if anything goes wrong, potentially protecting organisers from legal issues down the line.
- Boosted reputation: Shows professionalism and commitment to safety, encouraging future event attendance and partnerships.
- Increased staff and stakeholder confidence: Reassures staff, vendors, insurers, performers, and attendees that risks are being managed, and their well-being is a top priority.
Who should create an event safety plan?
Usually, the event organiser will be responsible for conducting the risk assessment and creating the safety plan – either themselves or by outsourcing to a competent company. ‘Competence’ in this context refers to an individual or organisation that has prior expertise or experience in event safety or risk management.
If the assessment is being conducted in-house, the event organiser may want to consult with a team of individuals to ensure that all bases are covered. This could involve liaising with anyone from venue owners to employees to local authorities.
If outsourcing to an external company, there are a few key things to consider. For instance, do they have experience in the events sector? Do they have experience in your specific type and scale of event? Are they accredited? How do they communicate with you to ensure that all risks are considered? Asking yourself these questions will help ensure that you select a trustworthy and reliable team for the job.
Creating your safety plan for events
If the responsibility of conducting the event risk assessment has fallen onto your shoulders, this section should help in completing the process to a high standard. Of course, this is just a general guide and should be tailored to the specificities of your event and any legal requirements you might need to follow.
1. Get the basics down
The context of your event is vital in shaping your approach to risks. Indeed, some common risks may not even be relevant to your event at all – for example, overheating if your event will take place outside in the middle of Winter. An obvious call perhaps, but there’s no point mindlessly brainstorming common risks without thinking within the framework of your specific event.
So, you should identify five key basics to help direct your thinking:
- The scale and type of the event
- Time of day and year
- The type and number of attendees
- Location
- Duration of the event
2. Identify the potential hazards
Once you’ve defined the parameters of the event, it is time to work through the potential hazards. These risks will vary depending on the venue, audience size, and nature of the event, but common considerations include:
- Slips, trips, falls: Is there likely to be any loose cables, uneven flooring, poor lighting, or spills that could cause injury? Will these be heightened by additional factors, such as alcohol or disorientating activities?
- Fire safety risks: Is there a clear emergency exit route? Will any emergency exits be blocked? Are electrical systems being used and have they been safety tested? Will any flammable decorations be used?
- Security threats: Are there any easy entry points? Is the type of event likely to invite disruptive individuals? How will you ensure there are no external threats entering the venue (such as sharp objects or drugs)?
- Technical failures: Would a power cut have a large impact on the safety or running of the event? Is lighting imperative to safety? How will technology be regulated to prevent hijacking?
- Health hazards: Are there any particularly harmful substances onsite? Are you serving food and, if so, could there be food hygiene issues?
- Overcrowding: Are you likely to exceed venue capacity? What will happen in the case of a medical emergency? How will you avoid discomfort or overheating? Are there any ‘pinch points’?
- Vehicles on site: Is there a risk to pedestrians? How will you manage parking areas? Are there any large vehicles or machinery that could be accessed without authorisation? Could the event cause a traffic jam?
- Noise levels: Could prolonged exposure cause hearing damage? How will staff communicate over loud noise? Are there likely to be noise complaints from locals?
- Alcohol or drugs: Are attendees likely to be intoxicated? Is alcohol a large part of the event? How will you monitor and manage alcohol in accordance with the law?
- Structures: Are you using any temporary stages, tents, or scaffolding? Are there any unsafe edges or openings?
In addition to these considerations, there are likely to be other specific hazards for your event. For instance, if you’re hosting a fireworks display, you might need to consider wind conditions or the risk of improper handling.
3. Identify who is at risk
Next, you should consider which groups of people could be at risk for each hazard. This will help you take targeted actions to protect different groups. Think beyond just attendees: staff, vendors, performers, and the wider community are just as much at risk as attendees are!
For example, consider the specific hazards for vendors. They might need to set up and move heavy equipment such as tents, which could lead to injury. They could also face theft or property damage during the event, particularly if they are operating in large, crowded areas.
Another example could be children. There’s a greater risk of them getting lost or encountering hazards without adequate supervision. Additionally, depending on the nature of the event, children could be exposed to inappropriate language or behaviour which could be unsettling for them.
4. Evaluate the risk
Once potential hazards have been identified, and the groups of individuals associated with each hazard have been mapped out, the next step is to evaluate the level of risk. This process is perhaps the most fundamental step as it helps prioritise which risks require immediate attention, and which can be managed with less urgent measures – after all, it’s extremely unlikely that each and every risk can be completely removed.
To determine the risk level of each hazard, you should assess it based on three factors, each of which could be rated from 1-5.
Likelihood
How likely is it that the hazard will occur? Is it a common risk that has happened at similar events multiple times, or is it a rare situation?
A hazard rated 1 would be the rarest, whereas a hazard rated 5 would be certain.
Severity
Consider the potential consequences if the hazard did happen. What kind of issues could it cause? Would it just be a case of minor disruption, or could it lead to significant personal harm?
A hazard rated 5 would have the most severe consequences, whereas a hazard rated 1 would have little to no consequence.
Exposure
Estimate how many people may be exposed to the hazard. If it’s only likely to affect a small number, then it might be a lower priority, but widespread exposure can be a tell-tale sign that it’s time for immediate action. This doesn’t mean needlessly neglecting a portion of your audience though, so always stay aware of how you can work to prevent even the smallest scale issues.
A hazard rated 1 would only apply to an individual or a very small group of people, whereas a hazard rated 5 would apply to most, if not all, people present.
Risk Level
Combine the ratings of each of these three factors to determine an overall risk level out of 15. A high likelihood and high severity hazard with broad exposure would be classified as the most critical (15), with a low likelihood and severity risk with narrow exposure requiring less attention.
5. Decide on safety measures
Once risks have been evaluated, you can then move to decide on the appropriate safety measures to prevent, reduce or manage those risks. Addressing the most critical risks with the most urgency first, work your way through each hazard. Note that some safety measures can double up to address more than one hazard, so direct your resources accordingly. Here are some examples:
- To combat the risk of crowd control and overcrowding, you may want to hire different types of security guards who are trained to handle crowd management. Just make sure that you have enough security guards per person as relevant to your event. Plus, positioning security guards on entrance points could also be a good way to mitigate unauthorised access risks.
- If you’re working with a nightlife event aimed at adults, you might want to consider working with trained dog units alongside bag searches to detect illegal substances before they can make their way into the venue.
- To mitigate the risk of theft from vendors, strategically placed CCTV acts as a powerful deterrent whilst also doubling to provide evidence in legal cases should the need arise. Mobile CCTV units can be particularly useful for outdoor events, such as festivals, where the venue may not already have adequate coverage.
- When it comes to issues surrounding fire risks and evacuation routes, you might want to consider investing in proper signage that can help people to navigate the venue quickly and safely. Signs can also help to ease congestion and avoid delays in emergency care.
- On a smaller scale, proper lighting throughout the event venue can help to prevent accidents, especially during evening events or in areas with uneven terrain. You might consider ensuring that pathways, emergency exits, and key areas like bathrooms or first aid stations are well-lit.
Once you have decided on the relevant safety measures, make sure that all employees are sufficiently trained and informed of their role in the safety plan. Clear communication of the expected risks and what to do in the case of an incident can be essential to ensuring the success of the plan – after all, there’s no use implementing these measures if no one knows how to use them.
6. Record the actions taken
It is important to document your risk assessment and safety plan, along with any actions taken, as they may be needed for future reference. Not only will it help to demonstrate compliance with legal requirements and regulations, but it also serves as a valuable tool in assessing the effectiveness of any safety measures you do choose to implement and identifying areas for improvement.
7. Review and revise as needed
An event safety plan is an ongoing process, which is why you should review the hazards identified and safety measures implemented on a regular basis, both in the lead up to, and after the event itself.
The hazards can change significantly throughout the planning process of the event – even a change to the location can have a substantial impact. For example, moving the event closer to the city centre of Leicester as opposed to the outskirts could raise new questions about unauthorised access or crime rates in the area.
After the fact, gathering feedback from staff, security personnel, and attendees can provide valuable insights into what worked well and what could be improved, potentially even highlighting hazards that you were previously unaware of. Ensure that the lessons learnt are incorporated into future events to promote a safer environment for everyone.
Event risk assessment: The bottom line
So, there you have it. Though it can be quite a long and laborious process, incorporating comprehensive risk assessments and safety measures into your planning is essential for ensuring the success of any event. We hope that this post has given you some direction for your own event security and safety endeavours.
If you’re looking for more expert guidance on event security, our team is here to help. As accredited professionals with over 45 years of combined experience, we have a variety of services available to support you in making your event as safe and successful as possible.