Events - Guidance

Remember each event is unique - the place, the people and what you are doing.  Make sure you are in the best position to make decisions, which will ensure the safety as well as the success of the occasion.

Suggested things to do

1.  Form a committee or group to help you plan the event and identify potential hazards.
2. Seek volunteers to be in charge of specific tasks.
3. Risk assess each area and introduce measures to minimise the possibility of harm.

Areas to consider

• Who is attending the event?  Have they any special needs which will require consideration such as access to fire escapes?
• Choice of site, preparation and facilities
• The site should be big enough for all the activities planned.
• For all events there must be plenty of space for the public to move around stalls, rides, performance/stage, arena/exhibition areas, etc, and to have unobstructed routes to exits.  This is especially important when holding an indoor event, to prevent stalls/goods obstructing exit routes and doors.
• Covid requirements such as sufficient space for social distancing, hand sanitising, ventilation etc.

You should

• Prepare a sketch plan of the site, preferably to scale, showing the position of all the activities/attractions, circulation routes and exits.  This drawing should be reviewed and updated as required.  If your plans change you must inform the Council and copies of the final version must be available at the event;
• Have enough exits for a mass orderly evacuation of the site;
• Ensure entrances and exits are identified for emergency vehicles.  These should be agreed, well in advance of the event with the emergency services, bearing in mind the size and weight of their appliances. 

The Site Venue

Consider the:      

• Condition of an outdoor site;
• Preparation of the site; 
• Community Impact i.e. noise pollution etc.
• Security; 
• Public entry and exit; 
• Vehicles and car parking;
• Emergency access.

Equipment

• Safety barriers; 
• Staging or structures; 
• Electrical supplies, installations and equipment; 
• Fire-fighting; 
• First aid; 
• Control room;
• Means of communication.

Welfare Facilities

• Staff safety;
• People with disabilities; 
• Toilets;
• Information point; 
• Lost children and lost property, etc; 
• Provision of water;
• Litter and refuse;
• Community safety.

Crowd Control

Event organisers have overall responsibility for ensuring crowd safety at the event.  Crowd management is therefore a critical part of safety planning. 

Set a realistic maximum number who can attend.  Be prepared for gate crashers.  If appropriate issue numbered tickets to be sold or distributed through named contacts, but consider, can these be easily forged.  Supervise the event to prevent crushing or other safety issues.

Stewards

Provide an appropriate number of adequately trained stewards for the security and control of the site and the attending public.  They should be aware of emergency procedures, which may include access/egress, fire, injury, and difficult/unruly members of the public.

The number of stewards needed may be determined by considering each of the separate tasks to be covered (i.e. staffing entrances and exits, controlling access to attractions/activities, general crowd control, patrolling public areas, securing unauthorised areas, securing hazards, car parking duties, etc.)  This must be considered within the risk assessment.

If the event is to last several hours, extra stewards should be available to allow others to take meal breaks, etc.

All persons working on behalf of the organiser should, where possible, wear high visibility and reflective clothing that denotes their individual roles and bears individual identification throughout the event.

The organiser should ensure that all persons engaged either directly or indirectly by them on duties within the site:

• Are responsible, fit to deal with physical requirements of their activity;
• Do not consume or be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs;
• Do not leave their point of allocated duty (except in the pursuit of public safety);
• Remain calm;
• Be courteous towards all those with whom they have contact;
• Co-operate in full with any legal requirements of the regulatory services and/or council officials.

The organiser should ensure the accurate monitoring and recording of all persons within the event site and will make such information immediately available on request to the emergency services or Council officials.  Customer numbers must be available as separate from site staff numbers.   

The organiser’s staff are responsible initially for matters of public order within the event site and for dealing with any disturbance by legal means.

The organiser is responsible for ensuring that all persons working on their behalf are suitably and sufficiently trained and briefed prior to the commencement of the event about their areas of responsibility and site procedures.

Emergency Escape Routes

Identify means of escape. Ensure that fire escapes are well lit and kept clear of obstructions, both inside and outside the venue. Control parking to ensure access for emergency vehicles.

Emergency Lighting

Make appropriate provision for possible power cuts. At small events torches may be sufficient but larger events may need standby, or continuously operating generators.

Electrical Safety

Consider the entire installation and seek expert advice. Organisers are reminded that you have a duty of care to those who may be affected by your event. Permission will only be granted by the Council on the understanding that a competent person is designated as the ‘responsible person’ for the event. 

• If the event is outside, could it be run from a lower voltage via a transformer?
• Use a residual current device (RCD), especially outdoors or in a damp or wet environment.  This is particularly important for musical instruments, microphones etc.  Note: You cannot use a RCD where a sudden loss of power could be dangerous, for example lighting systems or moving machinery;  
• Use proper electrical connectors and do not use insulating tape or other temporary measures;
• Locate electrical leads safely to prevent tripping hazards.

Food

If you plan to have food or refreshments available at the event and this will be provided by outside caterers, i.e. hotdog stalls, candy floss, etc. the event organisers will need to ensure that these carry sufficient insurance and show that they are trained to at least ‘basic food hygiene’ level. As event organiser you will need to obtain and retain copies.

Important – event organisers will be responsible for ensuring that all participants comply with the necessary health and safety and regulatory requirements including licences, food hygiene certificates, fairground rides and any other relevant documentation.  The Council may request individual documents during application process if they deem this necessary.

If planning to do the catering yourself, please make the Council aware of this and seek guidance from us prior to proceeding with the event.

Noise Control

How to enjoy your event and keep the peace with the neighbours

Noise from many different sources may be the cause of disturbance to residents and neighbours, for example:

• Amplified music and speech;
• Singing;
• Loud conversation.

Entertainment noise should be kept to a minimum and you should always consider others.  When planning an event on Council owned property (land or building) there are many considerations to be made.  The size of the event and nature of the entertainment will dictate the type of disturbance that may arise.  You should identify a person to be responsible for noise control.  Remember that the venue must be licensed if the entertainment is publicly advertised. Since April 2008, the Control of Noise at Work Regulations have been extended to regulate noise in the music and entertainment industry. As such, events where music is provided may now be subject to legislation in relation to the noise levels. 

Information on the control of noise is available from the Councils’ Environmental Health department.  Officers can provide advice specific to your event. They can be reached via the Councils’ customer service centre on 01546 605514 or by emailing us at envhealth@argyll-bute.gov.uk

Small-scale use of Gas (Liquid Petroleum Gas) in cylinders

LPG, such as propane or butane, is a colourless liquid that readily evaporates into gas.  It has no smell, although it will normally have an odour to detect leaks.

When mixed with air, the gas can burn or explode when it meets a source of ignition.  It is heavier than air, so it tends to sink towards the ground.  LPG can flow for long distances along the ground, and can therefore collect in drains, gullies and cellars.

LPG is supplied in pressurised cylinders to keep it liquefied.  The cylinders are strong and not easily damaged, although the valve at the top can be vulnerable to impact. LPG can also cause burns to the skin.

Fixed cylinder installations:

• Ensure the cylinders are kept secured in position and are not tampered with;
• Do not let anyone work on the installation unless they are suitably trained and competent to do the work.

Cylinders not fixed in position:

• Keep all cylinders in a safe, well-ventilated place, preferably in the open air, and away from occupied buildings, boundaries and sources of ignition and heat;
• Make sure the cylinders are properly secured and kept upright.

For ALL installations 

• Keep rubbish and anything that will burn easily well away from the cylinders, and keep weeds and grass cut.  Don’t use a chlorate-based weed killer, as it can be a fire hazard;
• Do not allow any electrical equipment, vehicles, bonfires, barbecues or other sources of ignition near the cylinders.  Exceptions are items purpose-designed to use LPG, such as gas-fired barbecues;
• Do not smoke when changing cylinders;
• Keep people, especially children, segregated from the installation;
• Keep vehicles away from the installation;
• Make sure that the pipe work or flexible hose from the cylinders to the point of use is protected against accidental damage, and is properly supported;
• Report any equipment failure or damage to your supplier immediately, and ask them for guidance.

 First Aid

A senior officer nominated by the Ambulance Service or St Johns Ambulance will be able to offer advice and guidance to organisers and promoters on the first aid/ambulance/medical implications and consideration of their particular event.  This advice will cover, for example, the number of first-aiders, first aid point locations or the possible provision of ambulances for an event.  Such guidance will be drawn from appropriate publications and/or national recommendations.

Manual Handling

Assess the venue and the tasks involved in creating the event.

What will need to be moved and how will you do it?  Will there be awkward, heavy items such as beer barrels or components of marquees?

Consider:

• The load – is it heavy, slippery, uneven in weight or shape?
• The task – where is it going?  Up or down stairs, into a tight space?
• Who is doing the work?  Are there enough people?  Their age, sex, strength, fitness should all be considered.  Wherever possible, use aids and equipment to help e.g. stack barrows.
• The environment – including ground conditions, weather conditions, etc.

Waste Management

One event can generate a lot of litter and refuse.  It is essential that responsibility is taken for the control and site clearance of any litter.  Plans should include the number and type of containers to be used and where these will be deployed.  It is often easier to use containers that can be mechanically emptied and these provide a range of capacity.  Large events may require the site to be patrolled by litter-pickers in addition to static containers. Litter can often include hazardous items e.g. broken glass, discarded needles/syringes etc. and the associated control measures should be included in the risk assessment, where applicable.

The generation of rubbish from activity involving the exchange of money (e.g. stall, sideshow, snack vendors etc) is classified as commercial waste. Organisers must ensure that such waste is contained, to prevent littering, and disposed of in a legal manner.  Commercial waste should only be collected by a ‘registered carrier’ of waste and there must be a ‘waste transfer note’ between the ‘producer’ of the waste and the carrier.  If the event organiser is taking responsibility for waste disposal then the organiser may become a ‘broker’ and more paperwork is needed.  For advice please contact commercial.refuse@argyll-bute.gov.uk

Toilets

Provide an adequate number and type of toilets for the number of people expected, including provision for people with disabilities.  Further advice can be sought from specialist suppliers.

It is best to provide toilets that are connected to mains services, but temporary units may have to be provided.

Arrange for all toilets to be serviced and cleaned regularly to keep them fully operational, clean and hygienic throughout the event.

Provide adequate signs to indicate the location of the toilets and provide adequate lighting, where necessary, if the event continues into the evening.

Locate toilets so that people are protected from bad weather and trip hazards.  Where possible, locate toilets at different points around the venue to minimise crowding and queuing problems.

Special Activities

Additional health and safety precautions may be required to deal with proposed events or entertainment, which are unusual or potentially dangerous. The aforementioned health and safety considerations are not exhaustive and it is expected that the risk assessment will identify other considerations, which can be discussed with Council representatives from the relevant service area.

This document may not provide organisers with sufficient information to plan concerts and similar music events.  You are strongly advised to refer to the contents of The Purple Guide to Health and Safety and Welfare at Music and Other Events (Non-HSE document, subscription required.)

Large events of this nature require considerable expertise.