Organising a Safe Event

Zurich Municipal Risk Consultants, Sharon Kearns, Michelle Yorke and Craig Preston, have provided 8 key points to think about when organising an event:

1. Event planning. Consider who is organising the event and identify key roles and responsibilities. Is advice required, and do relevant agencies (Fire and Rescue, Environmental Health etc.) need to be consulted?

What are the risks, scale and complexity associated with arranging such an event? What emergency arrangements need to be made (e.g. first aid, lost children, etc.)? And how will risk control measures be monitored to ensure they are followed? 

An event safety management plan should be prepared for every event, but this will help determine the level of detail required in terms of formal risk management planning and documentation. More information can be found on the The Health and Safety (HSE) website.

2. Event location. There are many locations which require permission to use, so make sure you contact the land or property owner if necessary. Some activities will also require road closures and/or a license. Contact your local authority to find out what’s required - they can also provide further guidance about managing the event. 

3. Risk assessment. If you’re planning any type of event, it’s important to consider the possible risks in advance, and to record how you are planning to control them. This can be anything from a slip or trip to gas and electrical equipment.  Risk assessments should determine the controls to be taken before, during and after the event and should form an important part of any event safety plan. To download our risk assessment templates, please see our Local Community Advisory Service (LCAS) Guide.

4. Fire safety. As part of the risk assessment process, you should consider fire safety risks and have a fire evacuation procedure, especially if you’re planning on lighting beacons or using fireworks. But also if you’ll be using items such as gas cylinders or barbecues. Be sure to consider people with mobility issues, the elderly, and children as they may need extra assistance. Think about any specific fire safety precautions that need to be taken to prevent or mitigate a fire. It’s also essential to have people with appropriate training who can act as fire wardens.

5. Temporary structures. When installing temporary structures such as stages, seating or marquees - there are certain arrangements you should put in place, to make certain they are safe. The HSE details comprehensive guidance around the topic.

6. Alcohol licence. If you’re intending to sell alcohol at your event, you should contact your local council, police and environmental health to make them aware. You must do this by making an application for a Temporary Events Notice - the fee for this is currently £21 (as at April 2022).

7. Serving food. A one-off street party, or small community event where food is sold or given away to attendees is not likely to require formal registration, but organisers will need to ensure basic food hygiene is in place. Organisers of large events should check with their local council whether they need to register their food activities. Before serving any food, strong consideration should be given to attendees with food allergies or intolerances. Make sure ingredients are clear on menus, tables and food stalls, so that people are fully aware. The Food Standards Agency provides practical advice on managing allergens and food hygiene.

8. Insurance. Despite taking all of the above elements into consideration, we know sometimes things can still go wrong. Therefore, it’s important to make sure you also have appropriate insurance cover in place for your event. You can do this by contacting your insurance provider and discussing your planned activities. If you’d like more information about the insurance Zurich offer, visit our charities and not-for-profits insurance page, or local councils insurance page.

9. Guest Speakers. Sometimes it can benefit an event to have someone from another organisation visit to give a talk of their expertise which can benefit your attendees and encourage new people to come along. To have a look at some examples of people you could invite as a guest speaker take a look at our contacts page.