When you have thousands of people descending on one place to attend a popular festival or event it can present a plethora of issues. For this reason it’s imperative that before the event takes place a thorough risk management assessment should be conducted.
So what exactly is it?
In essence a risk assessment plan identifies any potential risks that holding a large scale festival brings and in addition puts steps in place that organisers need to follow in order to mitigate any potential dangers or risks before they occur.
So what exactly do we mean by the term ‘risk’?
A risk can mean many things but when we’re talking about large scale events and festivals, we’re talking about something that could
- Cause harm to another person
- Cause damage to the event itself, the infrastructure and/or equipment
- Harm the possible future of the said event
That said, there could be many eventualities that are out of the festival organiser’s control. In this case it’s important that a risk management plan identifies an individual who is responsible for co-ordinating the safety of every person at the event should a serious issue arise.
The first step
In order to help the event organiser carry out their own risk management plan here are some questions they should be asking. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it gives a starting point from which to develop a solid plan of action should the need arise.
The event site itself
- Are there sufficient entry and exit points and are there sufficient staff to control them?
- What about moving vehicles, could they pose a risk to pedestrians?
- If inclement weather threatens, is there anything on-site that might make a situation dangerous?
- What about other hazards? Is there a body of water or major roads on or near the site? If So how are you going to prevent major incidents from occurring?
- Is the area large enough to accommodate the number of people attending?
Activities within the event
- Are there any carnival rides attending your event and if so, how will you guarantee the safety of people on or near those rides?
- What about bands or headlining acts? Who’s responsible for making sure they stay safe from unruly fans?
- What about criminal activity such as fence jumping, theft, drugs etc? How much event security do you need and do you have a company in mind?
- Is alcohol going to be served at the event?
Any other potential risks
- In the event of a mass evacuation, do you have an action plan in place and more importantly who’s responsible for moving the people concerned?
- Have you advised the emergency services of your event in case of a major catastrophe?
If you as an event organiser follow the steps above and take action, you’ll have covered most of the bases should the need arise. If on the other hand you feel slightly overwhelmed by it all and need further help then why not contact MA Services Group? We’ve been in the security industry for many years and regularly conduct risk assessments for large scale festivals and events as well as take control of security. Contact us today on 03 9994 4107 and speak to our experienced team who are only too glad to assist.
