With many councils starting to plan fetes, galas and summer parties, now is a good time to establish your role and responsibilities as the Event Organiser.
Risk Management
With the organisation of any event, no matter its size, assessing the risks should always be on the agenda. Risk management can make your event run smoothly and make sure that there are no nasty surprises.
Your duties as an Event Organiser are likely to include the following:
- Overall management of the event proceedings
- Implementing health and safety measures to control risks
- Ensuring cooperation and suitable coordination of work activities
- Checking the adequacy of your own and your contractor’s insurance
- Managing vehicles and live traffic information
- Appropriate licensing
- Post-event debrief
No matter the nature of the event, be sure to:
- Devise a plan
The level of detail of this should be proportionate to the scale of the event and the degree of the risks associated. - Consider potential incidents and emergencies
So that you can respond promptly in an appropriate manner. Again, this will depend on the level of risk presented by any event. - Manage proceedings so that the event runs safely
You may need to ensure adequate coordination of the activities; provide training for employees and volunteers; monitor the precautions you have put in place and so on.
Risk Assessment
The best way to formalise and document this information is by completing a risk assessment. Preparations should also include engaging the police, fire authorities and any other relevant stakeholders. When a claim is submitted by solicitors, the first document they often ask for is the risk assessment. Putting risk management steps in place can be fundamental to establishing protection from insurance claims.
Risk example: if your event has inflatables or bouncy castles and your risk assessment doesn’t include weather considerations, any subsequent claim as a result of an inflatable blowing away due to adverse wind speed may be difficult for the insurers to defend.
Having a robust risk management framework will help to protect the council and its budget, as well as employees and members of the public. Careful planning and organisation will help to ensure the safety and success of your event.
If you have any questions or queries on these topical matters, please contact Clear Councils Insurance for further information: [email protected]
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