Event planning guide

Detailed preplanning will help to ensure your event is not only successful but also runs smoothly and above all safely.

Ideally as stated earlier we need you to let us know about your proposed event as soon as possible, as we put together our events programme a year in advance. For new large scale events an event enquiry form can be submitted using the on-line enquiry form this should be accompanied with your business proposal for the event including budget details.

Included in your proposal you should give details around the following areas.

Where - Choose a potential venue

Make sure the venue/site you have chosen, is adequate for the proposed event. Do not forget to consider the impact on the local community, how easy it will be for people to get to the venue and any car parking requirements. Consider the suitability of the venue/site and any existing hazards, which may be on the site such as water hazards, underground power cables, restrictive access etc. Consider whether or not emergency routes will be adequate.

When - Consider the time of year

A major consideration especially for outdoor events are the consequences of extreme weather, be that the sun, rain, wind or snow. The day of the week and time will also need consideration regarding the nature of the event, noise and ease of travel etc. You will probably need to arrange lighting for an evening function. It's advisable to check that your proposed event doesn't clash with any other major events in the area.

Who-Target Audience

Are particular groups or types of people to be targeted, such as young children, teenagers, the elderly or disabled? If so, specific facilities may be required to accommodate them or additional stewards to ensure adequate safety standards are maintained.

What-Type of Event

Decide on the type of activities to be held. Will there be any specific hazards such as animals or water sports, alcohol, structures, traders, food vendors, fairground rides etc? If possible also try to establish the size of the proposed event both in terms of the area of the site required and possible attendance numbers. Is it a commercial venture or primarily a fund raising event.

Welfare arrangements

The organiser needs to estimate the number of people they hope to attract to the event and consider its duration. Toilet and first aid requirements should be based on these estimations. Advice is given in the Code of Practice for Outdoor Events referred to above. Permanent toilets should be checked for adequacy and maintained during the event. The provision of drinking water may be necessary. Depending upon the scale of the event, refreshments and other facilities may be required. Provision also needs to be made for lost children, missing persons, baby changing and lost property. 

Organisation

The land owner and in particular if the event is proposed to take place on Council land, needs to be assured that the event organiser is competent and has the relevant experience to organise an event especially those large and complex events, and that an adequate budget has been set aside for the event.

Once you have decided on the fundamental objectives behind the activities, you can then start to organise the event in detail. Remember to write things down as you go and to keep the event plan up to date.

Establish a committee

Identify specific responsibilities for all committee members. One person should be identified as the Event Manager and be responsible for liaison with other organisations such as the council, the local police force and other emergency services. One person, with suitable experience, should be given overall responsibility for health and safety and another person co-ordination and supervision of stewards.

Permissions

As organiser of the event you need to obtain consent from the Landowner to hold the event regardless of whether this is Council land or private land.

Special permissions

The Licensing Act 2003 came into force during 2005 and changed the existing laws relating to public entertainment, indoor sporting events, indoor or outdoor boxing or wrestling events, late night refreshments and the sale of alcohol.

When you are organising an event it is always a good idea to contact the Licensing Team to discuss your event and the planned activities in order to establish whether or not licences are required.

It is advisable to make contact early in the planning stages, ideally 6 months before the licence is required, to be sure the license is granted before spending anything. Please see contact details at the back of this handbook for appropriate local authority officers and departments.

The following licences are now needed:

A Premises Licence will be required where the following activities are taking place at your event:

• the sale or supply of alcohol
• NB: Where alcohol is to be sold in connection with a Premises Licence there must be a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) named on the licence
• the supply of alcohol to a club member, or the sale of alcohol to a guest of a club member
• the provision of regulated entertainment:

1. Plays
2. Film exhibitions
3. Indoor sporting events
4. Boxing or wrestling exhibitions
5. Live music (karaoke included)
6. Recorded music
7. Performance of dance
8. Any entertainment similar to that described in 5, 6 or 7 above

• the sale of late night refreshment (hot food and/or drink between 11.00pm and 5.00am)

Temporary Event Notice (TEN) 

The exception to the Premises Licence rule is for small events which last no more than 168 hours and have no more than 499 people attending at any one time.  A TEN can be given by the applicant to the Licensing Authority in these cases. There are limits on the number of TENs that can be applied for. Advice should be sought from the licensing department.

A TEN notice requires the naming of a Premises User, and supplies of alcohol must be made 'by or under the authority of a premises user'.

A Personal Licence will be needed by anyone who wants to authorise the sale of alcohol as part of his or her business or event. The Designated Premises Supervisor must be a personal licence holder. If the event takes place under a TEN then a personal licence is not required.

The following are exempt from licensing under the Act:

• genuinely private functions
• live television and radio broadcasts.
• garden fetes and similar "not for profit" activities*
• music or plays associated with religious services or meetings
• morris dancing or similar
• entertainment on a moving vehicle.
• any entertainment exempt under the Live Music Act 2012

*The sale of alcohol at a private event, or at a garden fete will always require a licence, unless it's a prize in an exempted raffle.

Insurance

For all events and event organisers it is essential you have appropriate insurance to cover all aspects of your event. This should include:

• public liability insurance - we require at least £5m
• employers liability - this covers employees and volunteers
• event cancellation cover - this helps you cover costs you have already incurred if your event has to be cancelled

You will then need to ensure that anyone else working on site or participating in the event also have their own relevant insurances. This certification should be verified by the event organiser and a copy filed with the Event Management Plan, this is usually in the form of matrix listing all contractors, traders, concessions and entertainers, the date their insurance expires and that it covers the equipment/activity they are bringing to site.

Timescale

Set out the proposed timescale and give yourself as much time as possible to organise the event. You may need as much as 9 to 12 months planning. Some specialist advice may be required, and special permission could take time. Do not forget the summer can be a busy time with hundreds of events taking place within the area.

Event plan.  

Once your event has been accepted by the Event Board and put into the programme. You will be contacted with a date for the submission of your Event Safety Manual and all your supporting documentation and a date where these will be considered by the Safety Advisory Group. You will also be invited to attend the meeting so you can present your plan to the group and answer any questions raised.

Your event plan should include details about all the following areas:

• event description                                                                     
• crowd management plan
• contact list                                                                               
• noise management plan
• event build and dismantle schedule                                     
• stewarding and security information
• risk assessments                                                                     
• traffic management plan
• fire risk assessments                                                             
• communication plan
• temporary demountable structures                                    
• welfare facilities
• weather management plan                                                   
• counter terrorism measures

Details regarding what should be considered in each of the above areas are available in the form of the following guidance notes.

You should carry out and provide a written risk assessment as one of the first step in planning your event. This will ensure that adequate health and safety measures are put in place. The risk assessment should be specific to your event and the site/venue where the event is being held

What is a risk assessment?

A risk assessment is a tool used to identify the specific risks associated with a hazard or activity. Identification of the risk will allow you to make a decision about what steps / controls, if any, are necessary to reduce negative impacts to both the staff and public at your event.

Why do I need a risk assessment?

As an event organiser, you have a responsibility to both the public and your team to ensure that your event is run in as safe and appropriate a manner as possible.

A risk assessment ensures that you have thought through the safety implications of the activity or event and taken all possible steps / controls to reduce risks, where appropriate.

If anything does go wrong, a comprehensive written risk assessment will help evidence that you have done your best to predict and control or remove any foreseeable risks.

You also need to see copies of Risk Assessments from all your contractors, traders, concessions and entertainers you are having on site. Even if it is just the local Women's Institute serving tea at a local fete, a risk assessment is still required and as with your own risk assessments should be specific to that particular event and location, taking into account such things as even the weather on the day.

The following information is aimed to help you in carrying out your risk assessments, you may also find the template helpful to give you an idea of how to format the information, most importantly however all risk assessments must be signed and dated by the author and should state when they will be reviewed. For example, 'will be reviewed annually or following an incident which necessitates a change in the procedure, whichever is the sooner'.

Identifying the hazards

A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm.  All potential hazards should no matter how low a risk should be noted on the Risk Assessment form, this confirms you have actually considered all aspects risk associated with your event.

Below are detailed some typical hazards found at event sites that you should consider.

• any slipping, tripping or falling hazards
• hazards relating to fire risks or fire evacuation procedures
• moving parts of machinery for example fairground rides
• vehicles and machines on site
• electrical safety for example, use of generators and any portable electrical appliances
• manual handling activities
• high noise levels
• poor lighting, heating or ventilation
• any possible risk from specific demonstrations or activities
• crowd intensity and pinch points
• weather Conditions
• temporary demountable structures

This list is some of the main examples but is by no means exhaustive and care should be taken to identify any other hazards associated with the activities at your specific event.

Identifying those at risk

For each hazard identified, list all those who may be affected. Do not list individuals by name, just list groups of people. The following should be taken into account:

• stewards
• employees and volunteers
• contractors
• vendors, exhibitors and performers
• members of the public
• children, the elderly and those registered with disabilities
• potential trespassers

Areas to consider

The following are examples of areas to consider:

• type of event
• potential major incidents
• site hazards including car parks
• types of attendees such as children, elderly persons and the disabled
• crowd control, capacity, access and egress and stewarding
• provision for the emergency services
• provision of first aid
• provision of facilities
• fire, security and cash collection
• health and safety issues
• exhibitors and demonstrations
• amusements and attractions
• structures
• waste management

Assessing the risk

The level of the risk due to the activities (hazards), identified must be considered and existing control measures taken into account. The risk is the likelihood, high or low, that somebody could be harmed by a hazard together with an indication of how serious the harm could be. You should list the existing controls and assess whether or not any further control measures are required. The following should be taken into account:

• any information, instruction and training regarding the event and the activities involved
• compliance with legislative standards, codes of good practice and British Standards
• whether or not the existing controls have reduced the risk as far as is reasonably practicable

Further action necessary to control the risk

Classify risks into high, medium and low. Examples of risks falling into these categories are as follows:

• High - An unsecured inflatable being used in adverse weather conditions
• Medium - A display of animals in a roped off environment
• Low - A mime artist performing amongst the crowd

For each risk consider whether or not it can be eliminated completely. If it cannot, then decide what must be done to reduce it to an acceptable level. Only use personal protective equipment as a last resort when there is nothing else you can reasonably do. Consider the following:

• Removal of the hazard
• Preventing access to the hazard for example, by guarding dangerous parts of machinery
• Implement procedures to reduce exposure to the hazard
• The use of personal protective equipment
• Find a substitute for that activity/machine etc

Record the risk assessment findings

Use the Risk Assessment Form to record all significant hazards, the nature and extent of the risks, and the action required to control them. Keep this for future reference or use. You could also refer to other documents you may have, such as manuals, codes of practice etc.

Review and Revise

If the nature of the risk changes during the planning of the event, the risk assessments will need to be reviewed and updated.

Information

Where the risk assessment has identified significant risks, you must provide information to all those affected, regarding the nature of the risk and the control measures to be implemented.

Sample Risk Assessment Form

We have created a sample Risk Assessment Form for you to download, save and use.

Sample Risk Assessment Form (Word doc) [187KB]

A risk of fire in the vicinity of an Event is always present, particularly where there are marques, gazebos and mobile catering facilities are located. Other high risk areas are where generators are deployed.

As an event organiser you should document how incidents will be dealt with, such as will you use trained stewards in firefighting in high risk areas and have access to relevant equipment. Any firefighting equipment on site must have been regularly serviced and the current test in date.

A Fire Management Plan would normally include the following information:

• Event Name
• Event Location
• Type of Event
• Event Organiser
• Fire Risk Assessment Date
• Review Date
• Completed by
• Signed
• Description of Event
• Structure types
• Number of employees
• Number of Visitors
• Evacuation procedures
• How fire hazards are controlled within the area
• Risk of Fire spread
• Housekeeping
• Firefighting

Sample Fire Risk Assessment (Word doc) [23KB]

As an Event organiser you should consider how you will plan for and manage emergency situations which require resources beyond the norm as part of their risk assessment - no matter how unlikely they are to occur.

What types of emergencies should be considered?

There are well known disasters that have occurred at major sporting and recreational events over the past few years such as the Bradford Stadium Fire (1985), Hillsborough (1989) and Collapse of seating at Earls Court during a Pink Floyd Concert. These may seem extreme examples but there are other situations that can overwhelm your event, large or small, e.g. a horse bolting through a crowd, a tent catching fire or unseasonable weather causing large numbers of casualties due to exhaustion or exposure.

The key to dealing with such incidents is advance planning:

Points to plan for:

• Event Location - Consider the location of your event in relation to services and infrastructure that you may need in an emergency, such as electricity, telephones, water, shelter, proximity to hospitals and availability of Emergency Services. It is better to have them available or nearby. Additionally, be aware of the potential impacts the surrounding environment could have on your event e.g. is the event taking place in a flood warning area, is there a chemical site nearby.
• Access, egress and sterile routes - Make sure you have agreed access routes for Emergency Vehicles to and around your event, ideally separate from access routes for the public.
• Designate an Emergency Control Point - Designate a point where members of your event management team and the Emergency Services can meet in the event of an incident. Ideally this point should be under cover and have electricity and telephone access.
• Designate a single point of contact - to liaise with any Emergency Services. In the event of a major incident Emergency Services will deploy a co-ordinating officer to the scene. You should consider who would be the Emergency Services point of contact.
• Briefings - Your stewards, security, contractors/stall holders and medical staff must be briefed on procedures in relation to actions to be taken in the event of a significant incident. Brief them on what their role and actions are.
• Evacuation plan - Consider where public and staff should assemble and evacuate to (e.g. a remote car park). Consider evacuation routes, signage and public-address systems. Consider pre-prepared messages that are clear and will not alarm the public.
• Security - Are there any VIP's who will require special planning and arrangements. Could your event be subject to any subversive action from an individual or group? Further information with regard to this is outlined in the Counter Terrorism Section below.
• Counter Terrorism

The threat we face from terrorism at the present time is significant and no matter how unlikely it may seem that your event may be targeted it can happen at any time and any place without warning. Understanding the threat, we all face and ways in which we can guard against it can help keep us safe.

For guidance on steps you can take at your event please refer to the Crowded Places Guidance

Consider specifying individual and organisational roles and responsibilities in an incident.

Consider the resources (equipment and people) at your event and how they can be utilised and managed in the event of an incident.

Plan for dealing with the media. If an incident occurs plan to deal with local or national media. Pre-prepare factual information about your event which can be released immediately (eg type of event, number of years running, no of people attending).

It should be stressed that whilst many of these actions may seem to be specific to larger events, correct planning and risk assessment should look at these issues even for small events. Organisers should consider a section on Major Emergencies as part of their overall Event Management Plan. It should also be shared with the Emergency Responders before the event.

General Advice on Emergency Planning

Government advice and information - emergency preparation, response and recovery

The Emergency Planning Society 

Structures

In this section you need to identify any temporary structures on your site, this may include anything from a small-scale gazebo to larger marques/ stages/ fairground rides or inflatables. The event plan must contain specific information regarding the structure such as fire retardancy certificate, structural calculations, method statements, risk assessments and wind speed limitations.  The structures need to be signed off for use by a competent person stating that structure conforms to current legislation/industry standards deemed necessary to make the structure safe.

*Our check list for inspection of sites by the event organiser/safety officer gives you some useful tips on what key things to look for before signing a structure off.

Event organisers may find it useful to present this information in the form of a matrix.

Sample structures matrix (Word doc) [23KB]

Inflatables

If you are intending to have a slide, bouncy castle or some other inflatable structure at your event you should ask the supplier to provide the relevant risk assessment(s) that they have carried out. You should also have a copy of manufacturer's guidelines for installation and operation.

The safety of inflatable play devices not only depends on it design, but more on it safe operation, maintenance & inspection routines.

Safe Operation

Key points to look out for are:

• instability due to inadequate anchoring.
• instability due to winds in excess of the maximum safe wind speed specified for that structure.
• poor segregation of children; either overcrowding or lack of segregation with large more boisterous children and infants being allowed to use it at once.
• poor supervision, lack of attendants, children being allowed to bounce on the sides/front steps or climb the walls.
• a robust and recorded weather monitoring procedure
• details of the safe operation of play inflatables, including bouncy castles, can be found on the PIPA website or the HSE website

Maintenance and Inspection

There are two schemes for the inspection and certification of inflatable play devices, recommended by the HSE.  The Amusement Devices Inspection Procedure Scheme (ADIPS) and the Performance Inflatable Play Accreditation Scheme (PIPA). Generally, inflatables found at traditional fairgrounds and theme parks will have been tested under ADIPS while inflatables found at galas, fetes, hired for domestic parties etc tend to have been tested under PIPA. Both allow operators to comply with their duties under health and safety law.

If neither scheme has been used organisers would not be permitted to bring the structures on to Council land

An inflatable tested under either scheme should have a safety certificate issued by an independent examiner. Each certificate will have a unique number. If there is any doubt over the status of the certificate, it can be confirmed by checking the ADIPS website or in the case of PIPA by (i) checking the tag number of the device against the database on the PIPA website (ii) by phone on 0207 6189196.

Weather Monitoring/Management Plan

It is recommended that as event organiser you always check the weather forecast before and during the event where there are temporary structures.  As structures, weather conditions and location vary so much, the monitoring arrangements will need to consider each individual situation. Any procedures you put in place must take account of all event production elements rather than just the structure itself and should be put in place though the risk assessment process for each particular structure.

• When an anemometer (wind meter) is identified as being necessary it should be on site as soon as possible and must be monitored during the build-up and break down of the event and constantly when the weather conditions seem likely to be an issue.
• Those who have been given responsibility to use the wind meter must understand how it operates and where the most appropriate locations are to use it.
• Each type of structure should have its own specific wind/weather operating levels, trigger points and actions and this is the detail that would go in the matrix table above.
• Weather forecasts need to be monitored from the build point to the breakdown of the event.
• Other factors should also be taken into account such as:
  • the effect of rain on the ground and how this effects the anchorage points
  • lightning strikes on a structure
  • snow and the impact this has on the load capacity of the structure

Information should then be recorded on a weather monitoring form.

Sample weather monitoring and management plan (Word doc) [23KB]

CDM and Events

The Construction Design Management Regulations (CDM) 2015 where brought in to improve the Management, Safety and Welfare of Construction Projects.

So why is this relevant to Events?

Under the guidance "Construction Projects" includes the erection of stages, marquees and all other temporary demountable structures as described above.

So as an Event Organiser what do you need to do?

You need to:

• provide pre event information to all contractors who are doing any 'construction work' for you on the site, this could include your marquee company or your stage builder. An example of the type of information you need to provide can be found at the end of this guidance note
• provide welfare facilities for staff and workers on the site, such as toilets and access to fresh water.
• make sure you coordinate the build phase of your event so contractors don't hinder each other and are able to carry out their element of the build safely.
• create yourself an Event Safety File, where you can keep all paperwork together, this should include:
  • Pre event information form
  • Site plans, including utility drawings if they are available
  • Your event manual
  • Risk Assessments
  • All insurances/3^rd party paperwork
  • Sign off sheets for any temporary demountable structures
  • Weather Management Plan

What should contractors provide in terms of paperwork?

1. A schedule with times and dates on the work programme
2. Site specific risk assessments
3. Health and Safety Policy/Method Statements
4. Structural design information including calculations
5. Copy of their up to date public liability and employee liability insurance

Pre-event information sheet - For contractors

We have written an example of what a Pre-event information sheet for contractors should include, with some notes to help you understand what each heading refers to.

View our example pre-event information sheet for contractors (Word doc) [58KB]

Licensable Activities

The Licensing Act 2003 came into force during 2005 and changed the laws relating to public entertainment, indoor sporting events, late night refreshments and the sale of alcohol.

So if you are organising an event where you think you might want to include any of the activities detailed below in your programme then it is worth contacting the licensing section at the Council to discuss your proposals. (Contact details below)

• Sales of alcohol
• The sale of hot food and drink between 11 pm and 5 am
• Provision of regulated entertainment including plays, films, performance of dance, recorded music and some live music. 

Premise Licences

May be required to provide licensable activities in a specific place. Where alcohol is also to be sold, a named premise supervisor must also be designated. More information is available at on our premise licence page.

Temporary Event Notice (TEN)

Can be used for an ad-hoc event, the event must be notified to the Licensing Authority, the Police and Environmental Health with a minimum of 10 working days before the intended event and preferably at least 28 days beforehand. Late notices can be given no later than 5 working days but no earlier than 9 working days before the event. A late Temporary Event Notice, which should only be used in exceptional circumstances, must be given no earlier than 9 and no later than 5 working days before the event.

You must be 18 years or older to apply for a TEN and you can apply for a maximum of five standard and two late notices per year. If you're a personal licence holder, you can apply for a maximum of 50 standard and ten late notices per year.

Your event must involve no more than 499 people at any one time and last no more than 168 hours, with a minimum of 24 hours between events.

The licensable activity must be carried out exactly as detailed in the TEN.

The TEN should contain:

• details of the licensable activities
• the event periods
• the times when the activities will take place
• the maximum number of people proposed to be allowed on the premises
• any other required matters

The TEN must be given in writing. A fee is payable with the notice, which is currently £21.

Unless you submit an electronic application, you must also give a copy of the notice to:

• Cleveland Police                                          

Licensing Unit

Middlesbrough Police Station

Bridge Street West

Middlesbrough

TS2 1AB

stockton.licensing@cleveland.pnn.police.uk                  

• FAO Stephanie Landles

Environmental Health Department

Stockton on Tees Borough Council

PO Box 232, 16 Church Road

Stockton on Tees

TS18 1XD

stephanie.landles@stockton.gov.uk

Within the same time limits. If any of those authorities believe that the event would undermine licensing objectives, they can serve an objection notice on the council and the applicant. This notice must be served within 3 working days of receipt of the TEN.

Recent deregulation means that some of these activities in front of smaller audiences or on certain types of premises are no longer licensable.  Guidance, application forms and information on licensing requirements are available from the Council web site TEN page.

General Advice

Apply early for any type of licence required you could be prosecuted if you do not have an appropriate licence for your event. If you intend to supply alcohol at your event, you will need to obtain a licence.

Event organisers need to recognise the importance of managing sale and consumption of alcohol, and the effect it may have upon the control of your event, particularly in relation to young people. It is an offence to sell alcohol to anyone under 18.

Any person employed at the event to control admissions, keep order, remove people causing disorder, or searching premises or people must be licensed by Security Industry Authority (SIA). Visit the gov.uk website for more information.

Fundraising

Small lottery registration allows small lotteries to be run to raise money for charitable, sporting and other purposes other than private gain by societies. A £40 fee is payable on first registration and an annual fee of £20 after that.

The term "societies" includes clubs, institutions, organisations or branches.

To be legally classed as a small society lottery, it must fulfil the main criteria:

• A non-commercial society
• In neither the current calendar year, nor any past three years, the proceeds of any one lottery has been capable of exceeding £20,000, and the aggregate proceeds of all lotteries promoted by you hasn't exceeded £250,000
• The lottery is promoted for the purposes of the society
• At least 20% of the lottery proceeds are applied to the society purposes
• No prize is greater than £25,000
• Tickets comply with certain conditions, including that they're all the same price

Further information and applications can be found on our small society lottery registration page.

Street Collection permit allow persons wishing to collect money or sell articles for the benefit of charitable or other purposes from a street will require a permit. The term street includes any footpath, highway or public place.

A permit is not required if the collection is to take place on private land.

Street collections are free and anyone over the age of 16 can apply.

Applications must be submitted at least 28 working days in advance of the proposed collection and should be accompanied with the following documents:

• List of Trustees
• Previous Years Accounts
• Literature on the organisation(s) which will benefit from the collection
• Particulars of any contracts with any charity which is to benefit from this collection

Subject to a satisfactory application and the availability of appropriate dates a permit will be issued within 28 working days. Further information and application forms can be found on our Street Collection permit page.

Animal Activity Licenses

Organisers of events which include animals i.e. donkey rides, animal shows, and birds of prey should ensure the appropriate keeping or training animals for exhibition licence is held with the authority the animal resides in.

More information can be found our animal activities licence page.

No one wants to cause a nuisance went they put on event, so as organisers you need to remember that there are four specific issues that are felt to be a cause of public nuisance and therefore need to be managed:

• Noise
• Litter and waste
• Pest control

Preventing Noise Nuisance

Amplified music and other noise associated with events can cause real problems to neighbouring residents and often leads to them making complaints to the Police and the Council which can lead to your event being cancelled for future years or noise restrictions being put on the event. If a statutory noise nuisance is caused the Local Authority is obliged to serve an Abatement Notice on the organiser or person causing the nuisance. Failure to comply with the Notice could result the seizure of the equipment and/or prosecution.

So as an organiser of any event not just a music event should be aware of the Code of Practice on Environmental Noise Control at Concerts and also have a written Noise Management Plan that looks at the main areas of concern which are typically:

• For how long and at what time of day that music will be played  
• At what sort of level will the music be played, this does not just refer to the volume but also the frequency. For example, will there be excessive bass?
• Music noise levels should not exceed 65dB(A) over a 15-minute period when measured one metre from the front of any noise sensitive property.
• All noise complaints should be forwarded to Environmental Health within 7 days of the event.
• Monitor your noise levels across the event site and at various points during the event.
• Document your proposal to deal with noise issues in your event plan and as part of your risk assessments

Neighbourhood Noise Checklist

• It is advisable to make one person responsible for dealing with all noise issues. Consider who are you likely to disturb?
• Let neighbours know about the nature, timing and duration of your event and tell them what to expect by a letterbox drop, notices in local shops / community centre etc.
• Provide a contact telephone number to receive information/complaints from residents.
• Be considerate about how loudly music is played, particularly late at night.
• Keep windows and doors closed if the noise source is inside a building.
• Bass level noise is the most intrusive - lowering the volume of the bass will help to reduce how far it carries.
• Some neighbours could be working or sleeping, try to encourage your audience if leaving late to leave as quietly as possible.
• Events may not be as well tolerated or acceptable if they run late or are particularly noisy. Please make every effort to talk to your neighbours, as it will reduce complaints.

Litter and Waste

As the event organiser you are responsible for handing back the site to the owner whether that is the Council or not in the same condition as when you received it. That means litter and rubbish free.

Litter and rubbish comes from 3 main areas on the site:

• The general Public
• Food vendors
• Traders

What you are looking to do is pre-empt that there will be waste from all of the above and put measures in place to deal with them.

The general public will also drop litter, however if a site is already littered and nobody seems to be managing this the problem will be made worse. Have a clean site and when someone drops litter they will stand out and they are therefore less likely to do it. So, make sure you have plenty of bins on site and staff are seen regularly litter picking the site.

Food vendors generate a huge amount of additional waste which comes from the packages from the ingredients supplied to the packing the food is served in. Some event organisers make food vendors responsible for their own waste, they have to provide the additional bins and take their product waste aware with them. If this is not the case, you will possibly need to engage with the Council for some kind of commercial waste removal.

Normal traders also generate a large amount of waste usually cardboard from all their packaging, they need to be encouraged to flatten all boxes and either stack waste for collection or provide them with a skip.

Tips to reduce waste

• Provide plenty of bins for the public
• Regularly litter pick your site don't leave it until the end of the event
• Encourage food vendors to group together and take away their own waste
• Provide additional bins in food courts
• Don't allow traders to leaflet on site as most people will take them then walk away and drop them.
• Encourage recycling
• If you have a bar encourage reusable cups in order to reduce plastic waste

Pest Control

If your event is being held over a few days and particularly has a food-based theme, then as well as a large audience you may also attract some unwelcome visitors such as rats and foxes.

To avoid this, encourage your traders to keep all food products off the floor in plastic containers especially open products. They must clear away all rubbish at night or full bins must be sealed with a lid.

If rubbish is being placed in a skip it should be a box skip with doors again, so it is not acceptable by humans or wildlife.

These days most event no matter how small or large will have some kind of food concessions. Event organisers have a duty of care to ensure that any food available at their event is of a good standard and to ensure the food operator has procedures and processes in place to ensure that food is prepared, handled, cooked and stored safely. Details regarding this and the exact requirements can be found in the Food Safety Legislation.

Four golden rules of food safety:

• Provide an adequate supply of suitable water
• Adequate facilities for the disposal of refuse and food waste
• Adequate toilet facilities for use by food handlers
• There should be facilities for the preparation and handling of food such as sinks etc, and for the cleaning of food equipment
• Adequate hand washing facilities including hot water

It is a requirement of the Food Standards Agency that caterers providing any form of consumable food direct to the public must be registered under the Food Safety Act 1990 with their Local Authority and that they have had a food registration inspection completed within the last 12 months and that the score is at least 4 or above.

If in Stockton please make sure Stockton Borough Council Environmental Health are aware of the types of food traders you intend to use at the earliest opportunity, as food inspections are prioritised on a risk basis and they may wish to inspect vendors units before the event opens to the public.

Animal Health and Welfare

Organisers of events which include animals i.e. donkey rides, animal shows, and birds of prey should ensure the appropriate keeping or training animals for exhibition licence is held with the authority the animal resides in.

More information can be found on our animal activities licence page.

These regulations on the holding of events involving animals are comprehensive and wide ranging and are there to:

• Protect animal welfare
• Prevent and control the spread of disease to other animals or people
• To control and track the movement of certain animals

Also, as the event organiser you are responsible for making sure your proposed event site is suitable for animals. Specific requirements for the animals should be obtained from the owner or the operator of the animal attraction.

For all events and event organisers it is essential you have appropriate insurance to cover all aspects of your event.

We recommend this to include:

• Public liability Insurance - In the sum of at least £5m, £10m if possible.
• Employers Liability Insurance -This will cover all your staff and volunteers whether paid or not.
• Event Cancellation Cover - This sometimes can be difficult to get and does not always cover you if you have to cancel your event due to the weather as this is classed as an 'Act of God'. However, if you go through a specialist broker and ask specifically for Pluvius / Cancellation cover you may have more chance.

More information regarding adverse weather cover insurance can be found Adverse Weather Insurance

Organisers will be required to produce evidence of their insurance cover together with that of any exhibitor, performer, sub-contractor, caterer etc. whom they have instructed/authorised to take part in the event.

If you are part of a national charity or a voluntary group, contact your headquarters. You may already be insured or have access to discounted rates.

The Council is not able to offer insurance cover for events arranged by members of the public or other organisations. However, you could contact either:

Zurich Municipal, through their Community Insurance Centre (CIC), can offer Charities, Communities and Voluntary Sector Organisations valuable advice to enable these organisations to meet their risk management and insurance needs.

or

Access Insurance who specialise in insurance for Community Groups and Community Centres

Please note that any insurance contact details above are not a recommendation from Stockton Borough Council. It is up to you as organiser to satisfy yourself that the insurance cover you are quoted for is appropriate to your specific needs for your specific event.

It is important for Event Organisers to understand what type of audience they will attract to their event, in order that they may fully understand how to manage that crowd.

A Community event with stalls catering and small smaller fairground rides is likely to attract a mainly family audience and this would pose a relatively low risk. Should as an organiser you then choose to introduce larger fairground rides, open later and permit the sale of alcohol then this would completely change the audience profile and as such the staffing required and possibly increase the risk of antisocial behaviour.

Calculating capacities

It is very important that event organisers understand how to work out the coverall safe capacity of a

their site. First you need to calculate the holding capacity and then the emergency evacuation capacity and whichever figure is the lower will then be set as the overall site capacity.

Holding Capacity

A crowd is classed as being unstable when it reaches a capacity of >4 persons per square metre. This increases the possibility of dangerous circumstances such progressive crowd collapse and crushing leading to major injuries, so for open air events best practice is to use a figure of 2 persons per square metre to create the calculation.

For example: If the event site was approximately 1450m2, but after the installation of event infrastructure the area left as accessible to the public is 1150m2.  This would mean using the figures above that the holding capacity of the site would be 4600 people.

Emergency Egress Capacity (Exit times)

The guideline exit time for this event based on the 'Fire Safety Risk Assessment, open air events and venues' is less than 10 minutes.  Normal flow rates as prescribed by the Emergency Planning College are 82 persons per minute per metre of exit width. If however your audience is primarily older people then you may be advised to reduce the flow rate to 75 persons per metre

You then need to look at your available exit points, if the site has say 2 exits each of 3m, giving a total exit space of 6m the calculation would be:

Persons per metre per minute x amount of exit space in metres x maximum permitted exit time

Which for this example would be?

75 x 6 x 9.99 = 4495

It is however best practice to assume that you may lose one of your exits as this may be the site of the incident which in this case would change the calculation to:

75 x 3 x 9.99 = 2247

This would safe capacity for the site of 2247 persons

Crowd dynamics model

The Event Safety Guide (HSG 198) specifies the definition of a First Aider as:

"A 'First Aider' is a person who holds a current certificate of first aid competency issued by three voluntary aid societies (or certain other bodies or organisations); St Johns Ambulance, British Red Cross Society or St Andrew's Ambulance Association. The first aider should have prior training or experience in providing first aid at crowd events.

It should be noted that completion of a 'Health and Safety at Work' or four day 'First Aid at Work' course does not necessarily qualify a person as competent to administer first aid to members of the public. Unfortunately, the guidance is not specific about what "certain other or organisations" means. It also specifies that First Aiders, ambulance and medical workers should:

• Be at least 16 years old and not over 65 years old
• Have no other duties or responsibilities
• Have identification
• Have protective clothing
• Relevant experience/knowledge of requirements for first aid at major public events
• Be physically and psychologically equipped to carry out the assigned roles
• First aiders under the age of 18 years must not work alone or 'unsupervised'.

Event Organisers need to be aware that providing first aid to the public is a very different scenario to providing first aid to staff in the workplace. That means first aiders should not have any other role at the event. They must also have the appropriate equipment to work with and access to a facility in which they can work, that would protect a patient's confidentiality and dignity.

The best advice is therefore no matter how small the event is to go to a recognised body that provide such services. To help you ensure you get the right provider detailed below are some checks and considerations you need to go through.

Key checks and considerations for event medical providers

The following are key checks and considerations that event organisers should make on organisations providing medical and First aid cover:

• Public Liability Insurance - In the sum of £5m
• Employers Liability
• Clinical Negligence and medical malpractice
• for Ambulance providers providing treatment and transport - should be able to provide evidence of current Care Quality Commission (CQC) registration - mandatory where the provider transports people off an event site to hospital.
• where the provider uses Registered Health professionals e.g. Paramedics, Nurses & Doctors; the supplier should provide registration numbers for these people to enable the event organiser to check their registration status. Where registered professionals are required as part of the cover recommended then all individuals should have current valid UK registration with their relevant body.

Where guidance indicates an Ambulance is required for the event this normally means the ambulance should be crewed with a least one registered Paramedic and a second crew member trained to a suitable standard to operate an emergency ambulance e.g. Ambulance Technician.

Ambulance provision provided on site for the event (where required) should be capable and willing to transport any patients who require hospitalisation, to a suitable Emergency Department with minimal delays.

It is expected that where ambulance cover is indicated in the guidance for the event there should be no requirement for 999 calls to the local ambulance service (except for multiple casualties or a Major Incident).

Ambulance providers should be capable of providing emergency transportation to hospital e.g. Blue light transfer for life threatening conditions. The provider should be able to demonstrate suitable insurance and driver competence for this if required.

Children & vulnerable people

A Lost Person Post is provided for persons regardless of age who may be vulnerable or at risk. This includes Children and Adults who may any exhibit any of the following characteristics:

• Older people
• People with mental health problems
• Disabled people
• People with learning difficulties
• People with acquired brain damage
• People who misuse substances

If your event could attract children and/or vulnerable people as described above, amongst other audience members, it is important to ensure that their needs are catered for. Almost all events will experience at least one person who is separated from their group at some time or another.  All event organisers should have plans in place to deal with children or vulnerable persons who are reported as lost by their group as well as where children or vulnerable people are found and need to be reunited with their group.

Accommodation

If a child or vulnerable person if found, it is good practice for that person to be taken to a safe area by preferably two members of staff, this area should be a weather proof, known only to key event staff and stewards. It should also where possible be secure, with no direct access to the general public, separate from the first aid area, having a dedicated toilet and a collection point that is separate from where there are other vulnerable persons being cared for.

Staffing

Staff assigned to look after any vulnerable persons must have had a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check and where possible some training in child protection awareness. All staff must receive a briefing and written instructions relating to emergency procedures in case of evacuation. A minimum of two people are required to staff the designated area at any one time - at larger events a team of three would then allow rotation to give sufficient cover over a long time if required.

Care Guidelines

• Children and or vulnerable persons should not be left in the sole care of one person.
• No food or drink, except plain water should be given in case of allergies.
• The person claiming a child/vulnerable person should complete a form to include their name and address and show relevant form of identification before they are permitted to take the person away.
• If the child or person appears unwilling to go with the person who has arrived to collect them, then it is advisable to contact the Police.
• Any announcements made in respect of vulnerable persons should be made via a closed radio channel or if using a PA messages such be scripted in order that key information such as the name or sex of the child is not given out to the public.

Person reporting that they have lost their Parent/Guardian/appropriate adult - "Found Person"

If a person approaches a police officer or steward and advises them that they have lost their Parent/Guardian/appropriate adult the police/stewards should immediately contact Event Control and a member of the designated team will be deployed to escort the person to the lost person's area. Each case should be assessed on and individual basis to determine what further action should be taken. This may include issuing brief descriptions to staff on closed channels. When re-uniting, the person claiming to be the parent/guardian or appropriate adult must be able to give a good description to the satisfaction of the designated team member before this can take place in a separate location.     

Person(s) Reporting a Lost Person - "Missing Person"

If the report is made to a police officer or steward they should immediately contact Event Control who will liaise with the designated team to ascertain if the missing person is already there. The steward will give their location to event control and a member of the designated team should be deployed to meet the reporting person and escort them to the lost persons area - the reporting person must be retained otherwise they may find the missing person without our knowledge and leave site, resulting in teams searching for a person not missing.

It should be noted in both instances above, all concerned should be treated with a high degree of sensitivity and any information given should completely factual. When following these procedures please ensure you document the whole process.

As the Organiser you are responsible for matters of public order and in appropriate behaviour on your site. You also need to keep records of any incidents that occur and who was involved as this information may be required by the Emergency Services or Council Officials. To help you carry out your legal responsibility it is usual for organisers to employ event/crowd management stewards, and or security contractors depending on what activities you have on your site and the numbers you expect to attend.

Any person employed at the event to control admissions, keep order, supervise a bar, remove people causing disorder, or searching premises or people must be licensed by Security Industry Authority (SIA).

At Stockton we expect stewards engaged either directly, or indirectly, for duties associated with the event should preferably be trained to an acceptable standard in crowd safety management, they should also be:

• Be physically able to carry out the work.
• Not be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
• Remain at their point of allocated duty (except in pursuit of public safety)
• Remain calm.
• Be courteous towards all those with who they have contact.
• Co-operate in full with any legal requirements of the Emergency Services or Council Officials.

It is the event organiser who must ensure stewards are fully briefed about their specific areas of responsibility and if possible provide them with a briefing note - which should include (where applicable):

• Roles and responsibilities
• Staff command and control structure
• Safety requirements
• Communication methods
• Partial and Total Evacuation Plan
• Action to take in the event of fire or explosion
• How to respond to bomb threats and suspicious packages
• How to deal with disruptive traders, performers or the public
• Management of distressed/lost vulnerable persons
• Onsite and off-site traffic management
• Assessment of crowd densities, problematic dynamics and signs of distress.
• Resolving access/parking issues.
• The Location of key areas on site such as: event control; exits; evacuation routes and assembly areas; firefighting equipment; first aid points; disabled viewing/access; car and coach parking locations; drop off and pick up points for car, coach, taxi, participant equipment; lost/found property point; lost/found person point; meeting points; toilet facilities; information point; welfare services; emergency liaison centre.

The organiser should require all staff working at the event to wear clothing that clearly identifies them and their role eg T - shirt or jacket with the word Steward. They also must have personal protective clothing (eg hats, boots, gloves, coats) to deal with the possible range of weather conditions they will be working in (eg sun, rain, hail, snow). At events lasting several hours, duty rotas will be required, with time allowed for refreshment breaks. For evening events, torches may also be required.

Just prior to the event a detailed safety check should be carried out. This should include the following:

Routes

Make sure your access and exit routes are clear and there is adequate circulation within the site. Pay particular attention to emergency routes

Inspections

A checklist is provided as an example of the things that should be checked. A walk through inspection of the site should be carried out just prior to, during and after the event to identify any potential hazards and to check out communications are working. You may want to carry out more than one inspection during the event. All defects should be noted and also the actions you have taken. These checklists should be kept for future reference.

Siting

Make sure that all facilities and attractions are correctly sited as detailed in your site plan. Paying particular attention to the distance between structures and appropriate fire gaps. Be certain that the first aid facilities, fire extinguishers and any cash collection boxes are in place. Check waste bins are in the most suitable locations.

Signage

Ensure adequate signage is displayed where necessary. This should include emergency exits, first aid points, information and lost children points and other welfare facilities such as toilets and drinking water.

Vehicles

Check that all contractors, performers and exhibitors vehicles have been removed from the site or parked in the designated area before the public are permitted to enter.

Structures

Ensure all staging, seating, marquees and lighting structures have been erected correctly and signed off by the appropriate person. That certification has been obtained from the relevant contractors as a record of this.

Barriers

Check that all barriers and other protection against hazards are securely in place and there is no risk of falling from staging or other facilities. 

Stewards

Make sure that all staff have arrived and are in their correct location. Ensure all stewards are wearing the correct clothing for easy identification.

Lighting

Check all lighting is working, including any emergency lighting.

Public information.

Make sure the public address system is working and can be heard in all areas. (if applicable).

Briefing

Check that all stewards and staff have been fully briefed and understand their responsibilities.

Site condition

After the event, another inspection should be carried out to make sure nothing has been left on the site which could be hazardous to future users. This inspection should also identify any damage which may have been caused during the event. If any structures are left overnight, it must be ensured they are left in a safe condition and are safe from vandalism etc. If numerous structures are left, specific security arrangements may be required.

Accidents

If an accident occurs, the names and addresses of witnesses should be obtained, photographs taken and a report made by the organisers. An accident form should be completed and a copy sent to the landowner.  You will also need to advise you own insurance company. If any accident or dangerous occurrence is reported, action must be taken to prevent any further incidents taking place.

Claims

Should any person declare an intention to make a claim following an alleged incident associated with the event, you should contact your insurers immediately. They may also require a completed accident form.