Health and safety are defined as ‘the laws, rules, and principles that are intended to keep people safe from injury or disease at work and in public places (Cambridge dictionary, 2019). Health and safety management is ‘ Organized efforts and procedures for identifying workplace hazards and reducing accidents and exposure to harmful situations and substances. It also includes training of personnel in accident prevention, accident response, emergency preparedness, and use of protective clothing and equipment (Business dictionary, 2019). A risk at an event is ‘ effects of uncertainty on objectives (financial, social, environmental, health, and safety), to varying levels (strategic, organization, or project) and likelihoods’ (Reid & Ritchie, 2011)
As an event organiser, you have a duty of care – to both your attendees and your staff. The larger your event, the more important health and safety, but even for small events it should still be a consideration.
Event as a Concept
An event is composed of set of activities with specific purpose goals and needs of the attendees Thus an event is an ‘organized occasion such as meeting, music testable, product/brand promotion, convention, conference, exhibition, special event, wedding, social gathering or gala dinner, and so on; and it is made up of several related activities and functions with the purpose of attending the specific needs of the attendees’ (Bikash, 2013, Julian & Dadwal et al 2019). An event is a process with ‘a beginning and an end that happens at a given place, time and circumstances’(Levy, Bogin, Gretz, Aharonov, & Slonim, 2018) and (Julian & Dadwal et l 2019). Each event has a unique blending of durations, seating, management and people (Vassilopoulos 2005, cited in (Bikash, 2013)). The events are organised with different purposes such as’ touristic or other purposes such as entertainment, relaxations, competitions, customs & cultural celebration or brand building or the need to raise funds for charity, public/government purpose and so on (Julian & Dadwal et al 2019). The events can be planned or unplanned events.
The planned events are ‘created with a pre-planned social, cultural, economic, or environmental purpose. Such events involve the design and implementation of themes, settings, consumables, services, and programs that suggest, facilitate or constrain experiences for participants, guests, spectators, and other stakeholders. Every event experience is personal and unique, arising from the interactions of setting, program, and people’ (Getz, 2018, Julian & Dadwal et al 2019).On the other hand, the unplanned events are ‘random, spontaneous and unpredictable activities probably set in motion by people (Agitators, publicity agents or social activists). Once it starts, the actions that follow are uncertain (Getz, 2018, Julian & Dadwal et l 2019).
Each type of event involves a range of risks including health and safety risks.
The larger events have more risks; however, the small events may also involve many risks. Also by size, contents and forms etc the events can have various risks. Depending upon the types of risks the event planners have to manage risks at the events. So various risk factors also depends upon the type of events, such as ‘Local or community events (music programs, community meeting, fundraising program, BBQ parties), Major events, Hallmark events (Kumbh Mela in India, Haj Visits, Carnival in Rio or London), Mega-events (2012 London Olympics and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations), Cultural events (wedding events, commercial music festivals, Art festivals Chinese New Year, Holi Festival, Kumbh Mela, Carnival of Rio de Janeiro, St. Patrick’s Day Festival,) Sports events (Football World cup, Olympics, The Ashes), Business events (product launches, making publicity stunts,) (Bikash, 2013, Julian & Dadwal et l 2019).