Introduction
Planning a successful event involves juggling multiple aspects. We all accept that.
Still though, clients / event organisers often overlook the critical element of involving an event safety consultant until the last minute.
Involving event safety consultants early in the planning process can significantly enhance your event’s success. We know this from experience.
Our own approach benefits from time significantly. Time allows us to do our best work for you.
Here are 11 benefits of bringing event safety experts on board from the start.
1. Comprehensive Risk Assessment
Event safety consultants like us (others are available) can identify potential risks that might not be obvious to an untrained eye. Early involvement allows us to conduct a thorough risk assessment, helping you plan for various scenarios.
By understanding the risks early, you can implement effective mitigation strategies, ensuring a safer environment for all attendees.
In practicality, this can reduce or eliminate worry and stress early on. It can also save cost in certain scenarios also.
2. Better team dynamics
Involving event safety consultants early on allows them to develop relationships and understanding with the other members of your team.
Better team dynamics will stand to you and the project as you move through the planning phase to the delivery phase.
We have projects on which we work where the Creative Director will WhatsApp me ideas. He’ll do this before even mentioning them to the client sometimes.
That relationship has been built over years of working together, year-round, on the Soundstorm event and others. We were almost 1 year working together on the Masterplanning Team for the first one in 2021.
That relationship, and others that developed similarly, allow us all to work every effectively on Soundstorm and other events too.
3. Better Communication with Stakeholders
Clear communication with stakeholders, including venue managers, local authorities, emergency services and statutory agencies, is vital for a smooth event.
As crowd and event safety consultants, we facilitate these communications.
We help ensure all parties are aligned and prepared, which minimises misunderstandings and delays.
Jed Dowling, Festival Director for Dublin Pride, has commented that one of the key benefits to us working with them is our relationships with key partners and agencies etc.
Further, the Portals and Dashboards etc. that our Digital Operations team deploys enhance communications with stakeholders a lot.
4. Efficient Resource Allocation
Allocating resources effectively is crucial for a safe and successful event.
Event safety consultants can guide you on where to allocate your budget for maximum or optimum impact.
This ensures that you adequately fund critical safety measures, preventing last-minute scrambles and budget overruns.
Importantly, you can also identify wastage and areas where things are over-specced.
5. Customised Event Safety Management Plans
Every event is unique, requiring tailored event safety plans. Generic safety protocols may not address specific needs or potential risks. Naturally, many risks exist across all events but events always have their own particular nuances too.
Good event safety consultants create customised Event Safety Management Plans that consider the specific challenges and details of your event, ensuring that your plans are fit-for-purpose for your event specifically.
This should also include properly testing the plan to ensure it works for your event and your attendees. This needs time to be as effective as possible.
6. Regulatory Compliance
Compliance with local regulations and industry standards is mandatory but can be complex and time-consuming.
Early involvement of event safety specialists ensures all safety measures comply with relevant laws and guidelines, avoiding issues securing licences in the first instance, as well as potential legal issues and fines.
Paul, our Technical Director, performs this function for us on our international events, where we regularly operate in challenging markets. Understanding how to comply with local regulations and incorporate relevant local guidance is key to successful delivery of our service.
Prevention IS better than cure and involving event safety consultants early allows for a ‘Safety by Design‘ approach to be undertaken, bringing with it all the associated benefits.
7. Training and Preparedness
You need to train your event personnel so that they are well-prepared to handle a wide variety of situations and circumstances. This applies to both normal and emergency operations.
Early involvement of your event safety consultant can mean early development of plans, policies and procedures. This in turn allows for earlier training of personnel so they know what to do when X or Y happens.
Event safety consultants can provide specialised training, making your team more confident and capable of managing foreseen and unforeseen situations.
8. More Effective Emergency Response Plans
Having a robust Emergency Response Plan is crucial for managing incidents on your event.
Event safety consultants design and test comprehensive Emergency Response Plans, ensuring swift and effective action in case of emergencies.
The earlier you embed them in the planning process, the more context and understanding they have to inform these critical plans.
9. Better Crowd Management
Crowd management is a critical aspect of event safety, especially for large gatherings. Poor crowd management can lead to accidents and injuries.
If you involve your event safety consultant early, they can integrate effective crowd management strategies into the event layout, ensuring smooth and safe movement of attendees
Specifically, involving your event safety consultant while you are designing the site and deciding what goes where can be extremely helpful in ensuring your audience can safely move around the site.
This helps your event to stay in the realm of Crowd Management rather than Crowd Control.
10. Reduced Liability
Events come with inherent risks that can lead to accidents and potential lawsuits. Reducing liability is crucial for protecting your organisation.
Prof. Dr. G Keith Still is known for saying, ‘The only event without risk is the one that doesn’t happen.’ While we need to accept that risk is a part of events, we need to do what we reasonably can to mitigate those risks and, in turn, to reduce liability for our clients.
By proactively addressing safety concerns and implementing appropriate safety measures, you significantly reduce the risk of accidents, incidents and liability.
11. Peace of Mind
Events are stressful, especially for the event organisers / Masterplanning Team members. In fact, event management is regularly listed among the most stressful professions.
You and your team to focus on other aspects of the event, knowing event safety is taken care of.
Early involvement of event safety consultants gives you peace of mind, knowing that professionals are handling the safety aspects, leading to a more relaxed and focused planning process.
It’s key that you get the most out of your event safety consultants.
Conclusion
Involving event safety consultants early in your planning process offers numerous benefits, from comprehensive risk assessment and regulatory compliance to better crowd management and reduced liability.
These advantages not only enhance the safety of your event but also contribute to its overall success.
By prioritising safety from the outset, you ensure a smoother, more enjoyable experience for everyone involved. This includes you, your team, your partners as well as your audience.
So, don’t wait. Bring your event safety consultants on board early and we can help make your event a success.
