How to organise events

Organising your event | Locations and venues | Getting permission | Event safety | Event security | Resources | Waste management | Traffic management | Funding and your budget | Licences | Insurance and damage | Pay your invoice

Event safety

The purpose of event safety is to:

• ensure a safe environment so participants have a positive event experience
• ensure that event staff, the public and property are adequately protected

The objective of an event safety plan is to:

• demonstrate how a safe environment is being provided for the event staff, public and property
• document how the "what ifs" are being managed
• reduce risk by planning..

As the organiser of a public or private event, you have a legal and moral responsibility to ensure the safety of anyone who encounters the event. This includes:

• people attending
• contractors
• volunteers
• general public around the event site.

While safety is essential in managing an event, it need not be a difficult exercise.

When organising an event, safety needs to be considered at every stage of the planning and execution. The nature of your event will determine the level of detail required in the safety plan.

Your responsibilities

As the organiser of an event, you are required to take all practical steps to eliminate, isolate or minimize hazards in areas affected by and part of the event. To do this you will need to document and demonstrate what practical steps are being taken to fulfil your Health and Safety in Employment Act obligations.

The Health and Safety and Employment Act uses the following terms:

• eliminate - completely remove the hazard from the activity
• isolate - separate the hazard from the activity
• minimise - reduce the hazard so that it will cause the smallest possible impact

A good way to meet obligations is to have an event safety plan.

See Preparation of a safety plan - how and what.

Published May 2008