Creating an event plan

All events must comply with Health and Safety Law, and you must take all necessary precautions to ensure the event takes place safely.

The risk assessment helps you to identify any hazards that could cause harm, assess the risks that arise from those hazards and decide on measures to eliminate or control these risks.

It is advisable to prepare a written risk assessment, no matter how small your event, so that this can be shared with those involved in planning and running the event. We have prepared a risk assessment template which can be used for this purpose.

The first step would be to contact Environmental Health at SHBC at least three months before the event is taking place. This is to give us time to understand the basic details and areas of planning that may require additional advice. You will be asked to provide a Management Plan, risk assessment, emergency procedures, and a location and site map.

Site safety and fire risk assessment

Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (via the Safety Advisory Group) will be interested in the following aspects of your event:

• site plan including location and layout of your event
• expected crowd numbers
• emergency evacuation procedures
• site emergency plan
• arrangements for instruction and training of stewards or volunteers

A fire risk assessment must also be completed to assess the risk of a fire occurring at the event, who might be affected and how this risk will be controlled. People should be able to walk to safety along a clearly recognisable route by their own unaided efforts, regardless of where a fire may break out at the venue. Carefully consider arrangements for people with disabilities.

People will often try to leave the site the way they entered. Where this is not possible because of the position of the fire or smoke, stewards should be trained to route people away from the fire to a place of safety.

Ensure that:

• the number and size of emergency evacuation exits in temporary structures e.g. marquees, big tops and security fences are sufficient for the number of people present and are distributed around the perimeter
• exits and gateways are unlocked and staffed by stewards throughout the event; and
• all exits and gateways are clearly indicated by suitable signs, illuminated where necessary.
• emergency vehicles can access the site

Consider:

• marquees and large tents
• moveable structures
• stairways
• ramps
• exits
• doors on escape routes
• fastenings on doors and gates
• self-closing devices for doors
• exit and directional signs
• normal and Emergency lighting (including all external routes)
• fire-fighting equipment
• special risks
• means of giving warning in case of fire (example: shout ‘fire’ or use air horn or fire alarm system as deemed appropriate)

Further information can be found on the Surrey Fire and Rescue website (external link).

A comprehensive guide to carrying out a fire risk assessment at an open air even can be found in the downloads section on the final page of this advice.