Event health and safety

An event organiser has a duty to plan, manage and monitor an event to make sure that workers and the visiting public are not exposed to health and safety risks.

Covid-19 has added further considerations to the event planning process and the level of assessment required prior to and during an event. Current government guidance relating to Covid-19 should be followed as part of the event planning process, with all relevant requirements incorporated into the event management plan and risk assessments to ensure compliance with the regulations.

Those in the visitor economy currently have specific guidance and this includes business events, conferences, exhibitions, conventions, consumer/trade shows and meetings. Currently the allowance is for fewer than 30 people and only in an appropriately assessed Covid-secure environment.   

If you are organising outdoor sport and physical activity events, please review the current guidance available on the gov.uk website in relation to event planning and permitted numbers. EMD UK (the national governing body for group exercise) also offer frequent updates and resources on their webiste for organisers of group exercise classes.

Events on council land

If you would like to run an event on council owned land, for example in one of Cheltenham's parks or green spaces, you will need to complete an application form and pay the relevant fee for your activity. The green space development team determines approval of land use.

Running an event safely

Covid-19 brings limitations to events and Covid-19 risk assessments must be undertaken. Currently limited events can go ahead, however events can still be planned for, to take place when restrictions related to Covid-19 are lifted. The following information will help event organisers understand the legal duties on health and safety, plan an event, manage an event, plan for incidents and emergencies and review an event once it is over.

• Getting started - The level of detail in your planning should be proportionate to the scale of the event and the degree of risk.  
• Event health and safety topics for risk assessment - A list of health and safety topics to help an event organiser with their risk assessments. 
• Managing an event - What you need to do.
• Crowd management and event review - Identifying key hazards affecting crowd safety. 
• Planning for incidents and emergencies - Considering the key risks and developing a plan. 
• Emergency Response Plan (ERP) and show stop procedure guidance and information page.   

Fire safety law and guidance

Fire safety law changed in October 2006 with the introduction of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. There are several useful sources of information and guidance relating to fire risk assessments and event safety planning:

• How to complete a fire safety risk assessment for open-air events and venues is available on the Gov.uk website.
• Further information and tools relating to fire safety risk assessment is available from Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service.
• The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) have compiled events information including a useful checklist for event organisers.