With festival season just around the corner, many organisers are beginning to finalise event plans. And while organising a festival for thousands of excited festival-goers can be exciting, making sure the event is safe for both festival workers and those attending the event is at the top of every festival priority list - especially in the wake of tragic events like the Manchester bombing in 2017.
So whether you’re part of a team that’s organising the security behind a big event this summer, or you’re lucky enough to be attending the festival yourself, here are 9 event tips for keeping your attendees safe at your festival:
- Conduct a thorough risk assessment
Before organising any event, it's essential to conduct a risk assessment to identify potential hazards and risks that could pose a threat to attendees. This will help you develop a comprehensive safety plan that addresses these risks and ensures the safety of all participants. Your risk assessment is likely to consider:
- Event location: Assess the security risks associated with the event location. Consider factors such as accessibility, proximity to high-risk areas, and environmental hazards.
- Assing threats: What is the likelihood of a threat such as a terrorist attack, violence, threats or crowd unrest? Your event may be politically charged, or attract a particularly ‘passionate’ group of people - you don’t want a repeat of Woodstock 99!
- Crowd control: How many attendees do you have? Work out how many attendees you have and determine the appropriate measures to control the crowd. This can include setting up security checkpoints reinforced with barriers, ticketing systems, and strategic entry and exit points.
- Access control: How will you control the movement of attendees in and out of your event? You’ll need to determine the appropriate access control measures, such as ID wristbands, bag checks and metal detectors to reduce the likelihood of the use of weapons at the event.
- Cybersecurity: In 2023, a cyberattack is always possible. Does your event or security rely on the internet? You may be susceptible to a data breach or cyber attack so you’ll need to develop strategies to mitigate these risks, such as secure Wifi, encryption and secure data storage as well as sufficient backup strategies.
You’ll need to cover the ‘who’ (who will be attending the event), ‘where’ (what are the threats associated with the location) and ‘what’ (what the associated threats are) before you figure out the ‘how?’
- Develop an emergency response plan
Once you’ve gathered this information, you’ll need to develop protocols for each scenario. Perhaps the most important scenario is in case of an emergency - it's essential to have a well-defined emergency response plan in place. This plan should outline procedures for evacuating attendees in the event of an emergency and detail the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved.
- Provide robust wristbands for Access and Identification
Making sure all attendees and staff members have robust festival wristbands will ensure they can be worn for a number of days/weeks. This way, security will be able to keep tabs on who is actually at the event - especially if there are certain areas off limits to attendees. The best robust access wristbands provide both comfort and durability for long-term use.
Check out our security wristbands here.
- Hire professional security personnel
You may think that you have excellent staff who can handle the rigours of any potential trouble at the event and whilst that is probably the case, you may want to allocate some of your security budgets to hiring security experienced professionals.
Experienced event security personnel will know exactly how to manage any potential security threats that may arise and could make a difference when it comes to managing any risks. Your existing staff will also learn the tricks of the trade!
They should be trained to handle any emergency situations, including crowd control, medical emergencies, and any other potential risks.
- Make sure all security measures are visible and you have clear signage
The aim of your security team is to facilitate the smooth running of the event, prevent threats and ensure that attendees can enjoy the event they paid for without fear of threats. It isn’t to intimate or get involved in non-security related incidents.
Some event organisers choose to hide security protocols such as CCTV cameras or even security guards, however, the presence of these measures is often reassuring to attendees. Without the visible presence of security, opportunistic attendees may think the event is unprotected and may decide to start trouble.
- Provide first aid
Festivals are fun. But sometimes, attendees can have a bit too much fun! Accidents can happen at any time during an event, and it's important to have trained medical personnel on-site to handle any emergencies that may occur. Ensure that your event has first aid services readily available to attendees.
- Provide a shaded area and hydration
If you’re in luck, you’ll have some of that infamous British summer sun over your festival dates. However, attendees watching their favourite bands in the blazing heat can often be dangerous. Make sure there are some shaded areas across the festival where attendees and staff can go to escape the sun and provide water for those at the front of the crowd who may not be able to leave the area safely.
- Provide Clear wayfinding / waymarking and meeting points
The quicker attendees can get to where they need to go - the smoother the event will run. Site design at an event needs to include clear and visible waymarking so that attendees can get to where they need to be without getting lost. It can be dangerous for overnight festival attendees to lose their way - so it’s important that you offer clear directional signage.
Further to this, ensure that all staff and attendees are aware of meeting checkpoints and how to get there. For larger events, you may have a number of checkpoints and communicate checkpoint information ahead of time.
- Ensure adequate lighting
Proper lighting is essential for ensuring the safety of attendees, especially during night events. It’s easy for those who’ve had a little bit too much to drink to get lost and have an accident without clear lighting. Adequate lighting helps prevent accidents, trips, and falls, and provides visibility in case of an emergency.
- Communicate safety information to attendees
It's crucial to communicate all safety information to attendees before the event. This includes information on safety measures, emergency evacuation procedures, and any other safety-related information and contact details. Always use email to provide official communications but you can supplement this with the use of social media, or other communication channels to provide attendees with this information.
- Ensure the perimeter is secure and well guarded
There will always be a select few that try to access your festival or event illegally. It’s important that the perimeter of the event is secure by implementing robust fencing, regular mobile patrols and security stations set up around the premises.
The Protect Duty Law and Event Security
Remember, The Protect Duty law, which is expected to come into force in the UK in 2023, will place a legal obligation on event organisers to implement security measures to protect against terrorism and other security threats.
Having well-established event protocols in place will not only help event organisers comply with the Protect Duty law but also provide a safe and secure environment for all attendees.
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