With in-person events being alive and well again, event organizers do not just need to be extra organized in event flow but also prepare for unexpected events through event risk assessment. Event risk assessment is a practice that enables organizers to anticipate potential problems, develop proactive strategies to mitigate them, and ultimately manage safe and successful events. In this article, we get into more detail about what risk assessment for event planning is and explain how to create one. For further understanding, we also provide a template and example.
As the term suggests, event risk assessment is the analysis and identification of potential hazards and uncertainties that may arise throughout the execution of an event. It enhances planners' preparedness and makes sure that all event participants and attendees are safe and secure. What’s more, it helps to foster stakeholder trust and confidence in the success of the event.
Safety is a non-negotiable when planning an event. Hence, it is not surprising that according to the American Express 2021 Global Meetings and Events Forecast, 67% of respondents composed of corporations, associations, buyers, and suppliers said their meetings and events policy included details around safety and security.
As we've mentioned before, event risk assessment is a practice that can greatly enhance event safety. However, it needs to be written with thoroughness and accuracy to be truly effective. To assist you in this process, we've outlined the essential steps you should follow below.
When writing an event risk assessment, describing the specific details of the event is crucial to have clarity on what you're evaluating. This includes information such as the type of event, venue, and the activities planned. Having and understanding these bits of information first before writing the assessment ensures consistency in the process and allows you to customize your approach to event safety and security.
The area of concern is any place or activity where risks may occur. Recognizing these allows you to conduct a more concentrated and precise assessment, as well as allocate resources more efficiently. Additionally, it allows you to develop an effective preventive measure that is relevant to the distinctive features and difficulties linked with each activity or area.
When identifying the area of concern, it's crucial to be meticulous in pinpointing all activities and areas posing risks in your event. This ensures that you will not overlook any area of concern may lead to danger.
Within your area of concern, there is a potential hazard present. Simply put, a hazard is a specific danger that exists within an area of concern. For example, if you identify a narrow exit in the audience seating area as an area of concern, potential hazards include congestion and visibility issues. By recognizing these hazards, you can take proactive steps to address them and implement suitable risk mitigation measures.
Some of the common hazards in an event include the following:
In addition to recognizing the hazards, it's essential to assess their corresponding risk levels and categorize them as low, medium, or high. By doing so, you can develop a structured approach to risk management and focus on addressing the most critical issues first. It also helps in communication and decision-making processes and ensures that your risk management efforts are relevant and effective.
At an event, various individuals may be considered persons at risk depending on factors such as the nature of the event, the venue, and the activities involved. Some of the persons who may be at risk at an event include attendees, staff and volunteers, performers, and more. You should be able to identify all the individuals at risk in an area of concern to prepare appropriate safety measures for all of them.
To illustrate further, let’s expand on our example before; a narrow exit at the audience seating area is an area of concern, and a potential hazard associated with it is congestion, categorized as a high-level risk. In this scenario, the individuals most at risk are the attendees of the event.
Now that you have all the essential details you need, from the event specifics to the hazards and their risk levels to the persons at risk, it’s time to plan your actions. Your actions should be planned according to the area of concern and the hazard and people art risk involved. This ensures that your response is tailored to the specific situation, maximizing safety and effectiveness.
Let's continue with the example we discussed earlier - the high-risk scenario of a congestion due to a narrow exit at the audience seating area, with attendees being the most vulnerable. To address this risk, you should consider taking steps like installing clear signs and sufficient lighting, effectively managing crowds, establishing emergency communication systems, devising an emergency plan, and conducting evacuation drills regularly.
Keeping records of your event risk assessment outcomes, regardless of whether they are deemed successful or not, enables you to create a valuable resource for refining your approach to risk assessment. As you can already imagine, this can influence the success and safety of your future events.
To make your event risk assessment process easier, here's a simplified template for your convenience. Feel free to customize this template based on your preferences, such as using bullet points or a table format.
Event Name:
Event Type:
Date:
Venue:
For further resources, here’s an example of event risk assessment using the template above.
Event Name: Annual Business Leaders Conference
Event Type: Exclusive Business Conference
Date: December 10, 2024
Venue: Indoor Conference Room
In addition to event risk assessment, optimizing event management through an event management platform like StaffConnect can be a helpful step in managing safe events. With StaffConnect, you can use practical communication tools like live chat and a communications hub. These can help in fostering clear and effective communication among your team which is essential in developing and executing emergency response plans.
In addition to communication tools, StaffConnect also has other helpful features for efficient event planning. Some examples include GPS check-in and out, a centralized database, calendar integration, custom mobile branding, push notifications, SMS, multi-currency payment, and a lot more!
If you'd like to discover more features and functionalities of StaffConnect, feel free to schedule a free demo at your convenience here.