Health & Safety Briefing NUEPN - 19 th February 2015 Occupational Health & Safety Service

H&S at Events Occupational Health & Safety Service Is it really necessary? There are moral, legal and economic benefits to managing Health & Safety The law says we must carry out risk assessments Does it add any value? It can help identify additional control measures It assists in action tracking and allocation of responsibilities Is it just a paperwork exercise? YES - If you fill in a risk assessment and file it away The most important part of the assessment is communication

What does the HSE say…. Occupational Health & Safety Service The HSE have a dedicated section of their website to running events safely: HSE - Event SafetyHSE - Event Safety Within that, Event Organisers have duties: You will have prime responsibility for the health and safety of: your workers members of the public (your audience / the crowd) contractors working for you at the event

Risk Assessment Occupational Health & Safety Service Key features of a risk assessment careful examination of what could go wrong it will identify hazards, risk and control measures in event planning, the risk assessment will be part of a dynamic process as the project progresses actions can be allocated to individuals and recorded in the risk assessment template one assessment may not be adequate e.g. a visit day: An overarching risk assessment will cover overall arrangements individual assessments to cover particular activities it should be proportionate to the risk

Risk Assessment Occupational Health & Safety Service Typical hazards to be considered Access and egress Fire and evacuation First aid arrangements Slips, trips and falls Supervision and Safeguarding Electrical hazards Temporary structures Welfare arrangements

When it goes wrong Occupational Health & Safety Service

When it goes wrong Occupational Health & Safety Service Dreamspace, Riverside Park, 2006: the structure lifted following a gust of wind 30 people were inside at the time Sadly, two fatalities and many injured High Court Ruling: Justice Foskett said neither the council nor Brouhaha had recognised the inadequacy of a risk assessment carried out both organisations had failed to ensure Dreamspace was adequately anchored to the ground both were fined and ordered to pay costs

When it goes right Occupational Health & Safety Service

Further Information Occupational Health & Safety Service HSE website Occupational Health & Safety Service PSS Lead Adviser – Katherine Wilson SAgE Lead – Rachael Davidson FMS Lead – Chris Walton HaSS – Andrew McKenna Each School & Service has a dedicated Safety Officer

Any Questions?