Health and safety responsibilities

Health and Safety Responsibilities

Everyone organising or managing an event of any kind has a 'duty of care' under health and safety legislation. This duty applies across both criminal and common law and must be adhered to throughout the event planning process. Safety should be your primary responsibility and should be put first.

The Purple Guide can be a useful tool for event organisers to use. It gives advice on appropriate medical cover depending on the size and nature of the event. Please note this is a subscription service.

Organisers are responsible under the law for the safety of everyone at the event. This includes the public, employees, contractors and volunteers.

Please note that all events must comply with relevant health and safety legislation including the Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974 and accompanying Regulations.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently published advice on running an event safely.

To meet the legal requirements you must carry out a risk assessment to:

• Identify all possible hazards (anything that could cause harm to anyone) and decide who might be harmed and how.
• Evaluate the risks (the likelihood and effects of a hazard happening) and decide on the action you will take to minimise the risks.
• Work out how you will put your plan of action into practice and keep a written record of your event assessment and planning process.

Please use a risk assessment template for your event.

Further advice can be found in 'A Brief Guide to Controlling Risks in the Workplace' published by the Health and Safety Executive.