The purpose of a Risk Assessment is to identify hazards that could cause harm, assess the risks that may arise from those hazards and decide on suitable means to eliminate or control the risks.  Significant findings of the risk assessment must be recorded if five or more people are employed.  A risk assessment for the build-up, show and breakdown, can only be carried out once information has been received from the contractors, other companies and self-employed people who will be working on the site.  It will also be necessary to visit the site or venue to identify specific hazards.

A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause harm to people.  This could be a dangerous property of an item or a substance, a condition, a situation or an activity.

Risk is the likelihood that he harm from the hazard is realised and the extent of it.  In a risk assessment, risk should reflect both the likelihood that harm will occur and its severity.

Hazards associated with the assembly of large numbers of people may vary according to the nature of the event and these hazards should be similarly assessed in terms of risk.  The previous history of the performers and the audience that they attract can provide valuable information.  The overall event risk assessment will then indicate areas where risks need to be reduced to acceptable levels.

The aim of the Risk Assessment is to clearly identify all the risks to the public, participants and employees attending an event posed by the environment of the site and the nature of the activities thereon, and, record the means by which these risks are eliminated or minimised.

The five steps that need to be taken to assess the risk associated with staging the event are as follows:-

Step 1	Identify the hazards associated with the activities contributing to the event, where the activities are carried out and how the activities are to be undertaken.
Step 2	Identify those people who may be harmed, and how.
Step 3	Identify existing precautions, eg venue design, operational procedures or existing ‘safe systems of work’.
Step 4	Evaluate the risks.
Step 5	Decide what further actions may be required, eg improvement in venue design, safe systems of work, etc.

A systematic assessment must be made of the event, site, management, structures and activities by a competent person/persons.  This should be carried out with reference to the current guidelines laid down by the Health and Safety Executive Document “The Event Safety Guide - A Guide to Health, Safety and Welfare at Music and Similar Events”.

Your aim should be to produce an Event Safety Plan and Risk Assessment document, which details the recognised risks and the methods to be employed to eliminate or minimise them.  This should be submitted to the local authority.

The most important considerations for your risk assessment are that:-

• All hazards are identified.
• Appropriate control measures are defined.
• The risk assessment process is well documented to enable managerial control (see attached standard type Risk Assessment Form).
• All personnel/performers are informed and trained to identify risks.
• The procedure is monitored regularly to establish if control measures are effective and still current.

Your Risk Assessment should be used as a basis for the production of your Contingency Plan.