H&E North speaks to Dean Newman, Director of Newman Event Services, on how planners can deliver a secure event with the expertise of trusted crowd management and event safety providers.
Since the proposal of the government’s Protect Duty legislation earlier this year, venues have taken appropriate steps to consider the report’s potential impact on the events sector and what this means for established safety measures. With the risk of terrorist attacks at events at the core, the new legislation, also known as Martyn’s Law, remains under consultation, while opening up debate over a legislative requirement for planners to employ security measures across their event spaces.
Dean Newman, of Newman Event Services, delved into the vital importance for planners to employ a comprehensive crowd management and event safety provider as Protect Duty comes into fruition: “Event organisers need now more than ever to utilise the professional security personnel available from crowd management and safety groups, who hold strong expertise in the planning, coordination, and provision of world-class crowd management services to ensure that every event is delivered safely.
“The teams behind every event safety service hold a wealth of experience working on a range of major events, including concerts, festivals, and sporting competitions. Their skills include crowd management, health and safety, event consultancy, event parking, event security, and event stewarding.
“The breadth of safety services also encompasses all areas of an event, including access control and personnel search and measures in CCTV, pit, and vehicle security. Employing stewards to oversee the turnstiles, ticketing areas and queue management are also solid foundations that greatly improve event security.”
employing extra security measures, reassuring planners that equipment and guests are protected from any danger or criminal threat. By law, ensuring all employees and delegates are not exposed to health and safety risks remains a legal duty for event organisers. Demonstrating a commitment to managing this effectively, a health and safety policy details that appropriate measures are taken in the planning phases of an event.
Traffic management is also a key service which has shown to be a vital factor to event success. By arranging cost efficient and safe traffic management plan from the initial event planning stages, a positive lasting impression is also made on delegates after experiencing smooth traffic flow in and out of a venue.
“All the comprehensive traffic management solutions an organiser needs are provided by security teams, which help to determine all conditions that must be met to ensure the event can be carried out safely,” said Dean. “This work often involves securing temporary Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO’s) and installing interim speed restrictions on certain access roads.”
With the right security measures in place and utilising a strong crowd management plan, planners can be reassured that the event will run smoothly with the dependable coordination and communication from a crowd safety team.
“Event safety services are much more than a helping hand to planners for crowd behaviour monitoring, hospitality duties, and preventing entry of restricted items,” explains Dean. “The friendly faces of professional event stewards are also a welcoming presence at an event, allowing your delegates to enjoy a comfortable experience.”
Newmanevents.co.uk