Risk Assessment: for Village Halls and Special Events
05/18/2022
Our Risk Consultant Michelle Yorke went live on Facebook and YouTube, in partnership with Action for Communities in Rural England (ACRE) to talk about risk assessment for village halls and special events. The session, which was designed for those involved in the safe management of village halls, provided guidance on the basic application of risk assessment, as well as factors to consider when planning any type of celebratory events.
The live stream included a 15-minute presentation, followed by a Q&A, looking at topics such as:
- Introduction to Risk Assessment
- Why do a Risk Assessment?
- 5 Steps to Risk Assessment
- Record Keeping
- A Practical Example
- Useful Resources
You can watch the recording of the session here:
You can download a PDF of the presentation slides here:
Questions & Answers:
How often do we need to update our risk assessments?
Risk assessments should be updated continuously and particularly if there’s been any change in the activities you do. For example, if you have any additional activities or new hazards that you’re facing, since you last assessed your risks.
Are there any templates that you have that we can use to complete a risk assessment?
You can find risk assessment templates on the Health and Safety Executive website. An example risk assessment template specifically for Village Halls can be found here.
How do we eliminate risks, without ruining the celebration?
We know it’s not possible to eliminate all risk but it’s important to try and minimise the ones you face as much as possible. This is why doing a risk assessment is important because it allows you to identify the risks you face and think about what you can implement to avoid or otherwise safely control such situations. It’s about being sensible and having a complete picture of the risks that persons could be faced with and putting in reasonable ways to avoid them. The Health and Safety Executive website offers an interesting article regards 10 top worst health and safety myths – including the ban of conkers!
What resources are available to help with planning an event?
Our article Platinum Jubilee: Organising a safe event gives you 8 key points to consider to ensure you’re running a safe event. It also contains a downloadable guide with 3 steps to running an event safely. You can of course find further information on the Health and Safety Executive website.
Do I need a licence from the Council for my event?
Possibly, if licensable activities are carried out and you don’t already have a Premises Licence for your Village Hall, you may need to apply for a Temporary Events Notice licence. For example, if you’re supplying alcohol or putting on regulated entertainment (e.g. amplified live or recorded music or screening a film to an audience). Community premises such as Village Halls may be exempt, unless over 500 persons are in attendance, but you will need to check with your local council whether they have an exemption in place for your type of premises. You may also need to check that you have a suitable industry licence for allowing live or recorded music or to show films.
Could you give a mention to risks around Jubilee tree planting and beacon lighting please?
The HSE advises that you should follow best practice during any manual handling of trees. Where possible, organise the delivery of your trees in such a way as to minimise the need for any manual handling, e.g. by mechanising the unloading of the trees, or good teamwork to help with lifting/lowering of trees. Where practical, an all-terrain vehicle could also be helpful in delivering trees to the planting area to minimise carrying. Also consider providing hand washing facilities (or gloves), where feasible.
Beacon lighting could pose specific fire hazards and risks which should be considered as part of your fire risk assessment, taking account of the specific nature and layout of your site. Manufacturer’s instructions should be carefully followed, staff should be fully trained in safety procedures, emergency arrangements put in place, and lit beacons should never be left unattended. Also check that you have specific insurance cover for beacon lighting.
Do participants need to sign waivers before taking part in activities such as rounders and welly wanging?
There is no requirement in law to make people sign a waiver before partaking in these types of physical activities. However, they can be very helpful in terms of defending claims, as they help show you have made people aware of the risks they may face from taking part. Although they are not legally required, they may be worth taking the time to put in place, as part of your reasonable risk management implementations.
Would clear signage be an alternative to signing a waiver?
It can be useful to use clear signage. But remember, often signs are overlooked. If choosing to use a sign instead of a waiver, it’s important to make sure it stands out and is engaging or is specifically referred to before participation.
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