1. EVENT MANAGEMENT TOU3925

2. Postgraduate Course Feedback
Week 24: Risk management activity

3. Five steps to risk assessment (HSE, 2011)
Assessment identifies the risks
Mitigate the risks
Transfer risks that can’t be mitigated
Are the numbers controlled and predictable?
Are visitors likely to be familiar with the venue?
What are the characteristics of the predicted crowd – age/gender/family structure?
Is the event likely to generate high emotions?
How will performers affect this?
Might there be aggressive behaviour/drug/alcohol use?
Are gatecrashers likely?
Develop risk register – process to suit organisation
Legal risks (losses & costs arising from legal actions)
Physical risks (injuries to participants and public)
Moral and ethical risks (adverse publicity to image/reputation)
Financial risks (loss of asset value, replacement costs, loss of revenue etc)
Principle methods of addressing risk are:
Prevention
Reduction
Transference
Contingency
Acceptance
Contract review
Review all third party contracts
Ensure responsibilities clearly understood
Identify transferable risks
Legal levels of responsibility defined by both parties
RISK MITIGATION:
Security; Slips and trips (Health and Safety); Temporary structures; IT systems; Transport routes/parking
Financial exposure review
Identify vulnerable risk areas; Consider self-insurance limits; Identify cash-flow vulnerability
Risk Mapping
Develop risk measurement map: Inevitable losses/ catastrophic losses
Review alongside contract and financial exposure review
Agree how best to mitigate or reduce impact
High risks – consider ways of reducing risk or prepare contingency plan
Medium – Prepare contingency
Low – take no immediate action, but continue to monitor
(Bladen et al., 2012)

4. Activity
Complete the risk assessment template for your event
First consider how risky your event is
Consider the type of risks your event poses
Finally critically evaluate the level of risk
Use these slides to help you.

5. Is your event low, medium or high risk? Where is it? How big is it?
Risks and events
Is your event low, medium or high risk?
Where is it?
How big is it?
Who is your audience?
What activities/ entertainment will be offered?
Are the activities simple or complicated?
Will participants have taken part in these previously?
What are the range of risks at your event?
How would you grade the risks?
Bring a risky activity forward to make less impact if delayed
Modify the project requirement to reduce inherent high risk (e.g. new technology)
Allow appropriate time and cost contingencies
Test and evaluate new approaches to work

6. Risk assessment What are the hazards? Who might be harmed & how?
What are you doing to control the risk?
Do you need to do anything else?
Grade of risk
Action by who?
Action by when?
Done
Trips/falls
Visitor may trip over AV cable
Use signage to warn
Ensure all AV cables taped
Ensure all areas are well it
Ensure signage in place on day
Lights are on & check AV cables are taped
Low
Event manager/ AV manager
During event set-up
Risk Assessors Signature………………………………………………………………………… Date………
Employers with five or more employees must have a written health and safety policy and risk assessment
It is important to discuss the risk assessment with all staff and representatives
The risk assessment should be reviewed periodically and also when anything significant happens that may change your assessment

7. Risk grading Severity Very Severe (5) Severe (4) Serious (3) Minor (2)
Severity
Very Severe (5)
Severe (4)
Serious (3)
Minor (2)
Negligible (1)
Multiple deaths, casualties, severe health effects
Death, severe injury/ health effects
Serious injury, Over 3 day injury
First aid treatment, minor health effects
No visible effects, minor injury e.g. bruise
Likelihood
Very Likely (5)
100% Chance of occurrence
Very High Risk (25)
Very High Risk (20)
High Risk (15)
High Risk (10)
Low Risk (5)
Likely (4)
Sooner rather than later
Very High Risk (16)
High Risk (12)
Medium (8)
Low Risk (4)
Possible (3)
Foreseeable under normal circumstances
Medium (9)
Medium (6)
Low Risk (3)
Unlikely (2)
Unless other factors precipitate
Very Low Risk (2)
Very Unlikely (1)
Freak conditions or circumstances required
Very Low Risk (1)