Expert Insight
A SAFE & SUCCESSFUL BANK HOLIDAY
With beer gardens open, hospitality venues able to welcome customers inside again and our summer bank holidays on the horizon, we’re gratefully seeing hospitality venues coming back to life. After enduring many months of enforced closure, this is a welcome boon for the industry. But it’s important to remember not to let the rush to reopen put your venue at increased risk.
Bank holidays are notorious for increased risk, as they lend themselves towards long day-drinking sessions, which is great for the bar tabs, but not so great for the impact it could have on how safe your staff and customers are at work.
The good news is, it’s easy to make sure your venue stays protected against the expected bank holiday risks, as well as the evolving challenges COVID-19 will inevitably raise.
PROTECTING AGAINST COVID-19 As restrictions relax and consumers potentially become complacent, it can be easy for alcohol to lead to flouting of COVID-19 safety advice. It’s important for your staff to keep themselves safe by sticking to distancing guidelines and wearing the relevant PPE. It’s also important that they look out for customers who might be behaving outside the rules, and encouraging them to remember how to keep each other safe.
CONTRACTORS AND EQUIPMENT At this time of year, it’s common for venues to hire extra entertainment to help draw the crowds. The drawback is, some of these extra activities or suppliers may have hazards that aren’t normally present at your venue.
If you are hiring hazardous equipment or attractions, it’s imperative that you make sure that all equipment has a full check and service history carried out by a qualified professional. It’s also important that the equipment, and anyone tasked with running it on the day, has its/their own insurance which you should ask for a copy of to keep on file.
RISK ASSESSMENTS AND HEALTH AND SAFETY All entertainment events are classed as work, as are most activities associated with them, so your event will be
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subject to the Health & Safety at work act. This covers any staff working the event, or volunteers, who are classed as employees for the purposes of Employers Liability and Health & Safety legislation.
Risk assessments and proper risk management are vital in the avoidance of any claims – especially considering changes to the sentencing for gross negligence manslaughter claims.
The event organiser (your venue) has a duty to ensure that all areas of your premises and any equipment on it, is safe and won’t cause harm to any staff or visitor.
As far as legislation is concerned, it’s also worth checking whether your need a Temporary Event Notice or pavement licence from the local licensing authority.
OTHER POINTS TO CONSIDER Have you alerted the local Fire Prevention Officer to make sure that any increase in customers or the use of new equipment isn’t causing a fire hazard?
Are buildings large enough to accommodate the number of visitors you’re anticipating?
Are your evacuation plans still applicable for the event? Is there space for emergency vehicles to enter and park? Are there plenty of fire extinguishers?
What additional equipment are contractors bringing that may cause fire or slip and trip hazards?
Running events or hosting guests over bank holiday’s is a fantastic way to help you get your venue back to life. But don’t let those risks that are easily forgotten have a detrimental impact on your bank holiday weekends.
For support in keeping your venue properly protected, NDML can walk you through all your insurance, risk management and health & safety requirements.
0344 488 9205
ndml.co.uk
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