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As a prerequisite for a third party to use Cheshire East land, event organisers must demonstrate they have considered and assessed the need for First Aid. They must assess the level of cover required in order to cover the anticipated need for First Aid for all those participants included in the event, these will include workers, volunteers and contractors for example.
Event organisers have a duty of care for all those participating and working as part of the event.
Organisers of Small attended events will assess their First Aid need and may be able to secure Suitably Qualified “First Aid at work” Qualified employees, these may be volunteers or key members of the event committee, as a minimum the Council will accept those First Aiders that have completed the full three day course which is delivered by many organisations through out the Country. The Council will like to be reassured that the individuals assigned to the First Aid duty are consistently in place during the event and hold a current certificate for First Aid art Work.
On occasions the Council has tried to encourage groups to seek appropriate training in First Aid and as part of the Councils encouragement and if the budget allows the event manager will coordinate a First Aid Course, opening this training to event organisers or those nominated by the organiser.
Event Organisers looking to stage a medium to a large event again will need to assess their First Aid requirements based on the activities planned however the Council will expect as part of the application for the event organiser to engage and contract a recognised First Aid provider that has experience in delivering the service to the public within a Public space. There are many providers nationally and St Johns Ambulance is one of those recognised by many as a suitable provider.
Over recent years many commercial providers are now available and an event organiser should research and seek references when making a decision on their First Aid provider.
Many events require roads to be closed either to enhance their event but more importantly to ensure additionally safety measures are in place for all those involved in the Event. Some of those reasons for closing roads off to the normal traffic may be for example, event organisers operating a Street Carnival, a Marathon or distance Run and The Remembrance Services in November. The Event organiser must plan a route of closure that tries to deliver minimum impact to the normal traffic flow in the area. They must suggest a suitable diversion in order that traffic flow is maintained where possible; they should also consider feeder roads from minor streets and residential estates to ensure vehicles do not enter the route. Any road closure must maintain access to allow any emergency blue light service to enter the event site safely and in a coordinated manner.
All event organisers or traffic managers should allow a minimum of 12 weeks when making a closure application to the Cheshire East Highways Department.
Applications can be made by the organiser however if they wish to carry out a closure they must engage a qualified and competent traffic management provider. Organisers can engage a full traffic management commercial company who will make the application, design the traffic management plans and then deliver the plan on site at the event. The Highways department will determine that the plans suggested meet the criteria and requirements for a safe closure plan.
Engaging a fully qualified traffic management company is expensive for some community groups wishing to have a closure. The Council are now considering that some small events on the Highway may be undertaken by community groups. Those groups will have to ensure that they have sufficient trained volunteers or workers and resources to carry out the closure. The type of training suggested has been in place and agreed by a number of County Highways Authorities; see below for a link suitable to deliver the training for community group event organisers.
Where possible and with the budget allowing it may be possible for the event Manager to coordinate this community type of road closure training. The Council wish to support community groups with their event planning and often when a road closure is required this can curtail plans and reduces budgets for the remaining parts of the event.
Cheshire East Highways department will determine the level of traffic management required when an application is made. If the complexity or safety requirements are deemed beyond the level of training and experience of a community group may have, the Council will recommend that a qualified traffic management company is engaged.
Laws involved in closing roads off for a temporary period
Events vary in size and complexity and in order to deliver a safe well operated event, there is a great deal of planning and understanding required for the Event organiser . The Councils approach to events is seen as being positive and encouraging, recognising events make a strong contribution to local Communities, Economy and diversity for the area.
The Council wish to encourage community groups and commercial event organisers to use suitable land as venues for staging events providing they are comfortable with the checks and balances being in place to operate a safe event.
All event organisers are advised to consult with the HSE web site link below which provides suitable guidance to the event organiser’s responsibilities for an event, the type of documentation the Council will expect would be a comprehensive risk assessment, considering the potential for harm and the measures in place to avoid or reduce the risk of harm. The Council wishes that all Public Liability is suitable and covers the activities planned at the event.
Any event organiser is advised to read the Purple Guide for Events, whilst there is a charged levied to secure access to the document this may be a useful investment. The Purple Guide is a well respected and event wide publication that provides the organiser with the correct and comprehensive knowledge to run an event.
Previously the Event Manager has coordinated event safety training to local event organisers. The training is delivered by a nationally respected event planner and consultant. Due to a reasonable cost for a full one days training a charge would be levied to individual event organisers to deliver this type of training.
Many event organisers rely on willing volunteer stewards to support and assist events. Stewards may be expected to support a number of roles and responsibilities to assist both the event and organisers. These may include, delivering event information, crowd control, operating portable radios for communication, waste collection to name a few duties.
Stewards are not to be used as security personnel or managing traffic on the highway. Event organisers should brief stewards prior to the event providing them with written instruction on emergency procedures.
Cheshire East Council will ask for volunteer stewards to be aged 18 and over however if the volunteer stewards are part of a recognised group as the Scouts who would be fully supervised by their leader this may be an accepted practice.
The level of training required varies per event however Nationally the Volunteer NVQ Level 2, 3 suits most general duties required as a steward at public events.