Tag: future of live events

News

Our guidelines for a safe working environment for event staff

The Association of Event Organisers (AEO) has set out guidance to support and assess the safe working environment at live events post COVID-19 to assist with the recovery of the events industry.

There is a number of items that will need to be considered post COVID-19 at live events so we have put together a short overview of the AEO guidelines for us all:  

  1. Approved by the UK government

The guidance will help to achieve common standards of health, safety and operational planning, management and on-site conduct for the events industry.

  1. The All Secure Standard – Risk Assessment Framework

The health and safety of industry professionals, customers and delegates must remain top priority to any event organiser. The ‘All Secure Standard’ has been set up to provide a best-practice guide to industry professionals.

  1. Key Measures

The AEO UK operations group has put together a list of key measures to consider when planning events that can be used in-conjunction with risk assessments. The measures are also scalable depending on the size of your event.

  1. Risk Assessment

An event risk assessment has been developed to identify the contact points where, when and how transmission at the event is most likely to occur and assigns the controls best able to reduce the risk of this transmission. The AEO. Have provided a basic risk assessment and a more comprehensive risk assessment.

We will be working towards adapting these guidelines to our client’s events and completing all risk assessments prior to any events taking place. Our guidance, along with the AEO guidelines, will be continually reviewed to ensure best practice is being adhered to at all times.

We are looking forward to getting back to providing knowledgeable, highly-skilled event staff to the events industry across the UK very soon. In the meantime, if you have any event related questions, please contact us.

News

Conference centres can now host events

The events industry has been waiting with baited breath for when live events can return to conference centres across the UK.

At the beginning of August, we saw the announcement that exhibition and conference centres in England could host business meetings and events for up to 30 people.

What does this mean?

Small events for up to 30 people are permitted so long as there is direct access to the smaller meeting spaces and COVID-secure guidance is adhered to. This guidance includes: social distancing must be maintained, different groups are kept separate and the venue can demonstrate it has followed the COVID-19 guidance.

To Cater or Not?

Basic catering can be provided at these small events with venues needing to follow similar guidance issued for bars, pubs and takeaways. Pre-packaged food is highly advised in these scenarios.

Receptions, award ceremonies, filming, fashion shows, product launches, and team building exercises are not allowed to take place until 1 October, on the condition that COVID-19 is deemed under control.

All events happening after 1 October will need to be risk assessed following AEO COVID-19 secure guidelines.

We have yet to be told if face masks need to be worn during business events and meetings.

We still need to ensure we are ready to create events that are as safe as possible, no matter the number of people. Organising an event will now have an extra step involved which will be incorporating the AEO guidelines to protect the wellbeing of all attendees and staff working at the event.

Things for event organisers to consider

  • Assess the risk of transmission of COVID-19 at your event and identify and manage those risks
  • Create pre-event checklists addressing the risks associated with COVID-19 at your event
  • Create safety guidelines and policies for suppliers, staff, and attendees to adhere to
  • Communicate all guidelines and policies prior to the event

As the UK Government makes more announcements over the coming weeks, we will be listening to see if any of the current restrictions are lifted further.

In the meantime, if you have any event related questions, please contact us.

News

What will live events look like in the future?

The UK government has announced the lifting of more restrictions today however the future of live events is still very much unknown.

When they are ready to allow us to plan, organise, and gather again, we need to ensure we are ready to create events that are as safe as possible. Organising an event will now have an extra step involved which will be incorporating the guidelines from health officials to protect the wellbeing of all attendees and staff working at the event.

Things for event organisers to consider

  • Assess the risk of transmission of COVID-19 at your event and identify and manage those risks
  • Create pre-event checklists addressing the risks associated with COVID-19 at your event
  • Create safety guidelines and policies for suppliers, staff, and attendees to adhere to
  • Communicate all guidelines and policies prior to the event

There is also the question of what will be the etiquette at live trade shows, exhibitions, and conferences in the future. Will we be able to shake hands or will it be an elbow pump from now on? Will the norm at large-scale exhibitions be temperature-checking delegates as they enter the hall? These may feature in the immediate future but we are sure some old habits will return.

This is a time for our industry to lead the way in demonstrating ways we can balance the need to interact with awareness as well as maintaining safe practices. If you take the cruise industry, for example, they have had hand sanitisers on ships to protect passengers from the norovirus for years. We think practices like this will become the ‘new normal’ at live events in the future.

As the UK Government makes more announcements over the coming weeks, we will be listening to see if any of the current restrictions are lifted further. One thing is for sure, the lockdown has shown us the importance of human connection and the need for us all to come together through live events.

We are confident that we will be dusting off our lanyards very soon but in the meantime, if you are planning your future event and need advice or support, please get in touch.