What should be the security measures at an event?
Persona muestra una bola de discoteca tras una cortina plateada
Foto perfil autor artículo: Álvaro Martínez González
Evania García
November 10, 2022

What should be the security measures at an event?

Security is one of the main issues when talking about nightlife and if you have or have decided to start in this business, you must be clear about the protocols as well as certain security and prevention measures and have a security plan for events and thus avoid any kind of incident.

In this article, we will give you the necessary guidelines to carry out a correct operation regarding the security of your event as well as a control of the applicable regulations and the risks to be prevented.

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Security at large events is one of the key elements when organizing them, because the number of attendees is proportional to the risk that is generated, therefore, it is essential to take certain security and prevention measures and have a security plan for events to avoid any kind of incident.

In the nightlife sector, events generally involve large crowds of people and if we add to that other factors such as music, alcohol and noise, it can become a powder keg if the necessary safety measures are not taken.

What type of risks should be assessed before organizing an event?

When organizing an event, regardless of the type of event, hazards must be detected and risks must be evaluated to prevent incidents and to know what process to follow in case of an emergency situation to avoid greater evils, therefore, safety measures must be in place.

Although in any event there must be prevention, the number of attendees and the type of event are the elements that determine the risks to which it will be exposed. The scenario in which the event is held is also an important factor, because the risks change from an open space to an enclosed space.

There are some of the risks that should be evaluated before organizing an event:

  • Location risks: the type of venue in which the event is to be held must be considered; if it is an open space, aspects such as weather must be considered. If it is an enclosed space, ventilation, emergency exists, among others, must be taken into account.
  • Health risks: you must be prepared to attend to any accident with any of the attendees, as there may be some fainting, fall, discomfort related to alcohol consumption and even the need to attend to someone due to a brwal.
  • Risk of disturbing the peace: this is one of the risks to which the greatest attention should be paid, since they are very recurrent in the nightlife sector. An argument or confrontation between attendees can lead to a major altercation if not controlled in time.
  • Risk of theft: Special care must be taken in the transportation and safekeeping of the equipment and audiovisual material to be used in the event. In addition, there should be security elements to avoid, as far as possible, theft from attendees, as this is one of the things that gives a bad image to an event.
  • Risk of intrusion: another important issue to prevent is intrusion, because it can lead to other risks for the event, such as causing disturbances or exceeding the planned capacity.
  • Risk of sabotage: Before and during the event there may be some intentional damage to the assembly, electrical installation, among others, which may generate other risks, such as fire risk or a disorderly evacuation, so you must be prepared to react.
  • Risk of attack: this is one of the risks we would least like to face when organizing an event, because it is the most complicated to deal with, but it is important to be prepared to mitigate it and avoid a tragedy.
  • Risk of fire: any electrical failure could generate an outbreak of fire, as well as an improperly placed fuel source, a cigarette or even if a firework is used to liven up the event.

What regulations apply to event safety?

There are aspects of event safety that should not be overlooked, because the law obliges you to comply with them. You must take into account the regulations at national, regional and even municipal level.

These regulations determine the security measures to be adopted when organizing an event.

This is the state regulation that must be taken into account when organizing an event:

Civil Liability Insurance

  • Decree 44/2014, of March 25, is the regulation governing Public Shows and Recreational Activities

This regulation establishes that the organizers of events and public shows are obliged to have a Civil Liability Insurance to cover, if necessary, damages to the attendees. The sum insured will be determined according to the capacity and varies from one Autonomous Community to another.

In Catalonia, for example, the Regulation of Public Shows and Recreational Activities, establishes that, for a capacity of 100 people the insured capital must be a minimum of 300,000 euros, for 5,000 attendees of 2,000,000 euros and when this number of people is exceeded, the minimum amount of capital will be increased by 60,000 euros for 1,000 attendees until reaching 6,000,000 euros.

Self-protection plan

  • Royal Decree 393/2007, of March 23,, which approves the Basic Self-Protection. Regulations for centers, establishments and facilities engaged in activities that may gice rise to emergency situations (BOE No. 72, of March 24)

In order to prevent and control emergency situations, this Royal Decree establishes taht a self-protection plan must be in place for events that take place in enclosed areas and where the capacity exceeds 2,000 people, as well as for outdoor evets with more than 20,000 attendees. The capacity rules may vary from one autonomous region to another, since they have the power to establish the one they deem convenient.

Minimum content of the Self-Protection Plan

  • General description
  • Risks assessment
  • Self-protection measures and means
  • Emergency action plan
  • Maintenance
  • Implementation
  • Revisions of the plan

The self-protection plan must be signed and drafted by a competent technician.

This section also includes an emergency plan, which will establish criteria for rapid action by personnel according to the type of emergency that may arise, and a comprehensive security plan to ensure coordination of human and material resources to guarantee security at the event.

Collaboration with police and emergency services

  • Royal Decree 2816/1982, of August 27, 1982, approving the General Regulations for the Police of Public Shows and Recreational Activities (BOE no. 267, of November 6)

This regulation states that, when organizing an event, it will be necessary to coordinate private security with the forces of public order and other emergency services to ensure the safety of attendees.

As you can see, security is an essential aspect to organize an event and anything that can improve it is a great advantage. In Premiumguest we have an event management software in which you can know the capacity in real time and other solutions such as cashless wristbands and contactless payment that streamlines the entry, exit and purchase of drinks, avoiding crowds.