FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Event safety is a comprehensive field and it is not uncommon for eyes to get bigger and bigger and nods to get more and more intense as we talk together to find answers to your questions. Just to give you a couple of “aha” moments before a personal meeting, here are brief answers to some relevant questions about our work, our services and much more.

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Do you have a very special question? And need a very individual answer? Then please write to us at: info@event-safety-consult.eu
Or call us at: +49 6221 8901611

 

TOP 10 FAQs

Event safety

When and why do I need a safety concept for my events?

  • As a general rule, you as an event holder should always carry out a safety assessment of the event or individual areas if you believe that critical situations may arise. This does not always have to be a comprehensive safety concept. Under certain circumstances, however, it may be obligatory to draw up a safety concept in accordance with § 43 of the Ordinance on Places of Public Assembly. This depends, for example, on the number of visitors, the type or location of the event, and the risk potential.
  • Irrespective of this, individual licensing authorities (e.g. trade licensing offices, public order/building authorities, police) may, under certain conditions, make the approval of an event dependent on the preparation of a safety concept.

Here you can conduct your own risk assessment for your event to find out the risk potential.

 

What is a risk assessment and when do you need one at an event?

  • A risk assessment for an event systematically examines which risks to the safety and health of visitors, participants and staff may occur during that event. On the one hand, the risks caused by the type of event itself are considered. On the other hand, it must also be analyzed whether risks can arise from the place where the event takes place and by external circumstances, such as the weather. If necessary, individual subareas of an event, e.g. work at heights, must be considered in greater detail as part of a separate risk assessment. From this analysis and evaluation of the potential risks that may arise, suitable measures must then be derived to counteract these risks.
  • Employers are obliged to protect their employees on the basis of applicable laws and regulations of the employers’ liability insurance association and to prepare risk assessments. For operators of a place of assembly, this obligation results from the Ordinance on Places of Public Assembly, and for event holders it results from the general obligation to ensure safety and from DIN 15750. If a safety concept is prepared, a risk assessment is of course an important prerequisite, as otherwise it is not possible to assess the risk situation and specify protective measures.

Here you can create a risk assessment yourself for your event to find out the risk potential.

 

What do I need to consider to ensure that my company implements events in a legally compliant way?

  • First and foremost, the roles of the individuals acting at the event must be clearly defined. Meaning that you can be in the role, for example, of the venue operator, the event holder, or an employer (e.g., a service provider). Often, you act in several of these roles simultaneously. In this case you should find out what laws, regulations and other requirements apply to you in your particular role at the event.
  • In addition to the general regulations (e.g. in the Basic Law and the German Civil Code), these are usually laws and ordinances from the building laws of the federal states (e.g. the respective Ordinance on Places of Public Assembly) and from occupational health and safety (e.g. the Occupational Health and Safety Act and regulations of the accident insurance institutions).
  • Legal regulations also exist for many other aspects that can play a role at an event (e.g. noise, protection of minors, commercial law).
  • As the size of an event generally increases the number and scope of the requirements to be observed, it is advisable to involve experts from the field of event safety in the planning and implementation of the event once it reaches a certain size and/or complexity.

 

Do I need safety coordination at my trade fair booth or other event?

  • Several service providers are usually required to set up and implement a trade show. Each employer is responsible for the safe and compliant work of his own staff. Risks for employees and visitors may also arise due to the fact that many people work together - sometimes simultaneously - on a production.
  • The safety coordination of the work, i.e. higher-level occupational safety, is the task of the ordering party or project manager. Based on a risk assessment, he must determine which hazards arise from the cooperation of the individual participants during project implementation and with which measures these risks must be avoided. He must then coordinate with the individual service providers and the fair operator on the implementation of the measures.

 

Responsibility/Qualification

When do I need a Master of Event Technology or a Person Responsible for Event Technology (VfV) at events?

  • In Germany, the tasks and function of the Person Responsible for Event/Fair Safety (VfV) are governed by the Ordinance on Places of Assembly. §§ 39 and 40 define what knowledge the VfV must have, what responsibility he or she has and when presence is required. The transfer of entrepreneurial duties to a VfV must be made in writing.
  • The duties of the Person Responsible for Event/Fair Safety are usually performed by a Master of Event Technology, but under certain circumstances they can also be performed, for example, by an event technology specialist or other qualified employees.

 

When do I need which qualification for an event?

  • Event Leaders and Persons Responsible for Event Technology play an important role in the implementation of events. Persons Responsible for Event Technology and Event Leaders are appointed by the operator or event holder. Their areas of responsibility are defined in the Ordinance on Places of Public Assembly.
  • The duties of the Person Responsible for Event/Fair Safety are usually performed by a Master of Event Technology, but under certain circumstances they can also be performed, for example, by an event technology specialist or other qualified employees.
  • The necessary qualification for Event Leaders is defined in the industry standard IGVW-SQO6 as follows: “In order to be able to carry out the aforementioned tasks, in addition to sound general knowledge, knowledge of event procedures, the event location, and the tasks and functions of all those involved in the event is required in particular. Only persons who have the relevant industry-specific expertise and practical experience to perform the tasks incumbent upon them are suitable for assignment as an Event Leader.”
  • In addition, under certain circumstances, there is an obligation to appoint a Head of Security Services in accordance with § 43 of the Ordinance on Places of Public Assembly: “(1) If required by the nature of the event, the operator shall establish a safety concept and set up a security service.” ... “(3) The security service required by the safety concept shall be under the direction of a Head of Security Services appointed by the operator or event holder.”

 

What are my responsibilities as a project manager at events?

  • If a project manager is entrusted with management tasks by the ordering party, he or she becomes liable for traffic safety just like his or her client. Thus, he/she is obliged to do everything necessary and reasonable to protect the client and third parties from damages that may arise due to the event.
  • If the project manager does not have the necessary experience or qualifications, external consultants should be hired.

 

What are my obligations as an ordering party if I hire several companies to implement my event?

  • Risks for employees and visitors arise, for example, during setup and dismantling and during the execution of an event, and due to the fact that many people work together - sometimes simultaneously - on a production. The ordering party is responsible for the coordination of the processes as well as for the safety coordination of the work and thus above all for what is known as higher-level occupational safety.
  • Based on a risk assessment, the ordering party must determine which hazards arise from the cooperation of the individual participants during project implementation and with which measures these risks must be avoided. He must then coordinate with the individual service providers on the implementation of the measures.

 

When do I need a Head of Security Services at my event?

  • § 43 of the Ordinance on Places of Public Assembly defines the obligation to appoint a Head of Security Services as follows:
  • “(1) If required by the nature of the event, the operator shall establish a safety concept and set up a security service.”
  • “(3) The security service required by the safety concept shall be under the direction of a Head of Security Services appointed by the operator or event holder.”

 

When do I need an Event Leader at my event?

  • § 38 of the Ordinance on Places of Public Assembly defines the obligation to appoint an event leader as follows: “(2) During the operation of places of assembly, the operator or an Event Leader designated by the operator shall be present at all times.”
  • The industry standard IGVW-SQO6 states the following on this: “The presence of at least one decision-making person endowed with managerial authority for the period of the event is required. If this person does not belong to the management level of the company, he/she shall be assigned as Event Leader.”

 

What are the duties of an Event Leader and when must he or she be on site at my event?

  • According to § 38 of the Ordinance on Places of Public Assembly, the Event Leader assumes the duties of the operator, i.e. he/she is generally responsible for the safety of the event, compliance with regulations, smooth operation and cooperation with the safety authorities.
  • With respect to the obligation to be present, the Ordinance on Places of Public Assembly states the following in § 38: “(2) During the operation of places of assembly, the operator or an Event Leader designated by the operator shall be present at all times.”
  • The industry standard IGVW-SQO6 states the following in ch. 6: “The presence of at least one decision-making person endowed with managerial authority for the period of the event is required. If this person does not belong to the management level of the company, he/she shall be assigned as Event Leader.”

 

Do I need a minimum qualification to be an Event Leader?

  • The necessary qualification for Event Leaders is defined in the industry standard IGVW-SQO6 as follows: “In order to be able to carry out the aforementioned tasks, in addition to sound general knowledge, knowledge of event procedures, the event location, and the tasks and functions of all those involved in the event is required in particular. Only persons who have the relevant industry-specific expertise and practical experience to perform the tasks incumbent upon them are suitable for assignment as an Event Leader.”

 

Infection control/hygiene

When do I need an Infection Control Concept at my event?

  • The obligation to establish an infection control concept results from the Federal Infection Protection Act and, if applicable, from hygiene and infection protection regulations of the federal states, e.g. for the containment of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

Here you can conduct your own infection risk assessment for your event to find out the risk potential.

 

Can I hold events in times of pandemic?

  • The relevant federal and state regulations for pandemic control, e.g. for the containment of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, define the conditions under which events are possible. The organizers’ infection control concepts play an important role here. In these infection control concepts, organizers must describe the measures they will take to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
  • It is important for organizers to contact the approval authorities at an early stage and to maintain an ongoing exchange with them. This ensures that regulatory requirements are met and that the dynamic development during a pandemic is countered with tailored measures.

 

What is the difference between an Infection Control Concept, a Hygiene Concept and a Hygiene Plan at events?

  • The event holder’s higher-level infection control concept shall include all measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
  • A hygiene plan or hygiene concept comprises the totality of measures required to maintain a defined level of hygiene. The focus here is therefore more on the general, fundamentally necessary hygiene measures.
  • Service providers from the catering and cleaning sectors must prepare their own hygiene concepts, in which they must then provide information on the cleaning and disinfection measures in their area of responsibility, for example; the caterer also draws up a concept for food hygiene. Due to an increased general risk of infection, it may be necessary for other service providers to also create their own hygiene concepts as part of an infection control concept

 

Occupational safety / staff

What does a first-aider do at events?

  • First-aiders are persons who are trained in first aid. Training as a first-aider takes place in the form of a first aid course. First-aiders must refresh their knowledge and skills every two years through what is known as first aid training.
  • First-aiders are used in companies to provide first aid to employees. This also applies to employees deployed at events.

 

How many first-aiders will I need to conduct my event projects?

  • The minimum number of first-aiders for an individual company can be derived from § 26 of DGUV Regulation 1. There it is also formulated that several parties involved in a project can coordinate among themselves on the deployment of the required first-aiders: “If more than one contractor is operating in a facility or on construction sites, they can coordinate for the use of first-aiders. If work is carried out in an external company, the first aid organization of this company can be used in consultation with the company.”

 

What do I have to do in case of a work accident at an event?

  • First of all, first aid or rescue measures may have to be initiated and the accident site must be secured. Then, any injured people should see an accident insurance doctor. These are doctors appointed by the employers’ liability insurance associations with special knowledge in the field of accident medicine. Finally, an accident report must be submitted to the responsible employers’ liability insurance association.

 

When do I need a Coordinator for Safety and Health Matters (SIGEKO) for my events and trade fair appearances?

  • SIGEKO is the German abbreviation for Safety and Health Coordinator. The obligation to appoint a SIGEKO is based on the Construction Site Ordinance (BaustellV). According to this, the SIGEKO is generally responsible for the development and implementation of a safety and health plan, i.e. for the coordination of occupational safety during the planning and implementation of a project. The use of SIGEKOs is becoming common practice also for large and complex events outside of public places of assembly.

 

What in particular should I bear in mind if I need to hire several companies to conduct my event?

  • Risks for employees and visitors arise, for example, during setup and dismantling and during the execution of an event, and due to the fact that many people work together - sometimes simultaneously - on a construction site. The ordering party is responsible for the coordination of the processes as well as for the safety coordination of the work and thus above all for what is known as higher-level occupational safety.
  • Based on a risk assessment, he must determine which hazards arise from the cooperation of the individual participants during project implementation and with which measures these risks must be avoided. He must then coordinate with the individual service providers on the implementation of the measures.

 

Do I have to observe and control the occupational safety requirements at events?

  • Employers are obliged to protect their employees on the basis of applicable laws and regulations of the employers’ liability insurance association. Risks for employees arise, for example, during setup and dismantling and during the execution of an event, and due to the fact that many people work together - sometimes simultaneously - on a construction site. The ordering party is responsible for the coordination of the processes as well as for the safety coordination of the work and thus above all for what is known as higher-level occupational safety.

 

About ESC

In which service areas of the event industry does ESC operate?

  • ESC focuses completely on event safety. Our service portfolio also includes complementary services, with which we implement our customers’ projects in a targeted and highly specialized manner with a full-service approach.
  • The important point here is: We do not organize events, do not do technical planning and do not provide security personnel! Why is this important for you? Because we concentrate fully on our core competence. We do nothing else and that is exactly why we have developed highly efficient processes for you, which we implement for all our customers in a solution-oriented manner.

 

What types of projects/events does ESC carry out?

  • We are completely flexible in all types of events and fairs. A large part of our projects are corporate productions in the industrial sector, and we are also active in the field of universities/colleges, site operators, sports, culture and festivals.

 

What qualifications does ESC have in the area of events?

  • Our qualifications focus on event and occupational safety, and we also have specialists in the fields of hygiene, fire protection, psychology and architecture, among others. A detailed overview and descriptions of all our qualifications can be found here: ESC qualifications.

 

In which locations does ESC have local event industry partners?

  • Our network is constantly growing. Click here for current locations and specialists in our network.

 

How long has ESC been around?

  • Event Safety Consult was founded in 2015.

 

How much experience does ESC have with events and in specialist safety planning?

  • Sven Hansen has been in the event business for 20 years and completed his Master Craftsman training in 2008 and Specialist Master Craftsman training in 2013. Since 2010, Sven Hansen has been involved in the development and implementation of safety concepts.
  • Depending on the specialist planners involved in the project, they have up to 30 years of experience in their respective fields.

 

Does ESC have events as reference projects?

  • Please click here for the number of our projects we have carried out so far.
  • On our homepage you can find a selection of projects. Please contact us if you need more information about our references.

 

Are customers satisfied with ESC and with the events realized by Event Safety Consult?

Customer satisfaction is one of our main concerns. Please click here to see the feedback we are getting from our customers.

 

Which associations of the event industry is ESC actively supporting?

  • We are members of several associations and play an active role in supporting their work. For a detailed overview and links to the association pages, please click here.
  • Through his work on the board as Vice Chairman of the German Federal Association for Event Safety (bvvs), Sven Hansen plays a key role in the creation of industry standards and is in close contact with other associations and political decision-makers.
  • Through his activities on behalf of the German Inspection Body for Event Technology (DPVT), Sven Hansen has close ties to the industry as a member of the advisory board, certifier of corporate audits and Master of Event Safety examination board representative and helps shape the standards of tomorrow.

 

How do I benefit from ESC’s activities in associations?

  • Your advantages here are obvious: On the one hand, since we are closely networked both in Germany and in Europe, we get to know very early on what the standards of tomorrow will be and help shape them as much as possible. This allows us to provide you with the best possible advice on the questions that may arise during your project.

 

ESC services

Do I have to implement my Safety Concept at my events on my own?

  • No, we will support you at any time and according to your needs. Our concepts are often implemented by our customers themselves, but we also offer full service with on-site coordination by a responsible person.

 

How can I qualify internally for my events?

  • We can advise you individually on which courses are suitable for you and your team. We will also be happy to design an individual seminar for the briefing of your team, e.g. for independent implementation of ESC Safety Management Systems or Safety Concepts.

 

Must I book ESC services for my events as a full package or can I book individual services?

  • Our services are adaptive and can be booked individually according to your needs.

 

In which languages can I get the ESC concepts and documents for my events?

  • Maintaining Safety Concepts and approval documents in multiple languages is standard practice for us. In addition to English, Italian, Chinese and Japanese, we can translate between 24 other European and Asian languages.

 

How complicated and costly is multilingual implementation for my events?

  • Thanks to our translation memory system, large parts of our concepts and, above all, the industry-specific terminology have already been prepared and stored. This means that we can deliver quickly while optimizing costs for you, since you only have to pay for the actual translation effort.

 

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