This is Beyond create industry changing marketplaces for the high-end travel market. To service this market, they run several different events each year around the world. In addition to these events they run five showcase travel events in Africa, Miami, Marrakech, Utah and Bali. There ‘We are Africa’ event includes an exhibition, conference and after show party. Now in its sixth term and experiencing year on year growth, This is Beyond were concerned that their event safety management procedures and plans were not keeping pace with today’s industry best practice. They also had the added challenge of trying to run a complex series of events, while not actually being based in that country. I got a call. Some event safety consultancy was required.
So how did I help?
After spending time being briefed about their events, I created a bespoke event health and safety workshop to which, all events staff were invited. The course covered all the key subject areas contained in an Event Management Plan and Event Risk Assessment: the documents that between them outline how you intend to protect the health, safety and welfare of those people attending your event as well as employees, contractors and sub-contractors working at your event. Examples of some of the areas covered included the event build-up and break- down, catering, audience management, security, exhibition stand design, stairs and gangways, lifting operations, venue evaluation, toilets, electrical works and platforms…to name but a few.
Once we had completed the workshop I then worked alongside each event ‘lead’ to help them produce all the required plans and assessments. During this process I fed back comments, made suggestions to ensure that any third parties were going to be happy with the plans we were putting in place. I also needed to ensure that all key staff really did understand what we were trying to achieve and why it mattered.
The Result
Three very successful We Are Africa events were run at the Cape Town Stadium, The Speirs Hotel, Stellenbosch and Cape Town International Airport. Whilst the event feedback was extremely positive: importantly for all those concerned each event was planned and delivered successfully and safely.
The outcome
All key members of the This is Beyond events team have attended an event safety workshop and each respective event manager has also received on-going support in all event safety issues. The guys and gals at This is Beyond now feel happy to tackle any kind of event that drops into their inbox: however, complicated it could be or for that matter where it might be!
Need a little event safety advice? The Event Expert: Event safety consultancy providing event safety plan and risk assessment advice and support to corporate and public event managers