Increasing Safety with Crowd Control Barriers
Crowds, especially large crowds, can present a significant challenge for and events organiser. The sheer logistics involved in safely managing a huge group of people can be overwhelming for the unprepared. For many businesses, they want to have large crowds to make the event a success, but the larger the gathering, the greater the chances of excessive crowding. This can lead to customer frustration, but it could also be dangerous and result in casualties. Let’s take a closer look at some of these issues and how crowd control barriers could help.
The Planning Stage:
Before the event even begins, there should be a planning stage to ensure that all the needs for safety and crowd control for the event are met. Firstly, the organiser should consider the kind of visitor that they will expect and try to anticipate their behaviour. Next, it’s important to look at the location where the event will be held and examine past health and safety records. Then a risk assessment should be carried out; this will help the organiser to decide if adequate arrangements are already in place. At the conclusion of this stage, the organiser should know: the staffing requirements, necessary equipment needs and the crowd control barriers needed. Finally, it will be necessary to liaise with the local police and emergency services, to ensure an adequate amount of cover is available.
Increasing Crowd Safety:
The logical placement of essential facilities can help a great deal in helping visitors to get around the event. Clear signage is essential if the organiser wants to give the visitor all the information they need to keep the crowds moving and avoid a full stop. Some hazards that need to be considered carefully are dead ends, steep slopes, trip hazards, route convergences and moving attractions. Sturdy crowd control barriers can be used to highlight routes easily and provide additional safety.
Using Foresight:
Any changes that are made to the event, prior to the start or once it has gotten underway can have consequences. Even a small change, such as: higher than anticipated crowd numbers or an unforeseen change in the venue layout, could have a negative impact on crowd safety. In these circumstances, the training and teamwork of the events team will be invaluable. Adapting to the situation and altering your crowd control measures will help to mitigate the risks. The best health and safety practices should always be maintained regarding health and safety.