UCL SSEES: Safety Arrangements for Academic and Social Events (H&S Doc-7)

Introduction

UCL Departments and student organisations regularly arrange conferences and/or social events, which in order to be successful, require a high degree of management control. These guidelines are intended to ensure that the events carried out on SSEES premises and/or managed by SSEES staff or students are carried out safely.

Before a conference or event can go ahead, written approval must be obtained from either the SSEES Director, the Deputy Director, or the Assistant Director by completing a Written Statement of Arrangements, which can be done using a template created for this purpose. (http://www.ssees.ucl.ac.uk/eventssafety.doc)

The following terms are applied throughout this document:

Event Organiser (EO)	Person nominated to manage and co-ordinate the arrangement for the event and liaise with the SPM
Space Provider Manager (SPM)	A number of the staff in the Assistant Director's office (room 409) are competent to act as Space Provider Manager (SPM) for events being held in the SSEES premises. The Event organiser must consult an SPM before submitting a Written Statement of Arrangements in order to obtain written approval. Note: Events being held elsewhere in UCL will require Event Organisers to make the arrangements by liaising directly with the UCL Room and Conference Bookings Office. Nonetheless, a Written Statement of Arrangements (e.g. a completed form) should be submitted via a SSEES SPM to obtain the necessary SSEES approval.
Competent	People who have the skills, knowledge and experience to safely discharge a particular duty and who know the limits of their competence and seek advice when reaching those limits.
Maximum Occupancy Figure	The maximum number of people which can be safely accommodated in a building or part of a building.
Means of Escape	A safe route for persons to travel from any point in the building, to a place of safety, which includes corridors, protected staircases and final exits.
Obstruction	Any item, regardless of position, which is placed within the corridor or protected stair is regarded as an obstruction.
Social Event	A party or function carried out on UCL premises.

Duties of the Space Provider Manager (SPM)

Space Plan
The SPM will prepare a plan of the space to be used during the event and will provide a copy to the Event Organiser. The plan will be marked to show any restricted-access areas and the means of escape, which includes corridors, protected staircases and final exits. The Event Organiser must be confident that they are familiar with the escape routes and must ensure that these are kept clear of any obstruction during the event.

Numbers
The SPM will ensure that the Event Organiser is informed of the maximum occupancy figure for the venue booked for the event. (If the maximum occupancy figure is not known the SPM will seek the advice of the UCL Fire Officer).

First Aid cover
It is recommended that at least one First Aider is always on duty for every 100 guests. First Aiders must have access to first-aid boxes stocked in accordance with the number of guests present.

Approval
The SPM must receive a Written Statement of Arrangements from the Event Organiser in order to obtain written approval from the appropriate senior manager. A template (http://www.ssees.ucl.ac.uk/eventssafety.doc) is provided which should be completed with reference to the information contained in this document. If there is any doubt as to the suitability of the arrangements, approval cannot be given.

Waste and Cleaning
If it is envisaged that there will be a need for additional domestic waste removal and/or cleaning following the event, the SPM will ensure that Domestic Services are informed prior to the event.

Security
The SPM will inform Security of the arrangements and submit the name of the Event Organiser who will be contacted should any problems arise. If requested, the Event Organiser must be prepared to submit a copy of the Written Statement of Arrangements to obtain the approval of the Security Manager.

Review
The SPM will take note of any problems reported by the Event Organiser. This information will be used to review current arrangements and put improvements in place where appropriate.

Responsibilities of the Event Organiser (EO)

The EO is a member of staff who accepts responsibility for managing the event and for liaising with the Space Provider Manager (SPM) to obtain SSEES written approval. Approval must be obtained before an event is advertised.

Space Plan
The EO will be provided by the SPM with a plan of the event venue. This plan will show the means of escape. The EO must be confident that they understand where the escape routes are located and will need to ensure that these are kept clear of obstruction at all times.

Numbers
The EO will be informed by the SPM about the maximum occupancy figure for the venue booked. The EO must ensure that this number is not exceeded. In order to control numbers it may be necessary to issue tickets or invitations.

Approval
The EO must prepare a Written statement of Arrangements for the planned event and submit it to the SPM who will need to obtain written approval before the event can go ahead. A template (http://www.ssees.ucl.ac.uk/eventssafety.doc) has been provided to facilitate this process and this should be completed with reference to the information contained in this document. If at any time there are any doubts as to the suitability of the arrangements the event may be cancelled.

Equipment
Equipment that may be required for the event will fall into a variety of categories as follows:
(i) General equipment:

Basic equipment e.g. slide projector, tape recorder.
Provision of music e.g. live, recorded.
Whether equipment is bought, hired or borrowed it must only be used for operations for which, and under conditions for which, it is suitable. Equipment must be operated in accordance with the manufacturer/supplier instructions. Damaged or faulty equipment could result in injury and must not be used.

(ii) Electrical Equipment
Inevitably some or all of the equipment used will involve the use of electricity. It is essential, therefore, that measures are taken to control associated risks. Consideration must be given to the following:

Condition: Electrical equipment which appears damaged or faulty can result in electric shock or fire. It must not be used until it has been tested and made safe by an electrician.
Number of sockets: Where extension cables are used they must not be overloaded. Three-way adapters must not be used. If in doubt seek the advice of an electrician.
Trailing cables: Trailing cables, from equipment, can present a trip hazard which can result in injury to participants or damage to the equipment. Cables must be routed or covered to minimise this risk.

Food
In order to minimise the risk of ill-health from poor food hygiene, food must be prepared, stored and served according to current legal standards. Accordingly, a competent caterer must be employed If the food to be provided will require preparation. If in doubt the EO must seek advice.

Alcohol
The consumption of alcohol can give rise to a number of problems, ranging from increased noise levels to foolhardy or aggressive behavior. The EO must make arrangements to ensure as far as possible that guests do not leave the building with bottles or glasses, making excessive noise, or in a condition likely to cause themselves or others harm or alarm.

Restrict Access
The EO must restrict access to areas, which are off-limits to event guests, and should ensure that stewards (see Appendix below) are aware of these areas. The EO must ensure that equipment, which is not part of the event, does not present a hazard to guests.

Monitoring
The EO must monitor the event to ensure that the arrangements agreed are in place and that they are effective. Problems and incidents must be recorded and reported to the SPM who will ensure the information is applied when planning future events.

Other Provisions
The following arrangements and provisions must be in place before the event can go ahead. The space SPM may, under some circumstances, be able to provide these, however, the responsibility for their provision lies with the EO.

Stewards: Where the size or complexity of an event warrants the employment of Stewards, the latter must be on duty during the event and must be issued with written instructions of their duties (see Appendix: http://www.ssees.ucl.ac.uk/stewards.doc ). Stewards must be easily identified e.g. by name badges.
First aid cover: It is recommended that 1 qualified First Aider is on duty for every 100 guests. In addition, first-aid boxes must be available that are stocked in accordance with the number of guests present.
Security: Arrangements must be in place to ensure that the building is secure at the end of the event. The EO will be responsible for ensuring all guests have left the building and, where appropriate, will liaise with the security officer on duty.

Emergency Situations

1. Fire
Fire notices providing emergency evacuation details are prominently displayed throughout SSEES premises. Fire doors must not be wedged open at any time. Corridors should be kept clear and not used for storage of excess furniture or equipment.

If you discover a fire:

Phone 222
Evacuate the premises via fire escapes (do not use lifts)
Proceed to the designated Assembly Point as indicated on Fire notices or directed by Fire Marshals

In the event of the Fire Alarm Sounding:

Ensure that any persons under your supervision leave immediately via designated fire escape routes

Lifts should not be used under any circumstances. Any person unable to leave the building by means of stairs, should be escorted to a designated fire refuge as far away as possible from smoke and fire. A Fire Brigade officer or Fire Marshal in attendance must be informed immediately of their location.

2. Accidents
In the event of ill-health, accident or injury at work the following action should be taken:

Major:

Phone 222
State location and telephone number
Give details of Accident
Obtain assistance from nearest First Aider

Minor:

Obtain assistance from nearest First Aider
Escort the person in need of medical attention to the UCL Hospital Accident & Emergency Department, Grafton Way, London WC1E 6AU Tel: 0207 388 7215 (A&E Direct Line)

Report all accidents/incidents (whether there has been an injury or not) on the UCL Safety-net system.

This page last modified Thursday 11 August 2011.