As an event organiser you are responsible for safely managing your event site and visitors to your event.  That includes:

• keeping pedestrians and traffic separate
• providing stewards
• crowd control
• access to emergency exits and
• much more

The basics of site and crowd management for large events

Here are some of the things you will need to think about when managing your event site and visitors:

• You must have clear access for emergency services.
• You must keep pedestrians and traffic separate.
• What access can you provide for disabled visitors?
• Will you need a one way system for pedestrians at peak times?
• Do any areas need to be cordoned off to prevent public access?  Do you need stewards at these barriers?
• The bigger the site, the more signage, barriers and stewards you need.
• If you have a premises licence, this will give the maximum number of people you can cater for.
• If your event can only cater for a certain number of people, you need to decide how you will monitor the numbers attending.  Will you issue tickets or count people in and out?
• If you will be issuing tickets, make sure they can’t be forged.  Also think about whether you need to provide wristbands or hand stamps so people can come and go during the event.
• You will need enough emergency exits for the numbers attending, and these should be well signposted and well lit.
• You will need to make safety announcements before any entertainment begins to tell people what to do if there is an emergency.
• All security personnel must be trained and registered with the Security Industry Authority (SIA).

There’s more guidance in Managing crowds safely: A guide for organisers at events and venues.

Useful Information

• Event Communications
• Event Security
• Preventing nuisance and disorder at Events
• Event Clean up
• Health and Safety (Safety and Signals) Regulations 1996.

Find out more about site and crowd management for large events by selecting the relevant links from the menu.