5 Crowd Control tips for large scale events

The appetite for large-scale events has never been bigger. If you’re looking at planning an event safety is at the top of our priority list. Big events, particularly, entail a high level of risk due to the size of the guest list.

As an organiser, being responsible for the safety of such large numbers of people can be a daunting prospect. Luckily, we’ve condensed everything you need to know about keeping your crowd control into five key tips. 

1. Carry Out A Risk Assessment

We will help you conduct a risk assessment should be one of your first jobs you pursue. The aim is to identify all potential risks that could occur during the event. These will be specific to the

• venue

• the type of event

• the audience
  

Let’s start with the venue. Here, identify any risks that may arise from the venue design. For example, are there any spaces in the venue where crowds could pile up to dangerous levels? Are there any slipping hazards, such as steep staircases or areas with poor lighting? Once we have identified the risks, we may decide to seal off dangerous parts of the venue from the public.

Next, we consider risks associated with the event type. Are the performers or hosts at your event likely to attract any agitators? A political rally may flag up more security concerns than a business conference, for instance.

Closely linked to this point is the audience we expect to receive at the event. Could they be targeted by any groups? Can we expect your attendees to be well-behaved?

Once we have asked these questions and identified all risks, we make sure to respond to them with appropriate safety measures.

2. Managing Crowd Control With Assigned Seating

One big safety concern when it comes to crowd control for large-scale events is overcrowding. As an organiser, you can help by taking steps to prevent this by spreading attendees across the venue space. 

Create different seating zones to section off the crowd

Segment the venue into different zones and ensure that event-goers stick to their assigned area. If you’ve hired an indoor venue, consider using an assigned seating plan. 

This helps attendees keep their distance from one another and also lets you know where each person in the venue is placed in the event of an emergency. Crowd control methods like stanchions with chains can also be effective if you will have a queuing system with social distancing. 

Using a dedicated ticketing service can help to simplify the seat allocation process for organisers and ensure crowd safety.

3. Establish A Security System

Our security team is there to protect you against external threats on the day of the event. It needs to be presented at every stage: outside the venue, at the entrance, at concession stands, and in the primary viewing area. 

There are several measures we can incorporate into your event security system.

• Establish security checkpoints away from the main entrances

• Metal detectors can pick up dangerous items

• Keeping an eye out for any potential trouble makers
  

Our security team will be well-trained and in constant communication in order to quickly put a stop to any threats. 

4. Have An Emergency Plan 

Even when all precautions are taken, emergency situations may still arise which is why we are here. In the event of a crisis, we have an emergency plan so that the event staff remain calm and protect attendees. 

Think about all the emergencies that could arise—be it a fire or first aid incident—and we create a contingency plan for each scenario. 

These plans will account for evacuation strategy, emergency services contacts, staff rendezvous points and safe rooms. Each staff member will know their specific role within this plan.

Any crisis is difficult to respond to, but as our event staff are well-versed in the emergency plan, casualties can be kept to a minimum. 

5. We Invest In Our Staff 

All of our staff, not just the security team, have a responsibility to keep crowds safe during an event. 

Every team member, from stewards through to caterers, will receive relevant training on how to maintain safety in their respective field. For example, stewards need to manage and monitoring crowds.

We have first aid trained staff for every event. Emergency services can’t always be depended on to arrive quickly at the scene, so have a team on hand could be the difference in preventing a serious injury or death.