What has this to do with event employees?

You don’t manage risk because you think you or your employees are going to be the person to cause an incident.

(a) You do it because someone else may `crash' into your event. A supplier, a client or a visitor. You may share liability if something happens at your event, even if the injured party is not a direct employee.

Imagine a worker erecting a lighting rig. The worker falls from a ladder and is seriously injured. An investigation will take place. The injured party was not trained and nor they were using appropriate equipment. Your event manager was there on site and saw it happen. There is every chance your business could share the blame for the accident. If your employees are not aware of their responsibility and how they should be applied, they will not be in a position to assess the suppliers properly or stop any inappropriate activity happening on your event site. If this happened, you could expect adverse publicity, a criminal charge and a civil claim.

(b) Or your event may be `damaged’ even before it starts.

Imagine organising a business-related networking event for 200 in the cellars of a local bar/restaurant. Your event manager is responsible for ensuring that the venue is suitable, adequately equipped for the numbers, risk assessed for fire, insured, licensed, etc. In addition, you are required to ensure that the event is inclusive and not discriminatory against those with disabilities. If someone turns up and cannot access the property, or cannot hear the presentation and you have done nothing to assist, then it is likely that you will be at fault. Compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act/Equality Act is your responsibility. If your employee doesn’t know what the DDA covers, fails to respond appropriately or acts in a discriminatory manner then you could expect a civil claim and adverse publicity.

(c) OK. So the third example is stretching it a little. It is unlikely that someone could physically steal your event (although you should not discount online ticket fraud). It is very possible, however, for you to work with someone who has little respect for your property and the law.

Imagine booking a corporate trip for some of your employees / suppliers / clients. They are required to provide you with personal details, including home address, passport or ID information, special needs information, etc. You transfer that information and the recipient then sells that data on for personal gain (or accidently leaves a copy of the file on the train) you could be jointly and severally liable. The Data Protection Act requires you to take all necessary precautions to ensure that data is only transferred when you are certain that the recipient is using appropriate security measures to continue to protect that data/property. That is your responsibility. Failure to take appropriate action can mean personal and corporate fines, publicity orders and reputational damage.

(d) And compliance with legislation is the law. Ignorance is no defence. A failure to comply can mean prosecution, fines and director disqualification.

Car insurance does provide protection in the event of an accident. That is why we buy it.

Appropriately trained and knowledgeable event employees will provide protection for your business.

Note: If insured (PL, EL, PI, etc) your legal fees and civil compensation payouts may be covered – up to a maximum value. Personal or Company fines (which can be in the hundreds of thousands of pounds) and the cost of repairing your business’ damaged reputation will not be insured.

So what do you think. Is it worth the bother?

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