RISKY BUSINESS

Events Liabilities and Risk Management

Introduction

This presentation covers points on:

1. Australian Standards & OHS legislation

2. How to fulfill Duty of Care at Events

3. Risk Management

4. Case examples

Why are we here?

OH&S Legislation

• Events sites and venues are considered workplaces.

• OHS Legislation applies not only to employees, but also volunteers and ‘other’ at the workplace.

• The general public are considered ‘visitors’ or ‘others’.

• OHS Legislation allows for prosecution and penalties (including imprisonment) to be applied jointly and severally.

• All Event Managers are exposed.

Why are we here? Clients

Clients want to know that event managers are thorough,

thoughtful and follow prescribed process to ensure safety at their events.

Example - Section 10 NSW OHS Act 2000

‘Controller of Premises’

• Risk Management process is legislated in Health and Safety laws.

• Controllers of Premises need to fulfil their ‘Duty of Care’ in process and audit contractors compliance.

• You may be prosecuted for other parties safety failures…..Yes this is true.

Practical Example Drewson

vs

CAM’s - IRC 823 of 2006

What is risk management?

• The process by which risk decisions are made to justify the risk outcomes.

• This process is known as the Australian Standard [AS 4360 Risk Management, now ISO AS/NZS 31000:2009].

• Event Managers and others need to document activity decisions in a certain manner.

• Similar to Quality Management Systems.

Why are we here?

Risk Management [AS/NZS 4360:2004]

• An Australian Standard recognised by the courts as a legitimate process to analyse, make decisions and deal with risk.

• The Events Industry needs to implement policies, procedures and ultimately a new industry culture.

• Key objects of industry change are:

– Provide a tool to eliminate or reduce likelihood/consequences of significant risks

– Provide demonstration of uniform, logical and systematic decision making

– Provide documentation as supporting evidence

– Ensure the events industry takes a leadership position to avoid outside parties imposing inappropriate

regulations or legislation.

Consult - Research

• Major risks are researched to create awareness as to likelihood and consequence of identified risks.

• Research should include:

– Internal stakeholder interviews, questionnaires, consultative meetings

– External research - publications

– External - author investigations, available www reference

• Research raises awareness

Major Sources of

Event Risk

Environmental

Weather

People FinancialOperational

Behaviour

Health & Safety

Industrial

Relations

Structural

Mechanical

Failure to

Supply

Claims

Lack of

Income

Common areas in Events

where Risk Identification is poor

• Risks relating to unknowns - i.e. Bad Weather

• Risks relating to Services rather than physical products;

e.g. Security Services, Cleaning.

• Crowd Management and Emergency Management

• Assumptions of safety.

ISO AS/NZS 31000:2009 Methodology

Examples

Large scale construction, international/touring

Medium scale construction, interstate

Small scale construction, local

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