Event Risk Management Drills
wwkhurshid
EM-604Week8-9.pptxWeek- 8/9
By Dr. Abdulaziz Choudhry
HM–604
R21/R22
Email: [email protected]
Critical Issues for Event Safety
It is better to be safe than sorry.
—AMERICAN PROVERB
IN THIS CHAPTER, WE WILL EXPLORE:
Pedestrian safety
Bites and stings
Food safety
Drinking water quality
Lighting
Parking lot safety
Electrical storms and lightning
Electrical and gas safety
It is difficult to make a theoretical distinction between issues of safety and issues of security. In both cases, there is risk; in both cases, an incident causes similar outcomes. Figure 6.1 shows the similarities in dealing with both safety and security risks.
This chapter explores a number of topics that may not be as “exciting” as other security topics, but they are equally as important. In fact, while there is a minimal probability that most event participants may be confronted with an act of terrorism, almost every event attendee will have to deal with issues such as pedestrian safety and the quality of the water that he or she consumes.
Pedestrian Safety
Pedestrian safety is a major problem and requires careful attention. we discussed some of the theoretical reasons that people who are away from home are often less cautious. When it comes to pedestrian safety issues. For example, people at events may:
Be in a party or jovial mood and thus are distracted while walking
Walk in groups and tend to talk while walking
Consume alcohol and thus their faculties may be impaired
Need special help while crossing the street or dealing with internal pathways
Stay in multiple hotels, may suffer from issues of anomie, and may not be familiar with local signage, pedestrian laws, and driver responsibilities or lack of responsibilities
In addition, a greater number of children attend conventions and meetings with their parents, and some parents may pay less attention to their children’s needs than is desirable.
People at fairs, meetings, conventions, and sports events often exhibit the same sociological patterns as children. All too often, delegates/attendees take unfortunate risks when crossing streets or walking along the side of streets or on paths.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) Web site notes that: “More than half of all pedestrian deaths and injuries occur when people cross or enter streets while one-third occur between intersections. Both driver and pedestrian errors contribute to these accidents” (http://www.csaa.com/about/education/pedestrian.asp rights).
Furthermore, pedestrians very much live according to the old Spanish proverb,
“if the rock hits the pitcher or the pitcher hits the rock, it is still too bad for the pitcher.”
To help save lives, use these simple but effective techniques:
When possible, have people walk on the sidewalks. In rural areas where there are no sidewalks, risk managers may want to create walking paths along the side of the road. Make sure that pedestrians walk facing traffic, so they can see on-coming vehicles or an out-of-control vehicle.
Encourage bright colored clothing. Bright colors are easier to spot both during the day and at night. When possible, hand out reflective material for people’s shoes or clothing. Do not permit people to walk with headphones as they can mask the sound of an oncoming vehicle.
Review where people cross the street. If possible, have crossing guards; if impossible, then consider crossing lights. If neither human nor mechanical aids are possible, then make sure that crosswalks are clearly marked. Cross only at corners or marked crosswalks.
Discourage running at street crossings. Running can lead to falling or to pushing another person over. It is essential that people walk at crosswalks rather than run.
Have a plan for helping visually and hearing-impaired people to cross streets and walk along paths/roads. Remember that these people need extra care not only outside of the event’s grounds, but also in parking lots and on the event grounds if vehicular traffic is permitted.
Develop adjacent walking paths so that bicycle and pedestrian traffic do not interact.
Use universal signage. Words such as “Walk” or “Stop” are less helpful than international signage. The most common symbol for “Walk” is a stick figure of a person about to walk (usually shown in green), while an outstretched hand (often white on red background) indicates “Stop!”
Control speed. The lower the speed in areas of heavy pedestrian traffic, the greater the possibility that a driver may be able to stop before an accident occurs.
Insects and Snakes
INSECTS
Another safety issue that is often overlooked and yet can have great consequences, especially for an outdoor event, is that of insect bites or stings.
A good risk management plan should coordinate dangers from insect bites/stings with the event’s management team and planning team.
When mitigating insect risks, you should consider:
The local conditions
The weather/climate
The type of people who are attending
The type of ground covering
The types of pesticides that can or cannot be used
The information in this section was adapted from the Web site of the Carolinas Poison Centre (http://www.carolinas.org/services/poison/insect.cfm).
Black Widow Spider
Identification The female spider can be identified by its round, glossy black abdomen
Results of Bite The black widow’s bite is painful. After being bitten, the victim may experience redness and warmth at the site where he or she was bitten, muscle cramps, twitching, rigid abdomen, difficulty breathing, weakness, headache, nausea, and vomiting.
If Bitten Wash area with warm, soapy water and call a medical centre immediately.
Brown Recluse (Fiddleback) Spider
Identification The brown recluse spider is small, about one- half inch long, with an oval body and a dark violin-shaped marking on its back.
Results of Bite Its bite causes pain, redness, tenderness, and a bull’s-eye appearance, which progresses to ulceration. Bites may go unnoticed until a lesion develops.
If Bitten Wash area with warm, soapy water and call a medical centre immediately.
Other Insects
The most common insect stings/bites at outdoor festivals and events are those of bees, hornets, yellow jackets, wasps, and mosquitoes. Although most people find these stings/bites to be nothing more than an irritation, they can cause allergic reactions in some people.
If Bitten Remove the stinger by scraping a card across the wound (do not squeeze). Wash the area with warm, soapy water.
SNAKES
While the chance that a poisonous snake will bite someone at an outdoor event is minimal, snakes, ever since Eve’s encounter, hold a special place in the pantheon of panic producers. Many people do not like snakes, are afraid of them, and assume that all snakes are poisonous.
It is essential for risk managers to know what to do and what not to do in the event that a snakebite should occur.
It is essential that the risk manager review his or her own knowledge base and feelings toward these animals.
The risk manager need not be an expert in snakebite medicine, but he or she should know to whom to turn and how the emergency medical team should respond.
To lower the risk of snakebites, consider:
Posting signs, reminding people to leave snakes alone. It is a bad idea to try to examine a snake in the wild, and from the snake’s perspective, a snake at an event is in the wild.
Reminding people to stay away from tall grass. It is best to walk along paths and trails.
Encouraging guests and attendees not to pick up rocks. A snake can strike at half its length.
Instructing guests on proper snake “etiquette.” If a guest encounters a snake, the best thing is to walk around it and give the snake some 6 feet of space.
Event risk managers, however, should:
Know the best route to a local trauma hospital.
Know how to deal with a traffic snarl.
Know how to quickly contact a snakebite specialist.
Conduct a review of the event venue with snakebite experts.
The risk manager should go over with these experts what types of snakebites might occur, what he or she should do to aid the physician, and what measures need to be taken to stop additional problems.
Conduct a tabletop scenario planning exercise with each of the key players.
Once at the hospital the event risk manager may wish to consider:
Asking staff to contact poison control immediately
Asking the hospital staff to locate the nearest antivenin resource centre
Food Safety
Summer is a great time for outdoor festivals and other out-of-door events. Summer is also a great time for bacteria to spread rapidly and cause food poisoning. Perhaps nothing in the field of safety carries as much risk as does the preparation of consumable products, be they food or beverage.
Food poisoning should be taken very seriously. A young, healthy person may quickly recover from mild food poisoning, while a small child or an elderly person may have more serious health effects.
Following are some questions event risk managers should ask:
What is the health of the people handling the food? What health precautions do the food handlers have to take? Who is inspecting the food supply? How often is the food supply inspected? What kind of containers is the food served in? Are disposable
containers used? How is refuse/garbage handled? Can this refuse attract rodents
or other vermin?
Event risk managers should train cooks and servers for events using the following guidelines:
Allow people to return food. If a person is not comfortable with the way the food looks or tastes, then he or she should not ingest it.
Make certain that hot dishes are served hot and cold dishes are served cold. Hot foods should be at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit, and cold foods should be no more than 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make certain that all food is cooked to the proper temperature. For example, ground meat should be cooked to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit and poultry to at least 170 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make certain that cutting boards and utensils are carefully washed between food preparations. For example, do not permit the same cutting board to be used to cut raw meats/ poultry and then vegetables.
Check the dish and utensil washing process. Risk managers can help cut down the risk of food poisoning simply by checking to make sure that all cooking utensils are washed in hot, soapy water before they are used for another food product.
Keep raw foods such as poultry, meats, seafood, and eggs away from each other while being stored in the refrigerator. This separation is also valid for these products’ “juices.” Store the products away from each other and, if possible, on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Make sure that “juices” cannot drip from one product to another.
Find ways, such as barriers, to protect food at salad bars from sneezes and coughs. Make sure that spills are cleaned up and that plates are used only one time.
Remember that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cautioned that raw sprouts are connected to outbreaks of Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157.
Make certain that all employees and volunteers wash their hands after using the bathroom, that they wear hair covering, and that personal hygiene is enforced.
Make certain that all ingredients are known and that food servers can answer questions, or know to whom to turn, about the ingredients in all food items. This list should also include basic chemical ingredients such as monosodium glutamate or aspartame, or the presence of specific foods such as milk, eggs, wheat flour, fish, or nuts.
Drinking Water Quality
Closely aligned with issues of food safety is drinking water safety. Many people in the more developed world pay little attention to issues of potable water safety, though the trend toward bottled water may indicate a loss of confidence in the quality of drinking water from the tap.
In the “developing world” or “underdeveloped world,” water that is fit for human use is more of a problem.
Event risk managers need carefully to examine such issues as:
The quality of drinking water, including the ice used in drinks
The quality of water used for preparing food and cleaning utensils and dishes
The quality of water used for bathing/showering
The quality of water used for leisure, such as swimming
Event risk managers should remember that the following conditions can cause dehydration:
Athletic activity or any form of physical exertion, including walking
Air travel
Warm/hot weather
Dry weather (where the person does not realize that he or she is sweating)
Overconsumption of dehydratic liquids such as coffee
Risk managers need to know where the water used for drinking, washing, and swimming comes from. Event risk managers should also remember the following key points:
Power outages. If there is a power outage, the water purification plant shuts down, but the water keeps flowing. Some experts advise that if there is a candle in a hotel room, this may be an indication of a prior power outage.
Harmless organisms. Even in areas where the water is considered safe to drink, the event attendee’s stomach may not be accustomed to “harmless” organisms found in another area’s water. Fatigue and jet lag may be caused by a change in water.
Stream water. Stream water is never safe.
Well water. Is well water used? If so, what chemicals or pollutants are in the well water? How safe is it?
Reusable containers. Bottles and canteens from which one may drink multiple times can also be causes of contamination. General rule: If you cannot clean it, do not use it.
Bottled water. Never use locally bottled water in developing countries. Bottled water is like a computer: garbage in/garbage out. That is to say, bottled water is only as good as what was put into it. If there is no way to check on the quality of the water, then use carbonated water
Pools and showers. Make certain that water in pools and showers is safe. Swallowing unsafe water in any format is the same, be it consumed in a glass or consumed while showering or swimming.
WATER PURIFICATION
Event risk managers are neither water engineers nor specialists in water purification quality. It behoves risk managers, however, to know something about the water purification process. This basic understanding will give the risk manager the ability to communicate with water specialists.
The event risk manager should know that:
Purification requires the removal of enteric pathogens (bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other organisms that cause diarrhea).
Water purification techniques vary, depending on the geo- graphic area and the type of water. The event risk manager may want to determine which technique is best suited for his or her area or type of water.
Boiling water for at least 10 minutes sterilizes it. The container in which the water is placed must also be sterile.
Pasteurization (55 degrees Celsius) will kill most, but not all bacteria. If the water comes out of a tap and is too hot to touch, it is pasteurized or close to pasteurized. It should be remembered that neither pasteurized water nor pasteurized milk is sterile.
OTHER PURIFICATION METHODS
When boiling is not practical, chemicals and filters may be used to purify water. First, obtain the best water available.
BOTTLED WATER AT EVENTS
A substitute for tap or well water is bottled water. There is hardly a meeting held today in which one does not find bottles of water available for the attendees.
While a risk manager can- not be held responsible for the bottled water industry, he or she should be aware of the following issues:
There is a great deal of controversy as to the sanitation or purity of bottled water.
Needless to say, the bottled water industry strongly disputes these claims. Therefore, risk managers may want to consult members of their legal team to discuss what issues of liability they face should someone get sick from bottled water sold at an event in which they are in charge. It is important for risk managers to be aware of the fact that liability laws in this area, as in other areas, are constantly changing.
Lighting
Many events and festivals extend into the evening hours. In such cases, good lighting is essential in lessening the risk of injury.
Risk managers should never forget that the public is unfamiliar with the terrain, which means that hazards that are naturally avoided by those who may work at an event may be invisible to those who are attending the event.
Event risk managers should also consider:
Working with an expert in crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED). CPTED specialists can advise the risk manager on where extra lighting is needed, where shadows present a risk, and how to landscape so that the event’s participants and employees are safe.
Mapping the event site. The risk manager should be aware of potholes, danger points, and places where one can easily fall.
Ensuring that parking lots and paths leading to parking lots are well lit.
Making certain that bus stops and other transportation pickup points are well lit.
Designing lighting in a way that protects the event site, but does not create light pollution for areas that are bordering the site.
Inspecting light bulbs on a regular basis. Light bulbs burn out easily. Make sure that all bulbs are in working order.
Having a backup plan in case there is a blackout. People may be scattered all over the event’s grounds or buildings. Develop an emergency non-electricity-dependent backup system and a way to find stranded event-goers.
Parking Lot Safety
An area that unites security and safety issues is the parking lot. Both indoor and outdoor lots present safety and security hazards and risks. Parking lots are dangerous for the following reasons:
People tend to drive in parking lots as if there were no rules of the road.
Pedestrians assume that parking lots are safe and that drivers will see them.
People tend to drive in parking lots as if there were no rules of the road.
Pedestrians assume that parking lots are safe and that drivers will see them.
Event-goers often forget where their cars are parked and some people have a tendency to panic when their car cannot be found. Cars often look alike and alarms are set off when a person tries to enter a car that is not his or her own.
Sudden storms can create dangers for people who have parked in outdoor lots.
Poorly lit and inadequately patrolled parking lots can be high security risks for parking lot users, especially at night and at odd hours.
Children can run off while parents are loading cars and easily be injured.
It is a good idea for event risk managers to develop methods to remind people to lock their cars and remember where their cars are parked.
Electrical Storms and Lightning
The weekend of July 7, 2001, should have been a typical day. Nevertheless, the weather had other plans for that day. A series of thunderstorms and strange weather conditions caused multiple delays in various parts of the United States. In New Jersey, a man standing on the beach under clear skies was struck by lightning out of the blue! Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, in Strasbourg, France, at a Yiddish music festival, eleven people died and more than eighty others were injured when a storm blew a tree onto a makeshift shelter to which people had turned to escape a violent rain and windstorm/tornado.
Electrical and Gas Safety
Electrical safety should always be a major concern to risk managers. Electricity is a very powerful form of energy that should always be used with a great deal of caution. Every risk manager should know the people on the electrical staff well. This means those who are installing electricity and those who work with electricity. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) offers a great deal of information on electrical safety as do local governments. Risk managers should check the OSHA Web site (http://www.osha.gov) for the most up-to-date regulations and safety requirements. When in doubt, it is always best to err on the side of caution.
Event risk managers often have very little or nothing to say about the construction of a building, but, at times, they can have input into how electricity is installed. This is especially true of outdoor events. Risk managers should never assume that they are electrical engineers. Knowing what one does not know is, at times, as important as being knowledgeable about a subject.
This basic knowledge allows the risk manager to ask educated questions such as the following:
Do the electrical installations meet all national and local codes?
Is there proper ground-fault protection for the specific sites?
What electrical hazards are there at the site?
How quickly can equipment/appliances be shut down and
what dangers are there?
Is there the possibility of release of hazardous energy during
the festival/event, during maintenance, or during periods of shutdown?
Gas is available in many forms. For example, gas (propane) barbecues can be a problem for the event risk manager at an event such as a “cook-off.” Event risk managers cannot be experts on every form of gas heater. They must work with the local gas company to meet or exceed the required safety standards.
Event Risk Management Key Terms
Anomic: The state of being in anomie. That is to say, a person
is out of his or her element and is not sure how to act.
Foreseeability: Something that a prudent person should have predicted and therefore may be held liable for in a lawsuit.
Event Risk Management Drills
Assume you are managing an outdoor summer event and are meeting with your food concessionaire. What issues would you bring to the table? What would be your greatest worries?
You have just experienced a rolling black-out and believe that the local water purification plant has also been affected.
How would you handle the situation? What methods would you use to assure the public that your event is safe?
Develop a lighting program for the parking lot at your event. Note that the parking lot is not far from a neighborhood where there are small children. How would you protect both your patrons and the neighborhood?
Thank You! Any Question?
142 Chapter 6 Critical Issues for Event Safety
This chapter explores a number of topics that may not be as “exciting” as other security topics, but they are equally as impor- tant. In fact, while there is a minimal probability that most event participants may be confronted with an act of terrorism, almost every event attendee will have to deal with issues such as pedes- trian safety and the quality of the water that he or she consumes.
Pedestrian Safety Pedestrian safety is a major problem and requires careful attention. In Chapter 1, we discussed some of the theoretical reasons that peo- ple who are away from home are often less cautious. When it comes to pedestrian safety issues, we have excellent examples to support the theories found in Chapter 1. For example, people at events may:
! Be in a party or jovial mood and thus are distracted while walking
! Walk in groups and tend to talk while walking
Results if Question of Results if Question of Incident Safety Security
Publicity Negative Negative
Litigation Possible/probable Possible/probable
Event ruined from perspective of Yes Yes attendee
Damage control needed Yes Yes
Issues of foreseeability involved Yes Yes
Figure 6-1 Comparison of Event Safety and Security Risk Similarities
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8. Control speed. The lower the speed in areas of heavy pedes- trian traffic, the greater the possibility that a driver may be able to stop before an accident occurs.
Insects and Snakes 145
Insects and Snakes
INSECTS
Another safety issue that is often overlooked and yet can have great consequences, especially for an outdoor event, is that of in- sect bites or stings. For example, any child who lives in the south- eastern United States knows that sitting on the ground can be dan- gerous because of fire ants. These small but painful insects can ruin much more than a picnic. Because their bites are so painful and can cause allergic reactions, outdoor events such as concerts and sports events must take into account fire ants as part of any good risk management plan.
The Movie Star’s Husband and the Dragon
A number of incidents have happened to pedestrians or people on foot due to lack of common sense. For exam- ple, the San Francisco Chronicle (June 23, 2001) reported on a bizarre incident involving Phil Bronstein, the execu- tive editor of the San Francisco Chronicle and the hus- band of the actress Sharon Stone. On June 9, 2001, Stone and Bronstein were on a private tour of the Los Angeles Zoo. A zoo employee allowed Bronstein to enter the cage of a Komodo dragon (7-foot-long lizard). The lizard was about to eat a toe on Bronstein’s foot when, according to the Chronicle, zookeeper, Jay Kilgore, pulled the lizard out of the way. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/ 06/23/mn129101.dtl.
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fuse these snakes with their nonpoisonous cousins. For example, the scarlet king snake can easily be confused with the coral snake because of its similar bright red, yellow, and black coloration. Be- cause it is easy to confuse these snakes, risk managers should take no chances and obtain medical treatment for any snakebite.
If a snakebite occurs, it is essential that the risk manager and his or her team remember that these bites can be effectively treated with antivenin. The important thing is to use time wisely and get the person to a hospital or doctor as soon as possible.
The best way to handle the risk of snakebites is to avoid snakes. Some bites take place when someone accidentally steps on or even throws a blanket on a snake and then sits on it. To lower the risk of snakebites, consider:
! Posting signs, reminding people to leave snakes alone. It is a bad idea to try to examine a snake in the wild, and from the snake’s perspective, a snake at an event is in the wild.
! Reminding people to stay away from tall grass. It is best to walk along paths and trails.
! Encouraging guests and attendees not to pick up rocks. A snake can strike at half its length.
! Instructing guests on proper snake “etiquette.” If a guest en- counters a snake, the best thing is to walk around it and give the snake some 6 feet of space.
Insects and Snakes 149
What Not to Do in Case of a Snakebite
U.S. medical professionals are nearly unanimous in their views of what not to do in case of a snakebite. Among their recommendations:
! No ice or any other type of cooling on the bite. Re- search has shown this to be potentially harmful.
! No tourniquets. This cuts blood flow completely and may result in loss of the affected limb.
! No electric shock. This method is under study and has yet to be proven effective. It could harm the victim.
! No incisions in the wound. Such measures have not been proven useful and may cause further injury.
SOURCE: Arizona physician, David Hardy, M.D. Available on line at http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/995_snakes.html.
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152 Chapter 6 Critical Issues for Event Safety
Type of Event Type of Foodservice Level of Sanitation Checked
Street fairs Food carts, homemade foods From foods made in private at tables kitchens to prewrapped foods
Conventions Food booths, catering Foods under inspection by services government agency; assume food
providers healthy
Business Catered foods Government inspects foods; meetings assume food providers offer
healthy inspected food
Sports events Food stalls Government inspects foods; assume food providers offer healthy inspected food
Amateur sports Food stalls, local foods sold Wrapped hawked foods; may events have licensed or unlicensed
food vendors
Festivals Food stalls, homemade foods Licensed or unlicensed food vendors
Entertainment Food stalls, food booths, Licensed food vendors, food events (outdoor) catered food hawkers
Entertainment Food booths, catered food Licensed food vendors events (indoor)
Figure 6-2 Foodservice at Meetings and Events
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A study of U.S. water drinking habits (http://www.bottled waterweb.com/statistics.html) revealed that
! 75 percent of U.S. citizens do not drink enough water. ! 37 percent of Americans often confuse thirst for hunger. ! Lack of water is the primary trigger of daytime fatigue,
156 Chapter 6 Critical Issues for Event Safety
Vibrio cholerae Cholera
Escherichia coli Children’s diarrhea Travelers’ diarrhea Hemorrhagic uremic syndrome Hemorrhagic colitis
Leptospira interrogans Leptospirosis
Salmonella paratyphi Paratyphoid fever
Salmonella typhi Typhoid fever
Shigella dysenteriae Bacillary dysentery
Shigella boydii/S. sonnei Shigellosis
Campylobacter jejuni Diarrhea
Yersinia enterocolitica Enterocolitis
Aeromonas Gastroenteritis
Legionella pneumophila Legionnaires’ disease and Potomac fever
Source: http://www.globalwater.com/link-10.html.
Figure 6-3 Some Illnesses That Can Result from Impure Drinking Water
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they can be seen through the window. Emergency telephones that are clearly lit and easy to use should be placed around all parking lots. Cameras should also be scanning large lots when it is im- possible for personnel to do an adequate job of patrolling the parking lots.
Electrical Storms and Lightning The weekend of July 7, 2001, should have been a typical day. Nevertheless, the weather had other plans for that day. A series of thunderstorms and strange weather conditions caused multi- ple delays in various parts of the United States. In New Jersey, a man standing on the beach under clear skies was struck by lightning out of the blue! Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, in Strasbourg, France, at a Yiddish music festival, eleven people died and more than eighty others were injured when a storm blew a tree onto a makeshift shelter to which peo- ple had turned to escape a violent rain and windstorm/tornado.
162 Chapter 6 Critical Issues for Event Safety
Lessons Learned from the Strasbourg Tragedy
! Tragedies are reported almost instantaneously around the world.
! No meteorological forecast is perfect. When in doubt, it is often wise to cancel an event.
! If poor weather is predicted, always have a safe place for shelter and make sure that spectators know where to take refuge.
! Seeking shelter under a tree can be very dangerous. ! It is always important to have a communications center
ready to go at a moment’s notice. Once information is disseminated, friends and loved ones will start to call seeking information.
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Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) offers a great deal of information on electrical safety as do local govern- ments. Risk managers should check the OSHA Web site (http://www. osha.gov) for the most up-to-date regulations and safety require- ments. When in doubt, it is always best to err on the side of caution.
164 Chapter 6 Critical Issues for Event Safety
Electrical Safety Checklist
! Make sure that all electrical appliance manuals are read and kept in a place where they can be found if needed.
! Make certain that light bulbs are the correct wattage. Never use bulbs that are of a higher wattage than recommended.
! Make certain that all fuses are the right size for circuits. ! Check electrical outlets on a regular basis. ! Keep all electrical cords away from water and water
sources. ! Maintain electrical cords in good working condition and
do not overload them. ! Install ground-fault circuit interrupters to reduce the
risk of electrocution. ! Make certain that electrical appliances are unplugged
when not in use. SOURCE: Adapted from http://www.parentsplace.com/health/ safetyrecalls/gen/0,3375,9807,00.html.
Event risk managers often have very little or nothing to say about the construction of a building, but, at times, they can have input into how electricity is installed. This is especially true of outdoor events. Risk managers should never assume that they are electrical engineers. Knowing what one does not know is, at times, as important as being knowledgeable about a subject. It is impor- tant, nevertheless, that risk managers have some basic notions of electrical standards. This basic knowledge allows the risk manager to ask educated questions such as the following:
9959.ch06 6/5/02 1:47 PM Page 164
! Do the electrical installations meet all national and local codes?
! Is there proper ground-fault protection for the specific sites? ! What electrical hazards are there at the site? ! How quickly can equipment/appliances be shut down and
what dangers are there? ! Is there the possibility of release of hazardous energy during
the festival/event, during maintenance, or during periods of shutdown?
Gas is available in many forms. For example, gas (propane) bar- becues can be a problem for the event risk manager at an event such as a “cook-off.” Event risk managers cannot be experts on every form of gas heater. They must work with the local gas company to meet or exceed the required safety standards. In areas where there is rented space, risk managers will want to make sure that the own- ers can prove that the premises have had a gas safety inspection.
Electrical and Gas Safety 165
Gas Safety Checklist
Prior to purchasing any compressed gas:
! Familiarize all personnel handling any compressed gases with proper procedures.
! Provide proper instruction and training for all personnel handling compressed gases.
! Minimize potential problems associated with hazardous gases by ordering the smallest quantity required.
! Make sure that you have the proper gas detection apparatus.
! Make sure that you are thoroughly familiar with all emergency procedures and devices.
! Check valves and venting and replace valves, outlet plugs, and cylinders as needed.
! Check cylinder storage areas; make sure that they are away from the public.
! Make sure that you have an evacuation plan should an
(Continued)
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Event Risk Management Key Terms Anomic: The state of being in anomie. That is to say, a person
is out of his or her element and is not sure how to act. Foreseeability: Something that a prudent person should
have predicted and therefore may be held liable for in a lawsuit.
166 Chapter 6 Critical Issues for Event Safety
accident occur. Make sure you have included in this plan:
Emergency telephone numbers Emergency response organizational charts Emergency procedures Listing of key personnel Training schedules and documentation Hazardous materials lists (including storage locations,
quantities, etc.) Emergency response equipment lists Facility maps In the event of an incident or gas explosion:
! Sound an alarm. ! Evacuate personnel. ! Shut down equipment. ! Determine nature of incident—leak, fire, spill, etc. ! Determine what gases are involved and type of
containers. ! Activate your emergency response plan which should
include: Move victim to fresh air and call emergency medical
care. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. Remove and isolate contaminated clothing and shoes. In case of contact with material, immediately flush skin
or eyes with running water for at least 15 minutes. Keep victim quiet and maintain normal body
temperature. SOURCE: Adapted from http://www.mathesongas.com/mix-safe.htm.
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