In order to hold a successful public event, organisers will need to carefully plan and prepare before the event and must ensure public safety remains at the forefront of their planning.
The organiser should consider the risk of fire at all events and carry out a fire risk assessment to identify them.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is the legal framework that makes it a requirement for general fire precautions to be addressed at public events and for a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment to be undertaken.
The Responsible Person must take such general fire precautions as may reasonably be required in the circumstances, to ensure the premises, including outside areas, tents, temporary structures etc and all means of access to and exits from the premises is safe.
Emergency evacuation procedures
Organisers have a duty to ensure emergency procedures for evacuation is included in the planning process. This is particularly relevant if the public will be contained within a set space such as a fenced area or inside a tented or permanent structure.
Fire safety advice
Advice on carrying out a fire risk assessment, and the measures needed to deal with fire safety can be found in the fire safety law and guidance documents for business (GOV.UK) or in the Health and Safety Executive's guidance on running events safely (HSE).
