Safety is not a side issue

Security staff at an event have two core jobs: access control and incident management. Access control is what guests see: someone at the door checking invitations or tickets. Incident management is what hopefully stays invisible: the ability to react fast and professionally when something goes wrong.

How much security do you need? A rule of thumb: one security officer per 100 guests for a closed, low-risk event. For a party with an open bar or an event in public space, the minimum is one per 50 guests. Under special circumstances (a VIP present, a politically sensitive theme) you bring in a specialist service.

Security staff must be certified. In the Netherlands a security diploma (vocational level 2) is required for officers who handle the public. Always ask for certification and proof of registration with the relevant national security registry (or equivalent evidence). Not every security firm is the same.

Always involve security in the briefing before the event. They have to know the programme, understand the flow and know who the event manager is. That is their direct point of contact if anything happens.

First aid is required, not always by law but always morally. In many cases first aid is also a legal requirement: local councils and insurers require a first aid post at events above a certain number of guests.

What is the standard? At events up to 200 guests, two certified first-aiders with a full medical kit are enough in most cases. From 200 to 500 guests, the minimum is four first-aiders and a fixed first aid post. Above 500 guests a higher standard applies. The same higher standard applies for activities with elevated risk, such as sport, water or extreme heat. In that case bring in a professional medical service with workplace emergency response staff, an AED and possibly a nurse on site.

Make sure the first aid post is visible and reachable. Guests should be able to get to it directly without disrupting the whole programme. Also place an AED close to the first aid post. An AED within 6 minutes is the gold standard for cardiac arrest. And: give the address of the event venue to every team member. If someone calls 112, everyone has to be able to give the full address, including house number and floor, immediately.

Place first aid kits in several spots: at registration, backstage and at catering. Think about medications guests may need. Ask about allergies and medical conditions at registration.

A safety plan is the document that brings all safety measures together. It is required for events of more than 250 guests in public space. You submit it to the council as part of the permit application. For closed events it is technically not required, but strongly recommended. Insurers sometimes require it as a condition for paying out claims after damage or incidents.

What goes in a safety plan? At a minimum these elements are required: a description of the event and the venue, a capacity overview per space, the staffing of security and first aid, an evacuation plan with escape routes per space, a communication plan for the production team and external services, and a description of how you handle the most common incidents.

Do not write the safety plan on the day of the event. Start six to eight weeks in advance. Align it with the venue manager, the security firm and, where applicable, the council. A good safety plan is not a bureaucratic document. It is an operational tool that everyone on the team understands and uses.

Also read: Risk assessment for your event: so you do not forget anything →

Which permits you need depends on the nature and scale of your event, the venue and the council. Here are the most common permits and notification duties for business events in the Netherlands.

The events permit is needed in two cases: when the event takes place in a public space, and when it is a closed event with more than 250 attendees in a venue that is not a permanent event venue. You apply for it at least eight weeks ahead, twelve weeks ahead for large or complex events.

The alcohol and hospitality licence: if you serve alcohol in a venue without its own hospitality licence, you need a one-off exemption. You apply for that at the council. Note: even a "closed" bar at a company party falls under this. It counts as soon as guests receive alcohol without the venue having a full hospitality licence.

Music permit or noise policy: every council has its own limits for maximum noise level. Check with the venue or with the council. For outdoor events a separate noise exemption is sometimes required.

Starting the permit applications is not a job for the week before the event. Plan it in as soon as you have confirmed the venue, date and scale.

Writing a safety plan sounds like a job for a lawyer or an insurer. But in practice it is a production job. It needs knowledge of the venue, the programme, the flow of visitors and the risk areas. Those are exactly the elements a good event agency has in its head.

At Live Impact we write safety plans as a standard part of our production approach. We know the venue, arrange security and first aid and obtain the permits. We make sure the plan is right on paper and on the day itself. We brief the team and walk through the emergency scenarios. At the event we are on hand to coordinate if anything happens.

Also read: Crowd control at your event: how to manage the flow of people →

Safety at an event is not a checklist you tick off. It is a set of decisions you make early and document well. On the day itself you carry them out with an informed team.

Want help drafting the safety plan, arranging security and first aid or applying for permits? Get in touch via hello@live-impact.nl or call us on 085 401 40 14. We make sure it is right, from the first plan to the last guest.

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