An event risk assessment for festivals, fairs, concerts, sports days, markets and private functions: the event and expected crowd, access and exits against capacity, stewarding, temporary structures and their sign-off, power, fire, medical cover, a weather plan for outdoor sites, food and alcohol, lost children, security and radios, then a hazard register with ratings and owners, the emergency plan, a go or no-go decision and sign-off.
The Event
What the event is, where and when it runs, and how many people are expected.
Name of the event
Reference
Organizer
Venue or site name
Address
What kind of event is it? — Concert or music festival, Sports fixture or fun run, Fair, fete or street market, Conference, trade show or exhibition, Parade, march or procession, Wedding, party or private function, Community or charity day, Other
Describe the event
Indoors or outdoors? — Indoors, Outdoors, Indoors and outdoors
First day
Last day
Opening hours, plus setup and teardown times
Most people expected on site at one time
Total visitors expected across the event
Who is likely to come — Families with young children, Mainly adults, Teenagers and young adults, Older visitors, Wheelchair users and others with access needs, Big groups or rival fans, Invited guests only
Permits, licenses or notices applied for
Person in charge on the day, and how to reach them
Your Company
Assessed by
Your Role
Date
Access, Exits and Capacity
How people get in and out, how many the site can hold, and whether the exits can empty it in time.
Walk in the way a guest arrives, then walk out the way they would leave in a hurry. Note anything that narrows, climbs, gets dark or crosses traffic.
Safe capacity of the site or venue
Where that figure comes from
Will the busiest moment stay below the safe capacity? — Yes, No, N/A
Number of exits available to the public
Exits wide enough for the crowd, kept clear and well signed? — Yes, No, N/A
Exit routes lit after dark and if the main power fails? — Yes, No, N/A
Vehicles kept apart from people on foot at gates, car parks and inside the site? — Yes, No, N/A
A route kept open for ambulances and fire trucks right into the site? — Yes, No, N/A
A step-free route in, with accessible toilets and viewing? — Yes, No, N/A
How entry works — Ticket or wristband checks at set gates, Free entry through set gates, Open site with no gates, Guest list at a single door
Photos of gates, exits and routes
Crowd Management and Stewarding
Where the crowd will bunch, how lines are handled, and who is on hand to manage it.
Places where people are likely to bunch up
Lines planned so they cannot spill into roads, exits or other lines? — Yes, No, N/A
Barriers and fencing used to shape the crowd
Number of stewards at the busiest time
How that number was decided
Head steward or crowd manager
Every steward briefed on their post, the exits and the emergency signals? — Yes, No, N/A
Stewards easy to spot in high-visibility vests or tabards? — Yes, No, N/A
A plan for a crowd surge or a crush at the front? — Yes, No, N/A
Photos of pinch points and barriers
Temporary Structures
Every stage, tent and stand put up for the event, who built it and who signed it off.
Are there stages, tents, marquees, stands or other temporary structures?
Structures
What it is — Stage or platform, Marquee or large tent, Pop-up canopy or gazebo, Grandstand or tiered seating, Lighting or sound tower, Video screen, Inflatable or play equipment, Fencing or barrier line, Other
Where it stands
Built by
Checked and signed off as safe by a competent person? — Yes — sign-off seen, Not yet, No
Wind limit given by the supplier
Anchored or weighted as the supplier specifies? — Yes, No, N/A
Photo
Someone named to watch the wind and act on the limits? — Yes, No, N/A
Who watches the wind, and how they measure it
Power and Generators
Temporary electrics, generators and fuel, and who looks after them.
Is temporary power or a generator being used?
Where the power comes from — The venue's own supply, Diesel or gas generators, Battery units, Solar units
Installed and tested by a qualified electrician before opening? — Yes, No, N/A
Outdoor and temporary circuits protected by ground-fault (GFCI / RCD) devices? — Yes, No, N/A
Cables buried, covered with ramps or run overhead so nobody trips and vehicles cannot crush them? — Yes, No, N/A
Generators fenced off from the public, with fuel stored safely away and an extinguisher beside them? — Yes, No, N/A
Electrician on call during the event
Photos of generators and cable runs
Fire
What could start a fire, what will put one out, and any fireworks or effects.
Fire sources on site — Cooking with bottled gas, Open flames — fire pits, braziers, candles, Smoking area, Generators and fuel, Stage effects or lasers, Straw bales or flammable decoration, None of these
The right extinguishers at cooking areas, generators, stages and tents? — Yes, No, N/A
Gas bottles upright, secured, outside tents and with spares stored safely? — Yes, No, N/A
Tent and drape fabrics flame-retardant, with certificates on hand? — Yes, No, N/A
Gaps kept between stalls and tents so a fire cannot jump between them? — Yes, No, N/A
Will there be fireworks or pyrotechnics?
Who is firing them, and their qualifications
A fallout zone fenced off and kept clear of people and parked cars? — Yes, No, N/A
Neighbors and the relevant authorities told, if required where you are? — Yes, No, N/A
Other fire arrangements
First Aid and Medical Cover
Who treats people who are hurt or unwell, where, and how they reach hospital.
Level of medical cover — Staff trained in first aid, A first aid team from a provider, Paramedics with an ambulance on site, A medical center with a doctor or nurse
Provider and team lead
Number of medical staff on duty at the busiest time
Where the first aid post is, and how it is signed
Cover matched to the crowd size, the activities and how far the nearest hospital is? — Yes, No, N/A
A defibrillator (AED) on site, and every steward knows where it is? — Yes, No, N/A
An ambulance meeting point and the route to the nearest emergency room agreed? — Yes, No, N/A
Free drinking water, plus shade in heat or warmth in cold? — Yes, No, N/A
Other medical arrangements
Weather Plan
What the weather could do to an outdoor event, and the point at which you act.
Forecast checked — where from, and what it says
Weather that could affect this event — Strong wind, Heavy rain or flooding, Lightning, Extreme heat, Cold or frost, Snow or ice, Ground turning to mud
Trigger points — at what conditions you pause, move people or call it off
Who makes the call
Somewhere to send people for cover, and enough room there? — Yes, No, N/A
Track matting or another plan if the ground gets soft under vehicles and wheelchairs? — Yes, No, N/A
Food and Drink Vendors
A quick check that the people selling food have their paperwork and set up safely.
Are food or drink vendors trading at the event?
Number of vendors
Food permit or registration and insurance on file for every vendor? — Yes, No, N/A
Each vendor's gas and electrics checked before they start trading? — Yes, No, N/A
Hand-washing water at every stall? — Yes, No, N/A
Bins, grease and waste water collection arranged? — Yes, No, N/A
Alcohol
Who is licensed to sell, how under-age and drunk guests are handled, and what drinks are served in.
Will alcohol be sold or served?
License or permit, and the person who holds it
Bar hours, including last orders
ID checks in place to stop under-age drinking? — Yes, No, N/A
Bar staff know to stop serving anyone drunk, and stewards back them up? — Yes, No, N/A
Drinks served in plastic or other shatterproof cups instead of glass? — Yes, No, N/A
Where someone who has had too much is looked after
Lost Children and Vulnerable People
How a lost child is found and returned safely, and how anyone vulnerable is looked after.
Where lost children are taken, and how it is marked
A written procedure for a lost or found child that every steward knows? — Yes, No, N/A
Staff at the point background-checked as required, and never alone with a child? — Yes, No, N/A
A plan for anyone vulnerable — unwell, drunk, distressed or separated from a carer? — Yes, No, N/A
Enough toilets for the crowd, including accessible and baby-changing ones? — Yes, No, N/A
Other welfare arrangements
Security
Who keeps the site secure, what is searched for, and how cash and crowded spaces are protected.
Security provider
Number of security staff at the busiest time
Bag searches at entry — Everyone, At random, None
Items not allowed in
Security staff licensed or registered as the local rules require? — Yes, No, N/A
Crowded pedestrian areas protected from vehicles driving in? — Yes, No, N/A
Cash collection and storage arranged so nobody carries large sums alone? — Yes, No, N/A
Communications
How the teams talk to each other and how the crowd is told what to do.
Where event control is, and who staffs it
Radio channels and who is on each
Stewards, security, medical and the person in charge can all reach each other at once? — Yes, No, N/A
Code words for emergencies
A public address system that can be heard everywhere, with emergency messages written in advance? — Yes, No, N/A
Stage sound and screens can be stopped at once for an announcement? — Yes, No, N/A
Backup if radios or phones fail
Hazards and Controls
One entry per hazard found on the walk: rated with the planned controls, then with any further ones.
Add one entry per hazard, rated with the controls already planned. Read across from likelihood to severity (minor, significant, serious, critical). Very unlikely: Low, Low, Low, Medium. Possible: Low, Low, Medium, High. Probable: Low, Medium, High, High. Near certain: Medium, High, High, High. Low — keep the controls in place and check them on the day. Medium — add controls before doors open where practical. High — the event should not open with this hazard as it stands.
Hazards
Category — Gates and exits, Crowd density or movement, Stage, tent or other structure, Power and cables, Fire, Vehicles on site, Weather, Food and drink, Alcohol and behavior, Children, Slips, trips and falls, Noise, Water or drop-offs, Animals, Other
The hazard, where it is, and how someone could be hurt
Who could be hurt — Guests, Children, Staff and volunteers, Stewards and security, Performers, Contractors and vendors, Neighbors and passers-by
Controls already planned
Likelihood, with the planned controls — Very unlikely — would need several things to go wrong, Possible — has happened at events like this, Probable — expect it at least once on the day, Near certain — it will happen without more control
Severity — Minor — a graze or a scare, first aid at most, Significant — a treatment tent visit or a trip to the doctor, Serious — hospital, broken bones or several people hurt, Critical — loss of life or many casualties
Risk with the planned controls — Low, Medium, High
Further controls to bring it down
Who will do it
Due by
Risk once the further controls are in — Low, Medium, High
Photo
Emergency Plan
What happens if the event has to stop, empty or shelter, and who decides.
Is there a written emergency plan for this event? — Yes — written and briefed to every team, Written, but not yet briefed, No written plan
Scenarios the plan covers — Full evacuation, Moving people away from one area, Sheltering in place, Severe weather, Fire, Serious injury or collapse, Several casualties at once, Lost or missing child, Crowd surge or crush, Suspicious item or security threat, Power failure
Who can stop the show or order an evacuation
Where people are sent if the site is cleared
Where the emergency services are met
Police, fire and ambulance services told about the event and sent the site plan? — Yes, No, N/A
Teams walked through the plan or a tabletop run before opening? — Yes, No, N/A
Site plan with exits, first aid and meeting points marked
Decision, Actions and Sign-Off
Can the event go ahead, what still has to be done, and who agreed it.
Decision — Go — the event can run as planned, Go once the open actions are closed, Not safe to run as planned
What has to change before it can run
Actions
What needs doing
Owner
Due by
Done on
Final check on the day — when, and by whom
Anything else the teams should know
Assessor — signature
Organizer or event lead — name
Organizer or event lead — signature
Health & Safety
Event Risk Assessment
An event risk assessment for festivals, fairs, concerts, sports days, markets and private functions: the event and expected crowd, access and exits against capacity, stewarding, temporary structures and their sign-off, power, fire, medical cover, a weather plan for outdoor sites, food and alcohol, lost children, security and radios, then a hazard register with ratings and owners, the emergency plan, a go or no-go decision and sign-off.
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Assessing an everyday activity or area rather than a one-off event? The general register is shorter: Risk assessment template
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An event brings a crowd that does not know the site, kit that was built the day before, and a team that may never have worked together. An event risk assessment is where you think all of that through before the gates open. This template walks the site in the order a guest meets it — the way in, the exits, the crowd, the stages and tents — then the services behind the scenes: power, fire, medical cover, weather, food, alcohol, security and radios. Every hazard you find goes into a register with a rating, the controls, an owner and a date, and the plan ends with a clear go or no-go. Fill it in here and download a finished PDF without creating an account.
Start with the crowd and the exits
Most serious harm at events comes from people, not props: too many in one place, a gate that bottlenecks, a crowd surging toward a stage or away from a scare. So the first thing this form asks is how many people you expect at the busiest moment and how many the site can safely hold. Then it asks whether the exits can empty the space in time, whether they are lit and signed, and whether vehicles are kept away from people on foot.
If the expected peak is close to the safe capacity, that is the single most important finding in the document, and everything else should be planned around it.
Temporary structures need a named sign-off
Stages, marquees, grandstands, screens and lighting towers are built quickly and taken down quickly, often by different crews. Each one gets its own entry here: what it is, who put it up, whether a competent person has signed it off as safe, and the wind speed at which the supplier says it must be cleared or taken down. An unsigned structure is flagged as a safety finding, and the form asks who is watching the wind on the day.
Plan for the day going wrong
Weather turns, a child goes missing, the power fails, someone collapses near the stage. The form has a section for each of those, and an emergency plan section that asks which scenarios you have written down, where people go, who can stop the show and whether the emergency services have the site plan. Having no written emergency plan is flagged as a safety finding, because it is the one document every team will reach for if something happens.
Outdoor events get a weather section with trigger points: at what wind, rain, heat or lightning you will pause, move people under cover or call it off, and who makes that call.
From the register to a decision
Each hazard is rated twice: once with the controls already planned, and again once any further controls are in. A hazard still rated High at the end is pulled to the top of the report. The last page asks for a plain decision — go, go once the open actions are closed, or not safe to run as planned — and lists the actions with owners and due dates.
On the phone, speak while you walk, and the document writes itself: walk the site with the event lead, talk through each area and take photos, and the sections fill in as you go.
Common questions
Do I need a risk assessment for a small event?
Most venues, councils, landlords and insurers will ask for one, whatever the size. Even when nobody asks, a short written assessment is the easiest way to show you thought about the crowd, the exits, first aid and the weather. Answer No to the parts that do not apply and they fold away.
Who should write the event risk assessment?
The organizer or the person they put in charge of safety, ideally with the venue manager, the head steward, the medical provider and the main contractors in the room. They know the site, the crowd and the kit better than anyone working from a desk.
How do I work out the safe capacity?
Start from the usable floor or ground area, take out stages, bars, vendors and other fixed space, then apply a density suited to the kind of event — standing crowds pack tighter than seated ones. Check the result against how fast the exits can clear the space. The venue or the local fire authority can often tell you the figure already set for the site.
What should an event emergency plan cover?
At least a full evacuation, moving people away from one area, sheltering in place, severe weather, a fire, a medical emergency, a lost child, a crowd surge and a security threat. For each, who decides, how it is announced, where people go and who meets the emergency services.
Is this the official form for my area?
No. It records a risk assessment in a clear, complete shape. Your venue, licensing authority or insurer may have their own form or extra requirements; use this as the working document and copy the answers across where needed.