As an event organizer, it is very important to understand the guidelines to ensure the safety of all your guests. No matter if it is a physical or virtual event, no matter if it is before or after the COVID-19 pandemic, yet the event security should be the most serious component ensuring the event run smoothly from the beginning to the end. Here are the SIX Event Safety Tips that every event planner should take into consideration when hosting an in-person event during this pandemic.
1. Access The Security Risks
Make sure you and your staff always follow the guidelines, rules, and regulations to ensure the SOP and safety of your guests. Understand how is the form of the event, including the clients; guests; context; activities; theme; speakers; presenters; media; venue; location; etc. You can also create a form/checklist that helps you to understand the type of risks you are dealing with.
2. Screen ALL Staff and Guests
COVID-19 symptoms are fever, coughing, and difficulty breathing. Screen your staff and attendees with the touchless thermal scanning and request them for filling up the Health and Safety Declaration Form before and upon entering the property. Temperature fluctuating above 37.5c is not allowed to enter the venue, the same thing goes with anyone who has travelled to those reported areas or contacted an infected patient.
3. Touchless Registration Desk
With the use of QR code registration such as MySejahtera during check-in to minimize the contact. This way can effectively collect the staff and attendees’ information, like name, date of birth, recent travel locations, and personal contact tracing. By asking in advance, you can get the right information to access the high-risk attendees and make a quicker decision.
4. Protect Yourself and Others
Always remind your staff and attendees to wash hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Provide few hand sanitizer stations throughout the public areas so that everyone can easily reach. Strictly NO buffets. Plated your meals and serviced individually. Ensure your chefs and servers wear PPE (masks and gloves) appropriately at all times to ensure the hygiene quality.
5. Crowd Management
Due to the distance restrictions, limit the number of attendees to your event. Keep your attendees at least 2m apart from each other. Besides that, arrange the banquet table in groups of 4 -5 to avoid crowds and practice social distancing. Prepare sign marks on the floor and table to constantly remind your attendees from getting too close.
6. Develop An Emergency Plan
You must set an emergency plan with your security team. A briefing session is necessary for your staff the day before the event and also on the event day. Do prepare the safety tools and equipment, it’s your responsibility to have a procedure before simulating a situation of a disaster.
Some preventative measures that you should include:
- The location of safe areas
- The staff’s meeting point
- The signages for directing your guests
- The notifications to an emergency
Conclusion
In this time of the pandemic, ensuring everyone’s health and safety at events is critical for every event organizer. As guidelines and regulations change, stay up-to-date with the latest health and safety tips that can be found through the World Health Organization (WHO). These are the only best practice we can do together and go through this!
