Corporate entertainment event safety

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with safety. I can’t tell you why, only that for whatever reason, I’ve got highly refined protective instincts.

My friends and family have even come up with a nickname for me: “Safety Dave.”

What makes me Safety Dave? I’m always on the lookout for safety hazards, and for ways to make situations safer. I was even a volunteer firefighter during my teens & early 20s (no joke – I’ll probably write another blog post about that sometime). Especially now that I’ve got kids, this obsession with protection and eliminating danger has been taken to a new level. Our home is completely childproofed; our vehicles AND car seats the safest on the market; I’ve got three or four fire extinguishers and multiple smoke/CO detectors throughout our house. Our car trunks are weighed down like “bug-out” vehicles you see on those zombie apocalypse shows, with gear and supplies to deal with any conceivable eventuality: roadside kit, jumper cables, flares, reflector triangles, first aid kit, flashlights & spare batteries, more fire extinguishers, hand warmers, blankets…it’s kind of ridiculous (my wife certainly thinks so).

But I’m not embarrassed or ashamed, for I am…Safety Dave! And I like to be prepared for anything.

It is in that spirit that I’ve decided to dedicate an entire blog post to event safety. As a professional working in corporate event entertainment in Los Angeles and New York City for over fifteen years, I’m used to walking into rooms, taking one look around and thinking, “Oh, man – THAT’S not safe!” Here are ten ways you can make your next company party, Los Angeles team building activity or other office group bonding events safer for your colleagues, employees, clients and vendors:

• 1. Don’t exceed the fire code – This is an easy one. Whatever room you’re in, if it’s being used for public assembly, it’s got a maximum capacity that’s been set by the fire marshal. Don’t exceed it! These maximums are there for a reason, because having too many people in a room is unsafe if there’s an emergency (and should god forbid something go wrong in that overcrowded space, you the planner will be held responsible).

• 2. Keep aisles and exits clear – Always ask yourself: what would happen if something happened, and we needed to clear this space out quickly? Are the exits clearly marked and accessible? How about the access ways to those exits – are they obstructed by tables, chairs, props, or anything else?

• 3. Have an evacuation plan – You probably have a rain plan for your event. How about an evacuation plan? This is usually the purview if the venue rather than the planner, but especially for larger, atypical or complex venues, you should definitely know what the plan is for getting people moved out and to a safe place quickly. Ask the venue about this, or make a mental note to yourself during your site walk-through.

• 4. Tape down lines – In event production parlance, “lines” are any kinds of cables, wires, or connectors which are often strewn about the space. Mostly these take the form of microphone cables, speaker cables and extension cords, but there could be others as well. Regardless, they MUST be taped down. Trip and fall hazards mustn’t be overlooked, and it is so incredibly easy for someone to hook their foot under a loose line and hit the deck. I recommend bringing a roll of duct tape or gaffers tape to every event for this exact purpose (follow this link to see what else we bring to our trivia team building events).

• 5. Hire security – You can never go wrong with having some security at your event. Even if it’s just someone at the door checking a list of names, it provides some peace of mind to know that ONLY the people who are supposed to be there are actually getting in. Also, should something security-related happen at the event itself, it’s always reassuring to have onsite security who can assist.

• 6. Have a transportation plan – Another plan, yes – but it’s an important one. Will people be drinking at this event? If so, you don’t want anyone to get behind the wheel after they’ve had too much at your soiree. Whether it’s a designated driver program, a fleet of Ubers or a chartered bus, make sure your attendees have a safe way to get home after the party is over.

• 7. Be wary of heat sources/open flames – You don’t see this too much, but some events have fire – like, actual FIRE – as part of the ambiance. It could be for roasting marshmallows or a pig on a spit, or even just for decoration. Regardless of why there’s fire there, you should be extremely cautious about what you put in the immediate vicinity. It’s common sense, I know, but still: keep flammable stuff away from open flames. This also goes for things like space heaters and warming trays, which have been known to cause conflagration by coming into contact with combustible materials.

• 8. Be aware of environmental exposure – If your event is outside, or indoors but open to the elements, remember that people are susceptible to extreme heat or cold. This is particularly true for the elderly, as well as young children.

• 9. Be mindful of allergies – People with food allergies usually know about them, and are hyper-aware of what to stay away from. Regardless, you should know what’s being served, and make sure your guests do as well – if having a buffet, I’m a fan of cards not only identifying each dish, but the ingredients as well. Remember to also think about environmental allergies; don’t have your event in a dog kennel or landfill full of cut grass if you can avoid it.

• 10. Train everybody in CPR – Okay, this one may be a bit extreme. But think about it! What if everybody in your company was certified to perform CPR? It takes on average 4-10 minutes for first responders to arrive in most places after dialing 9-1-1, yet if somebody’s choking or goes into cardiac arrest, they’re not going to last that long without immediate intervention. If the people in your event know CPR, as well as how to use the automated external defibrillator machines which are now making their way into more and more public places, the chances of survival will go WAY up.

That’s Safety Dave’s practical advice for keeping your event protected, and keeping the danger to a minimum. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and there are always other contingencies to prepare for; however, if you keep event safety in the back of your mind throughout the planning process, as well as during the event itself, you can greatly reduce the risk of someone getting injured (or, god forbid, worse).

Be like me. Always think to yourself: what if? What would we do if this were to transpire? Are we prepared if that were to happen? How can we prepare? How would we respond? Mentally rehearsing these scenarios beforehand will also make it easier to implement in the event something actually DOES happen. You’ll be very, very glad you did.

Good luck this holiday season – and stay safe!

For another useful article on corporate event safety, visit https://trivworks.com/2011/09/6-frequently-overlooked-safety-hazards-at-corporate-entertainment-events/