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Event security and crowd safety
The importance of event security and crowd safety

If you are organising a rock concert, exhibition or party, crowd control should be at the top of your event security list.

Why is crowd management vital in event security?

Large crowds may mean your event is a big success but excessive crowding and poor crowd management can lead to injury and at worst, even death.

Brighton, 2002: the Big Beach Boutique concert by DJ Fatboy Slim resulted in one death and 140 injuries. The organisers anticipated 60,000 people for the free summer party; 250,000 showed up.

?In addition to the personal suffering such disasters cause, the bad publicity, loss of revenue, compensation payments, insurance costs and possible prosecution can have a long-term effect on your business.

Your responsibility

Crowd safety is primarily the organiser’s responsibility in ensuring event security. You should have a health and safety management system which anticipates, monitors and controls potential crowding risks.

What you need to manage a crowd

Communication and teamwork: Ensure all your event staff has clear roles and responsibilities, adequate training, and that communications are clear on the ground.

Anticipate behaviour: Well-placed signs and information directing crowds can affect the way people act, especially in an emergency. Without sufficient information, visitors can become frustrated and even aggressive.

Research the crowd: Different types of crowd behave in different ways. Knowing the age-range and social mix of visitors can help anticipate problems. A crowd at a football match taking sides is very different from a crowd at a car boot sale, with only their own shopping on their minds. Audience profile and crowd dynamics should be thoroughly researched. For example, if the event is a punk concert it’s likely the audience will behave differently to a classical concert. What’s the female/male split? Is a particular physical behaviour likely, such as stage diving? Are drugs or alcohol likely to be involved?

Potential hazards: A risk assessment of the venue can reveal physical features that may lead to overcrowding and possible injury. These include:
• steep slopes
• dead ends or locked gates
• convergence of several routes into one
• uneven or slippery flooring or steps

If you have concerns about crowd control and management, McKenzie Arnold offers an experienced and professional service tailor made to your event security needs. Call McKenzie Arnold Security UK Ltd. on 01371 822 131 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .