Events
Legal powers to prohibit or restrict an event
Where an event poses a risk to public health or in the event of a local spike in coronavirus cases, local authorities can consider prohibiting, restricting or imposing conditions in respect of venues, events or outdoor public places using the powers available in The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 3) Regulations 2020. These powers should only be used if the event, venue or gathering in an outdoor public place poses a serious and imminent threat to public health that cannot be mitigated in conversation with the event organiser.
If, by attending a particular event or gathering, an individual is contravening the regulations that have been put in place to control the spread of coronavirus, police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) have the power under The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Steps) (England) Regulations 2021 to direct individuals to leave a location or remove them from that location.
Advice for crew
- Ensure staff are getting tested regularly and can show evidence of negative result within 24 hours of the event; while they are working, ensure they have a Lateral Flow Test twice a week.
- Continue with grouping work teams so they consistently work together (sometimes known as 'cohorting' or forming 'work bubbles'), while continuing to observe other measures, including social distancing and/or face coverings etc.
- In workplaces where a test and release pilot scheme is in operation, if there is a confirmed positive case, any contacts identified will be able to attend work subject to daily negative testing.
- Encourage staff to get vaccinated when it is their turn
- Anyone who is unwell should not attend and this applies to staff, visitors and performers; ensure clear messaging before and on entrance to site, referring to the key symptoms - fever cough and loss of sense and smell.
- Maintaining a COVID-safe workplace is a legal requirement: ensure staff protection and training is supported as a priority action in your a COVID risk assessment.
- Ensure hand sanitisation facilities are available for staff Where possible, keep people two metres apart; and where this not possible, consider additional control measures such as screens, other physical barriers or the use of face coverings
- Please consider national guidance applicable to your area of work and consult the Health and Safety Executive website
General messaging
- This should be current messaging locally or nationally i.e. hands face space fresh air
Tickets
- Where possible an electronic ticketing system should be used
- Consider a cashless bar system
- Encourage event organisers to consider terms and conditions which may request a negative test before entrance (consideration to availability of testing and limitations to home testing system)
On site
- Hand sanitiser stations should be available across the site
- Where available, customers should be encouraged to take a Lateral Flow test on site before an event (in addition to a test prior to the event - see above)
- Ventilation - good ventilation is a key tool in reducing potential spread: maximise ventilation, especially when indoors, by means of natural ventilation, mechanical ventilation (using fresh air from outside, not recycled internal air) or a combination of both. (Where marquees are used then you should give consideration to having all sides up or as a minimum ensure the 50 per cent ventilation rule is applied)
- Booking system, or methods of managing capacity to ensure social distancing is possible, and in line with national rules in place at the time with regards to household mixing.
- Wherever possible the use of outside space should be encouraged
- Space - ensure social distancing is possible especially for those customers who identify as vulnerable- look at queues inside and out, such as toilets and entry points
- Consider your capacity before your event to consider additional space
- QR code use/ collecting attendee details is still an obligation for each person over 16 attending (not just the lead person).
- Advance booking is best
- Observing hands-face-space
- Consideration should be given to one-way systems on site or part of the site e.g. at bars (N.B. only applies where queuing at bars is permitted).
- Cleansing regimes should be scheduled on a regular basis in line with the COVID-19 risk assessment
