77. The Event Centre is usually the heart of the event, where the start and finish occur, facilities and infrastructure are located, where participants arrive, park and register, where spectators gather and where the senior event management team is based. As such, a well organised and safe Event Centre is the building block of a successful event, and a detailed site plan will be the cement!
78.Some adventure sport events now comprise of multiple days and multiple Event Centres, and this brings an entirely new level of complexity to the management of the event.
79. It is likely that any structures erected at the Event Centre will be subject to The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. This includes Temporary Demountable Structures (TDS) such as marquees, gazebos, portable toilets, start/finish gantries, branding (sail flags, scrim, banners etc.).
80. It is essential that event organisers understand their responsibilities for the safe erection, maintenance and breakdown of these structures – see Temporary Demountable Structures chapter.
81. Often adventure sport events are based on greenfield sites with little or no onsite services. It should never be assumed that there are no underground services and an underground services plan from the landowner should be sought.
82. The periods of greatest risk at any event are the build-in and break down phases. These can be effectively managed with a good pre-plan and schedule, clear communication and adherence to good practice standards by contractors and event personnel. Ensure that participants and spectators are not present on the site during these periods.
83. The Event Centre can also become a high-risk location during high winds, which have the potential to collapse temporary structures. As such, the organiser must have a plan for the management of every structure on the site (including those of sponsors and vendors), understand their wind speed limits and have the capability of measuring the wind speed.
84. Participant camping is common at adventure sport events. See Camping chapter but some key considerations include:
- Keeping vehicles and camping separate - do not allow participants to camp next to their vehicles
- Ensuring that there are adequate firefighting provisions within the camping area
- Having designated fire lane(s) through the camping area to allow participant evacuation and/or vehicle access in the event of a fire
- Do not allow open fires without well considered contingencies and planning.
85. Many adventure sport events are organised from a single farmer’s field. These locations often have only one entrance/exit which creates a potential vehicle versus pedestrian risk. If possible, keep the vehicle and pedestrian entrance/exit separate, but if they must be combined appropriate traffic management must be applied, such as marshalling and signage.
86. Traffic management is an important consideration in any event plan, with particular attention to risk issues, such as traffic queuing on a main road to enter a field or participants parking on a public road, both of which are likely to create a significant hazard for other road users and inevitably result in pedestrians walking in the road.
87. Organisers should ensure that the parking provision they provide is adequate and avoids overspilling onto a public road.
88. Poor weather can result in difficult parking conditions, particularly in event fields, which organisers need to consider as part of their event plan. If a parking field becomes saturated to the point that towing and/or pushing of vehicles is required to aid ingress or exit, this adds to the risks and requires careful management. The use of trackway in the entrance and exit to fields is recommended, as is the contingency of the local farmer’s tractor!
89. Temporary Demountable Structures like marquees, tents and gazebos must be legally compliant with the various UK Fire Regulations and devolved Scottish and Welsh regulations as described in the Fire chapter of the Purple Guide.
90. The organiser must understand what the capacity for each structure is, how many (and how wide) emergency exits are required, provide suitable firefighting equipment, and have an evacuation plan to a place of safety.
91. While the remote locations where many adventure sport events take place may present special challenges for providing catering services, these are not exempt from food health and safety rules and regulations. Catering (whether provided in-house or with an external catering contractor) must have a Food Safety Management System (FSMS) based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles. See Catering at Events chapter.
92. The appropriate management of kitchen and grey waste should be clearly defined within the catering and/or waste management plan for the event.
93. Cooking is commonly powered by Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) which carries risks that need to be managed. See LPG chapter.
94. A small number of challenging adventure sport events include the self-sourcing of potable water as part of the challenge accepted by participants (e.g. the Original Mountain Marathon). This is acceptable so long as this is clearly communicated to the participants and it is a deliberate element of the event, rather than an omission.
95. All electrical installations and equipment must comply with the general requirements of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and only competent persons should carry out electrical installation work. See Electrical & Lighting chapter.
96. Organisers should particularly note:
- Extension cables must not be daisy chained together, and cables must be fully unwound.
- Any outdoor electrical installations should IP44 compliant as a minimum
- Electrical installations should be isolated from the public.
- Electrical equipment should be inspected and/or tested.
- Manufacturer’s guidelines should be followed for any portable appliance or generator equipment
- Generators and inverters should be earthed if the equipment is intended to be so.
97. Organisers have a legal duty to provide suitable sanitation facilities for the personnel working on their event.
98. It is good practice for organisers to also want to provide suitable sanitation facilities for all members of the public – participants and spectators. See Sanitation chapter.
99. Landowners are increasingly asking for detailed pollution control plans should a portable toilet, for example, be knocked over and the contents spilled on to a designated site.
100. Additional, requirements may also apply for historical and heritage sites.
101. This advice also applies to overnight camps and other locations that are part of the event.