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Health and Safety Guidelines

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The event organiser is responsible for ensuring that a health and safety plan is in place and is followed, and that there is compliance with the requirements of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.

Organisers should consider the activity planned and identify all the hazards which may arise to participants or other persons in the vicinity during the event. Once the hazards have been identified, organisers must consider the reasonable controls to be put in place to eliminate, isolate or minimise the hazard.

The following websites contain information which you may find useful:

• Department of Labour 
• Civil Defence

Note: If the event is on council-owned land, we will require a copy of the health and safety plan.

Public liability insurance

This is an insurance policy held by an organiser of an activity. It provides the organiser with some protection if a third party brings an action against the organiser or when there is a risk of damage. Without such a policy the organiser would be personally liable.

Public liability insurance will also be important when the organiser has indemnified the council, and a third party makes a claim against us.

For further information contact an insurance broker.

Damage bond

If you are holding your event in a council-owned venue, you may need to pay a bond to cover the potential costs of repairing any damage or for reinstatement if the area is not left in the way it was found. The bond amount will depend on the area you are using and the scale of activities you are undertaking.