Risk & Emergency Management

Risk Assessments

Conducting a risk assessment is an important process because it encourages the organiser to actively think about the risks involved in running their event, and what can be done to manage these risks.  

A risk assessment is the process of identifying and quantifying the probability of a harmful effect to an item or an individual. To assess risks, an objective evaluation of the risks are considered and ranked by using a basic formula of rating the potential loss and the probability of occurrence.   

Event organisers can effectively manage risks by anticipating, understanding and making sensible decisions on how to manage and control risks. This process is called risk management and in order to know what risks need to be managed, a risk assessment needs to be conducted. The strategies to manage risk typically include transferring the risk to another party, avoiding the risk, reducing the negative effect or probability of the risk, or even accepting some or all of the potential consequences of a particular risk. 

Each event organiser will need to be submitted an appropriate risk assessment to Council for review. An event will not be approved by Federation Council unless the risk management component has been adequately addressed.  

Emergency Management

This can either be a separate document, or can be included in your communications plan. 

It is an important aspect of event management because it will address all the issues involved in dealing with an emergency. Further, it will ensure that the event team, emergency services, Council and any other relevant stakeholders are all aware of the processes in place in the event of an emergency. 

This should be developed in consultation with these agencies, as they are the experts and can advise you of how to best manage an emergency. The final copy should be distributed to all relevant parties.

Please flip through the e-book to learn what you need to consider when making an effective emergency management plan.