Event Safety Management Association launches
The Event Safety Managers Association (ESMA) launched today (30 September) as a new entertainment trade body dedicated to event safety.
Co-founded by event safety specialists Steve Blake, founding director of Storm4Events, and Chris Hannam of health and safety consultancy StageSafe, ESMA aims to become the major independent voice of UK live event safety managers, consultants and advisors.
The association will cover all areas of health, safety and welfare at festivals and live events, including production and site management, crowd management, structures, emergency and contingency planning, fatigue, fire safety, security, medical and first aid, stewarding and counter-terrorism.
ESMA will also help to influence legislation around these areas and develop industry-wide working standards, as well as providing mentoring and training opportunities to those working in festivals and live events.
“The competence of event safety advisors and consultants operating within the industry has become a major issue,” states ESMA co-founder Blake, stating that the association will carry a list of members to indicate “their level of qualification, and the experience and responsibility signified by their level of membership.”
“The competence of event safety advisors and consultants operating within the industry has become a major issue”
“The formation of such an organisation is now long overdue and is needed as an industry voice to promote high standards of safety management in an area where live event organisers and promoters are often confused, misled or oblivious about selecting properly qualified and competent safety advisors for their events,” says fellow ESMA co-founder Hannam.
“While we fully respect the work of IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health), IIRSM (International Institute of Risk and Safety Management), NCRQ (National Compliance and Risk Qualifications), NEBOSH (National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) and the British Safety Council and others, these organisations just do not fully cater for the needs of the live events industry safety managers,” continues Hannam, adding that ESMA will “involve and work with” the other associations “wherever possible”.
The committee has already been put in place for the first 12 months to oversee the formation of ESMA, which will operate as a non-profit organisation.
Membership is now open to individuals, companies, organisations’ and charities, with all encouraged to join and take part.
Live event safety will be discussed at the Event Safety and Security Summit (E3S) on 8 October in London. Walk-up delegate passes will be available on the day for £220.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.