Event Planner - How Is Your Risk Management Hat Fitting?

Event planners, you may be asking how much more am I expected to do? As it is, you may say "I feel like a juggler, making certain that we've found the proper location for the event, gotten the word out to attendees so that people show up, made arrangements for all the vendors, security and other people supporting the event to participate, and now you suggest that I should be a risk manager - give me a break".

We'd suggest that as your event unfolds, from concept to successful conclusion, there are many risk management elements that need to be considered, so it's way easier to make a checklist of potential risks that you can use over and over for every event that you plan. Here are a couple tips to help you create your risk management checklist.

Tip #1 - Define potentially risky situations at your event. As you create a detailed outline of your event, identify those situations that could be risky. Most events will have the same or similar risk elements; just note each of them so that you can be prepared. Here are some examples of the more common risks that you could encounter at your event. But don't stop with these risky situations, keep adding to your checklist as you hold more events.

If you are serving food does any of it need to be kept at a certain temperature so that it doesn't spoil? What would you do if someone eats the food and has a serious allergic reaction? Are there pathways, walkways, or stairways where someone could trip and fall? If outdoors, how would you handle a change in weather such as thunderstorms or wind gusts? Are there any 'attractive nuisances' or areas that could attract people and present a hazard such as ponds or equipment? Could people from the outside try and 'crash' your event? Are there animals at your event that could get loose? Once you've defined the potential risks, now you're ready to create your plan.

Tip #2 - Plan how to prevent these situations from happening in the first place. It is far better to have been aware that there was a potentially risky situation and taken steps to prevent it rather than to having to react to an unforeseen situation as it is taking place.

For each of the potentially risky situations that you've identified in your checklist, determine how you would handle it if it were to occur. Who would need to be involved? What resources would you need to have ready to respond? How would you communicate with others that need to be involved in the situation at the event?

Here's an example of one of the areas that can have a big impact on your event - lighting. Whether your event is indoors or outdoors, in your plan you need to make certain that you have adequate lighting so that people can proceed safely throughout the event. If electricity goes out and it is dark, what back up plan do you have in place to get people out of the area safely? Maybe you'll need to have flashlights on hand and designated people to serve as guides, or maybe you'll need to have some backup generators.

While you may never have to use these risk management plans, just by having them in place, everyone will be much safer if and when you do have to implement one. It's always easier to prevent a situation from happening, such as having backup lighting ready to go, in case you are faced with a power outage, rather than the panic that could ensue by not being prepared.

You can count on us to help you with your event checklist. Please check out our website at Risk Matrix and download a free copy of our event planning risk matrix. Also, please visit our main site Event Insurance for a free event insurance quote. To get a free quote, click the Orange button titled "Step 1. Click Here to Start My Free Quote". Once you complete the application, you may receive an automatic quote depending upon the type of event. If not, the information will come to one of underwriters who will review your application and email you back a firm quote typically within the hour. Once you have the firm quote in hand, you can purchase online using a major credit card and your Certificate(s) of Insurance and related policy documents will be emailed to you within 1 business day.