Your Event Checklist

With so many events on in the coming months, we thought it would be useful to create a checklist of the areas you need to consider and potentially manage for any event big or small. 

Site requirements

Have you done a site inspection to ensure that your venue or intended site:

• can hold the intended number of people for your event
• has appropriate exits, toilet facilities, emergency service access
• does not have noise or access restrictions which may affect setting up or running your event. 

Take a look at the  Pre-event Site and Venue Assessment article for more details on these issues.

Rules, rules, rules

Have you organised any necessary permits required for your event: liquor licensing, POPE permit? Are any of your marquees over 100m2 and therefore require siting permits from your local council?

Are you complying with all regulations for food safety, fire safety, first aid  and emergency procedures.

Who else do I need?

Will you need other services or contractors:

• security for equipment outside event hours
• security during the event
• food & drink vendors
• first aid officers
• entertainers
• audio/visual services
• volunteers/staff.

And if something goes wrong…

Have you organised insurance for your event?

Does your venue have public liability insurance or do you need to organise that for your event?  Do you need personal injury insurance for volunteers or workcover for staff employed for the event? Do your contracted security services hold their own public liability insurance? Should you consider other types of insurance relating to fund-raising events/entertainment.

And finally…

Not all of the above may apply to your event but some of these things will need to be managed to ensure that your event is as successful, trouble-free and enjoyable as possible.

Tragic times

It is not possible to start this month’s post without mentioning the tragic bushfires that have hit Victoria in the last month.  All the staff at Turner Hire offer their heartfelt condolences to the victims of the fires, particularly those who have lost friends and family.

We at Turner Hire have offered to supply marquees to the CFA, Red Cross, SES and the Department of Sustainability free of charge to assist them in their firefighting efforts.  Other marquees have also been provided for counselling and youth support purposes. I also know that many of our staff have made donations to the Red Cross and members of my family are becoming blood donors as a result of the urgent needs of burn victims.

If this dark smokey cloud has a silver lining, it is that we are reminded of the importance of family and community, and have seen how our neighbours, friends and even complete strangers are there to help when we really need it.