The role is safety critical and therefore a high level of competence is required. SAGE is recommending the prospective candidate should meet the following criteria:
•Membership of a Health and Safety Institute (IIRSM or IOSH)
•Qualified to NEBOSH Diploma Level (or equivalent)
•Membership of an event industry trade association
•Five years of event industry experience (not necessarily health and safety experience)
•Taking part in a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme
•Professional indemnity insurance cover of £1,000,000 (provided by the individual's employer or by the actual individual for self-employed advisors/consultants
CVs and References can also be checked but it is important to be clear that price should not be the key deciding factor.
SAGE has identified some specific areas of concern within the industry which they are keen to address; many people just starting out in their careers who may have completed an event management course or hold an entry level health and safety qualification such as the NEBOSH General Certificate, do not yet have any real experience within the events and entertainment industries, particularly in technical areas such as structures, rigging, power distribution, plant operation, special effects etc. and often do not hold the requisite Professional Indemnity Insurance. However, employers often do not appreciate that a level of experience and expertise needs to be obtained to ensure that health and safety in this unique sector is managed effectively.
SAGE and IIRSM, along with other key collaborators, are developing a campaign to address the above and other issues. As a sector we want to offer help and support to young professionals to develop them professionally - one idea being that an "almost competent" person working with or under a "recognised" practitioner would be beneficial. This idea, and many others, will be considered and discussed as part of the new campaign to raise the levels of competency and sector-specific skills that are needed.
The campaign begins with a conference being held on 17 November 2015 at the London South Bank University, London. The conference - Event Safety Competence: a one day conference - is a collaboration between SAGE, IIRSM, ICCMASS (International Centre for Crowd Management and Security Studies at Bucks New University) and STAGESAGE (the trading name used by Chris Hannam, a leading events safety practitioner).
The objectives of the conference are to identify, support and develop health and safety competence for the events sector, and to offer technical updates and solutions. The sector needs a relevant and reliable source of competence and the reassurance that it would provide to events managers, promoters, organisers and the enforcing authorities.
Speakers include: Chris Higgs - National Rigging Advisory Group and Lifting Equipment Engineers Association; Gavin Bull, HSE Construction Division, Michael Anderson, SAGE; Dr Mick Upton, ICCMSS at Bucks New University; Greg Brown, IIRSM; James Eade, IET and SAGE; Emma Parkinson - Bucks New University and the International Centre for Crowd Management and Security Studies
To find out more or to book a place at the conference visit: www.regonline.co.uk/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventId=1736570
(Jim Evans)
