AIF Confront Festival Safety with Conference
Structural and Crowd Safety Conference
11:30am -6:30pm February 3rd 2012
Level 5, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre
SE1 8XX
- Panels to Include Chris Kemp, Bucks University; Simon James, Event Safety Shop; Andy Yates, Webb Yates Engineers
26th January, London:- Following the tragic festival stage collapses that shocked the world last summer, Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) will host a Structural and Crowd Safety Conference that examines the engineering details of outdoor structures, emergency planning procedures and insight into climate issues and resulting safety implications.Throughout the day there will be a range of panels and presentations from some of the industry’s most experienced and innovative structural safety and health & safety experts including Chris Kemp, International Centre for Crowd Management and Safety Studies (ICCMSS) /Bucks University; Simon James, The Event Safety Shop; Andy Yates, Webb Yates Engineers; Roger Barrett, Star Events Group; Richard Bryan, Bearded Theory Festival and Rudi Enos, Special Structures Lab.The stage collapses last festival season and the ensuing loss of life occurred in extenuating weather conditions although at an alarming amount of international festivals. The tragedies highlighted shortcomings in both the large temporary structures that are available on the market and the implementation of emergency procedures. Despite the fact that none of the festivals affected were British or AIF members, safety issues affect the whole of the festival industry and they need to be investigated and addressed with the help of safety and structural experts to prevent such disasters closer to home.The morning of the conference will consist of a workshop from the crowd management specialist, Tony Ball (ICCMSS) who will investigate emergency crowd evacuation and accompanying health and safety training.The workshop will then be followed by two panels and two presentations:
- Presentation One: Rudi Enos senior designer and Co-founder of Special Structures Lab will display footage of the Pukkelpop and Indiana State Fair stage collapses and address the fundamental causes for the collapses from an engineering perspective.
- Presentation Two: Chris Kemp, Bucks New University and ICCMSS, will discuss the European response to climate issues and resulting structural safety implications.
- Structural Safety at Outdoor Events Panel will cover how to make structures safe at outdoor events, what to look for when booking them and strategy for handling adverse weather conditions.
The following individuals will make up the panel:Andy Lenthall, PSA (Production Services Association) - ModeratorAndy Yates, Webb Yates EngineersRichard Bryan, Spring Music Ltd / Bearded Theory FestivalRoger Barrett, STAR Events GroupSimon James, The Event Safety Shop
- Emergency Planning for Crowd Safety Panel will explore preparing for emergency crowd evacuation and minimizing damage should disaster strike.
The following individuals will make up the panel:Chris Kemp, Bucks New University / International Centre for Crowd Management and Safety StudiesSimon James, The Event Safety ShopJim King, Loud SoundThose attending the entire day’s workshop, presentations and panels will receive a certificate of attendance accredited by Bucks New University.Roger Barrett of STAR Event Group said “In my experience, the lack of basic engineering knowledge shown by a great many suppliers of temporary structures to festivals is nothing short of disgraceful, so whose fault is it that they get the work?”Ben Turner, Co-founder and Deputy Chair, AIF commented “AIF feels that not just hired experts, but the festival owners themselves need to understand the reasons for an increase in these incidents. It is important that the key stakeholders and the industry at large have a clearer understanding of this critically important aspect of putting on live events. From the initial response to this seminar it is also clear that this is a feeling shared by many in the industry.-------------------------------------------Event DetailsDate: 3rd February 2012Time: Morning Session - 11:30 to 13:00Afternoon Sessions – 13:30 to 18:30Venue: Level 5 Function Room, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road,London SE1 8XX Cost: Full day Conference: £35 + vat Full day AIF Members / Student concession : £20 + vatAfternoon Panels : Complimentary for industry and events students Tickets must be purchased in advance from www.musicindie.com/events/aim/2012/02/03/1123 Full Schedule11:00 -11:30 (30 mins) MORNING REGISTRATION11:30 - 13:00 (1 hr 30 mins) WORKSHOPBucks University / International Centre for Crowd Management and Safety Studies13.00 - 14.00 (1 hr) LUNCH BREAK 13:30 - 14:00 (30 mins) AFTERNOON REGISTRATION14:00 - 14:30 (30 mins) PRESENTATIONRudi Enos – TBC14:30 - 14:45 (15 mins) PRESENTATIONInsurance Presentation14:45 - 15:15 (30 mins) PRESENTATIONChris Kemp – European Response to Climate Issues15:15 - 15:30 SHORT BREAK (15 mins)15:30 - 16:45 (1 hr 15 mins) PANEL / Q&AStructural Safety and Outdoor Events16:45 - 17:00 SHORT BREAK w refreshments (15 mins)17:00 - 18:15 (1 hr 15 mins) PANEL / Q&AEmergency Planning for Crowd Safety18:15 - 18:30 CONCLUSIONClosing comments, conclusions and action points18:30 - CLOSEAbout AIFThe Association of Independent Festivals is a not for profit body set up in 2008 to represent independent music festivals in the UK and Ireland.Conceived by Bestival promoter Rob da Bank and Graphite’s Ben Turner, the association’s founder members included Bestival, Cornbury Festival, Creamfields, Evolution Festival, Field Day/Underage, Secret Garden Party, Summer Sundae Weekender and WOMAD.With 31 members ranging from Bromley’s Leefest to the 55,000 capacity Bestival in the Isle of Wight, AIF enables the promoters of some of the UK & Ireland’s most innovative and successful festivals to speak with one voice when addressing the wider music business and government.AIF aims to establish best practice for festivals in a variety of areas such as security, the environment and beyond, providing a knowledge base for festival promoters, as well as creating collective purchasing and marketing opportunities for its members.AIF operates as an autonomous division of the Association of Independent Music.