How To Secure Your Venue and Minimize Risk

June 17, 2022

Whether you’re hosting a concert, convention, or company meeting, you need to be aware of the risks accompanying an event. The nature and severity of these risks depend on the kind of event, its location, and many other unique factors, but there is no event without liability. You may be wondering: How can the risk of an event be reduced? This question is essential for insurers whose client list includes event venues. Venues can use several risk reduction strategies, including the following four.

Familiarize Yourself with the Venue

The first key to reducing risk is becoming familiar with the venue. Get to know the premises inside and out, and be sure to assess how vulnerable it may be to unauthorized entry. It could include entry via a window, back door, or even connections to other buildings. Building organizers should identify any vulnerabilities, and staff should know the potential risk to look out for it during an event.

Assess the Risk of Attendees

It’s essential, too, that you assess the general risk level posed by attendees. If the circumstances are right, you might be surprised by just how rowdy a crowd can get. Sometimes risks are easy to identify, though — for example, if an event features a keynote speaker with a history of inflammatory remarks. People who buy tickets to see this speaker may pose a greater risk than a typical crowd. In cases like this, it’s beneficial to invest in a property insurance policy that can shield you from damages that attendees might cause.

Consider Potential Large-Scale Threats

Local threats from event attendees aren’t the only risk you must consider. You should also take the potential for a large-scale threat into account. Unfortunately, large events with many attendees can become easy targets. To avoid a coordinated attack, all attendees should have their bags checked, and security should be on the lookout for any attendees who are behaving strangely. It may include staring at staff, saying concerning things, or looking around at the venue's layout.

Invest in Crowd Control and Security

How do you ensure security at an event? Even for relatively small events, security is one of the best investments you can make to prevent damages and mitigate risk. There may come a time when the crowd gets out of hand, and you need to instruct them assertively. In these cases, security can offer valuable crowd control services and help ensure that nobody gets injured. To this end, you should also ensure that the total number of event attendees does not surpass the venue’s designated capacity limit. It can be dangerous, and it can result in fines, too. ◼