Events safety information for organisers

Covid-19 information

Covid-19 health and safety risk assessment 

By law, you must protect workers and others you employ (including contractors, volunteers, customers and other users) from risks to their health and safety. This includes risks from Covid-19. Covid-19 transmission is a hazard that can occur in the workplace. You should manage it in the same way as other workplace hazards.

The Health and Safety Executive has produced detailed information that will help you ensure that your event is safe for you, your staff and your customers: Health and Safety Executive (HSE): event safety.

NHS Covid Pass

Venues and events are no longer required by law to check the Covid-19 status of their customers. You can still choose to use the NHS Covid Pass on a voluntary basis. From 1 April 2022 the Government will remove the current guidance on voluntary Covid status certification in domestic settings and no longer recommend that certain venues use the NHS Covid Pass.

Useful links

The following links may help you make sure your event is Covid-19 secure:

• Gov.uk: Government guidance for outdoor events
• HSE: Working safely during the coronavirus outbreak
• Local Government Association
• Events Industry Forum
• Purple Guide

If you have any further questions in relation to Covid-19 and planning your event, please contact us.

Tell us about your event

If you notify us of your proposed event, SAG will provide relevant guidance and feedback. For large events (more than 500 people), please contact us with your event details at least six months before the event takes place. For smaller events (less than 500 people), this should be at least three months before the event takes place. 

About SAG

SAG is made up of members from Durham County Council, the police, the fire and rescue service and the ambulance service. SAG's role is to promote and encourage high standards of public safety and wellbeing at events held in County Durham.

SAG has an additional duty on our behalf to ensure that any event which is to be held on our land has all appropriate safety measures and legal certification in place before permission is granted to use the land for the event. A minimum of £5million public liability insurance is required for all events, except for fireworks events which require a minimum of £10million.

Events on council land

If your event is to be held on council land you must contact us at Asset Management - events and we will assist you in gaining permission. A minimum of six weeks advance notice is required to arrange a Licence to Occupy and a minimum fee of £50 will be charged to cover some of the cost in producing this. The Licence to Occupy application can only be processed following Health and Safety approval. 

National Counter Terrorism Security Office guidance

As part of organising your event it's important to consider security. To help event/ security managers, the National Counter Terrorism Security Office have issued guidance on increasing the protection of crowded places from a terrorist attack:

• Gov.uk: national counter terrorism security office
• Gov.uk: crowded places guidance
• Gov.uk: travel industry training staff to deal with terrorist incidents