Contractor inductions for events and festivals: a practical checklist
Who is responsible for contractor safety at UK events, how CDM 2015 applies to build and break, and a checklist of what a good contractor health and safety induction should cover.
Events and festivals bring dozens of contractors onto a site in a short time: staging, power, catering, security, cleaning, production crews. Each brings their own hazards, and many will not have worked on your site before. A good induction is one of the simplest ways to make sure everyone knows the rules before they start work.
Who is responsible?
HSE is clear that the event organiser has prime responsibility for the health and safety of workers, contractors and members of the public at the event.
That does not let contractors off the hook. HSE expects contractors to be able to provide evidence of a trained workforce and the competence of their key staff, and to have the resources to do the work safely.
Where several employers share a site, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (regulation 11) require each of them to:
- cooperate with the others,
- coordinate their safety measures, and
- tell each other about risks from their work that could affect other people's staff.
Where the organiser and the venue or site owner share control, HSE says the responsibilities should be clearly defined and assigned, and safety information shared.
How CDM 2015 applies to build and break
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 apply to building, fitting out and taking down temporary structures for live events, film, TV and theatre. That means the build and break phases of many events are construction projects, with CDM duty holders, a construction phase plan and proper coordination.
You must notify HSE if the construction work will last longer than 30 working days with more than 20 workers working at the same time, or will exceed 500 person days.
Contractor induction checklist
A good induction is short, specific to your site, and completed before anyone starts work. It should cover:
Before arrival
- Company details, insurance and key contacts
- Risk assessments and method statements for their work
- Evidence of competence: training records, licences and certificates (for example for plant, rigging, electrical work or security)
- Names of everyone who will be on site
Site rules and hazards
- Site layout, access routes and restricted areas
- Working hours, sign in and sign out
- Main hazards on site and the controls in place, such as vehicle and plant movements, working at height, temporary electrics, noise and crowd areas
- Permit to work arrangements, for example hot works or working at height
- Personal protective equipment required in each area
- Rules on alcohol, drugs and fatigue
Emergencies and welfare
- Fire and emergency procedures, assembly points and how alarms will sound
- First aid locations and how to call for help
- Welfare facilities: toilets, drinking water, rest areas
- Weather plans, such as high wind procedures for structures
Communication and reporting
- Who their site contact is and how to reach them
- How to report accidents, near misses and unsafe conditions
- How changes to the plan will be communicated
Confirmation
- A signed declaration that they have read and understood the induction
- A record of who was inducted, when, and on which version
Why move inductions online?
Paper inductions at the gate mean queues, rushed briefings and lost forms. Moving the induction online means:
- contractors complete it before they arrive, so they turn up prepared,
- you can check licences and documents in advance rather than at the gate,
- every person has a signed, dated record, which is exactly what you need to show due diligence after an incident,
- you can see at a glance who is approved to be on site.
How MYRA helps
Myra Induction moves your contractor inductions online. You invite contractors to your event, they complete a pre site questionnaire with licence checks, work through your health and safety induction, and sign a digital declaration. You approve each one, they receive a numbered certificate, and a live dashboard shows who is cleared to work, with a full audit trail.
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for contractor safety at an event?▾
HSE says the event organiser has prime responsibility for the health and safety of workers, contractors and the public at the event. Contractors are responsible for their own staff and must be able to show their workforce is trained and competent, and everyone sharing the site must cooperate and coordinate.
Does CDM 2015 apply to events?▾
Yes, for the construction parts. HSE says the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 apply to building, fitting out and taking down temporary structures for live events. HSE must be notified if the work lasts more than 30 working days with more than 20 workers at once, or exceeds 500 person days.
What should a contractor induction include?▾
Site rules, the key hazards and controls, emergency and first aid arrangements, welfare, permits and restricted areas, vehicle movement rules, who to report to, and how to report incidents and near misses. Contractors should confirm they understand it, and you should keep a record.
Can contractor inductions be done online before the event?▾
Yes. Completing the induction online before arrival means contractors turn up prepared, you can check documents and licences in advance, and you keep a signed, dated record for every person on site.
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