One of the least fun yet most high-profile tasks a meeting planner handles is event safety. Some might say it’s as enjoyable as standing in line at the DMV. But it simply has to be done.
We discussed the topic at Northstar's recent Destination Midwest event in Wichita, Kan., during my session titled "Ensuring Attendee Safety in a Polarized World." In that case we looked at safety through a broader lens, and considered how the charged rhetoric of an election year makes it that much more of a challenge to ensure all meeting participants feel safe. It's a complex topic, but it begins with getting on the right path.
Here's a cheat sheet designed to guide you, ready to consider a minefield of topics that includes physical safety, weather incidents and political climate, to name just a few. Planners must be prepared to protect their attendees as well as their event’s brand and image.
Venue preparedness
As part of your RFP process, inform the hotel that safety is a priority. This can be done as a list in the RFP or a brief paragraph confirming the hotel is ready. Items around conforming to local, state and national laws and regulations can be included in the contract, too.
☐ Are the fire certificates current? Have fire extinguishers been tested?
☐ Is the liability insurance up to date?
☐ Is the structure up to code?
☐ Who is the responsible person for venue safety and security?
☐ Does the venue have an emergency-response plan that covers incidents like weather, protests or an active threat?
☐ Are all health, well-being and safety codes being met?
☐ Are legal requirements met for hiring, training and staff orientation?
Physical attributes
Besides lighted emergency exits and guest room door locks, the safety list for a venue could include a lot of unknown or out-of-sight elements.
☐ Is the property ADA compliant?
☐ Does the venue have a parking lot or garage? Is it covered? Does it have appropriate lighting? Is it monitored in-person or by camera?
☐ Do guest rooms have limited-open windows? An evacuation map? Fire systems? A safe?
☐ Do outlets, fitness centers and pools meet codes and regulations
☐ Are public areas monitored by closed-circuit cameras?
☐ Is there outdoor function space? Can it be tented or covered? Can entry to it be controlled?
☐ Is there a pest-control system?
☐ Are elevators, HVAC units and other vital components inspected regularly?
Training for venue staff
☐ How often is security staff trained?
☐ Does training include CPR? De-escalation? Theft prevention? Restraint techniques? Human trafficking? Fire safety? Basic first aid?
☐ Are staff aware of emergency-response plans?
☐ Does the venue keep training records?
☐ Does the venue perform background checks on security staff?
☐ Are there both uniformed and plain-clothes safety staff?
☐ Is security staff on duty at all times?
Communicating safety
Meeting planners have an advantage with most commercial venues, which are required to have many safety systems in place, such as fire control, building codes and staffing policies. It is up to planners to keep the safety of their attendees at the forefront.
☐ Ask security to explain what happens during an emergency, so you can confirm they have plans in place.
☐ Invite security to be represented at site visits and pre-con meetings.
☐ During site visits, take along your safety cheat sheet.
Alan Kleinfeld, senior director of meetings and safety for Arrive Management Group, has many years in meeting management, combined with two decades of law enforcement experience. He is also a speaker, writer and educator, and served as a board member for the LGBT Meeting Professionals Association and as chair of MPI’s Security and Risk Management Task Force. Reach him through the Arrive Management site for safety reviews as well as safety-education opportunities.
