Stampede at German Love Parade festival kills 19

The dangers surrounding free to attend events has been highlighted again by this tragedy in Duisburg; the need for meticulous planning and risk reduction measures to be effective in dealing with crowds of any size, must be better recognised.


It shouldn’t mean the end of large or free events, after all ‘events’ the Hajj in Saudi Arabia attracts the largest crowd in the world and this important religious ceremony must go on.


Recriminations about what happened and who was to blame for what happened at the ‘love parade’ will go on and if culpability is found to be attributable to individuals or organisations, no doubt appropriate action will be taken.


This due process has to happen and we are not in a position to pre-empt the outcome; what we can discuss however is the need for effective crowd dynamics to be put into place where a crowd of any size is anticipated.


Free-to-attend events are becoming more and more difficult to marshal as the marketing for such events changes. The era of social networking and viral marketing means that even small events can suddenly turn large on the back of a successful campaign; often without the organisers ever realising the scale.


We all strive to be successful with this type of campaign, they are cost effective and cannot be matched by traditional marketing strategies; however in certain circumstances we have seen how they can be too successful.


Planning for an event where an audience could be any size from 400 to 4000 is a difficult task. The costs involved in preparing for the worst / best case scenario can be prohibitive if only the lower end numbers show up; the fact is the possible complications when the potential variance is 400,000 to 1,400,000 is not that different, with the exception of scale.


No one should be fooled into thinking that small crowds are any less dangerous than big ones. Even in crowds of a few hundred a sudden panic can be devastating; crush injuries can seem minor on the surface, yet the internal injuries can easily be fatal.


I remember one incident at an event I was running where a can of CS-spray was released on a dance floor. There were no more that 300 people at the event, but the dance floor was busy. This type of unseen danger means that people quickly panic, their brains cannot compute what is happening and the ‘fight or flight’ instinct kicks in. In this scenario the instinct is flight, to get away from the in-comprehendible effects of the CS-spray; the fight instinct would have kicked-in if any of those inside were unable to escape.


Fortunately in our case the staff were extremely well trained and drilled in emergency evacuation procedures and their training kicked-in on command.


How effective are commands given to a panicking the public in an emergency?


‘Fight or Flight’ is not a rational response it is an emotional one, this means that instinct takes over the rational thought process and that the way people respond and interpret instructions changes as well.


In the scenario we had with the CS-spray there was little immediate sense in trying to calm people down or to explain to them that they should not panic because the effects would dissipate as quickly as it arrived; they would not have responded to this. They had already reacted with the flight reaction and the only viable thing was to assist them in achieving their instinctive objective.


Our natural instinctive reaction when we need to escape a building is to go out the way we came in. Studies have shown clearly that in the case of real emergencies people instinctively head for the entrance to leave; I have carried out hundreds of fire drills and watched as people standing right next to a fire exit, on hearing a fire alarm, head for the front door.


Fortunately in the UK many people have the knowledge ingrained in them to look for and head for an exit; but to achieve this they have to fight the natural instinct to head for the entrance and go out the way they came in. Even under pressure we can recognise the signs; the exit lights, the green ‘running-man’ signs, the difference between darker interiors and well lit exteriors and yet the vast majority of people will in a panic, look for and follow the crowd.


This knowledge should determine our strategy for training staff in how to deal with people who are panicking (even mildly) and therefore reacting rather than responding.


One of the key solutions is to get staff to provide very simple messages and for their actions to speak much loader than words (which when people are in ‘fight or flight’ mode are almost useless). The first thing our staff did when the CS-spray went off and the command was given to initiate and evacuation, was to open all the fire doors; this action removes the mental barrier about which way to go out and is a very visual sign that this is an alternative way out.


Staff should be easily identifiable (even when under stress we naturally recognise and respond to the authority we associate with for example high-visibility jackets or distinct uniforms) and get into a position where they are at eye level with customers and in a suitable lit area. Directional hand signals can be easily identified and will help move some people in the direction where the least crowded exit.


This is naturally a simplified version of all the strategies used in a successful evacuation, but emergency evacuation strategies must be simple and straight forward for customers and staff alike.


Never forget the pressure your employees are under during an evacuation and how their brains will suffer a similar change from rational to emotional; this can only be addressed by effective training and suitable practice, preferably drilled into them on a regular basis so that actions become partly instinctive.


In our scenario once people were outside they quickly calmed down naturally, as the rational part of the brain re-engages; it is at this point where a crowd becomes more controllable through more traditional communication.


What took place at the ‘love parade’ will not emerge until after a lengthy investigation, yet it seems clear from some of the pictures that a few of the channels which people took to get into the event did not provide the possibility of escape if anything sparked even a mild panic; and panic we must remember is catching and spreads like wild-fire.


This will not be the last such tragedy and we must learn from each of these events. We must teach others about what we learn; for those of us who work in event management and security it could make the difference at our next job.


Our condolences go to the family of those who tragically lost their lives in Germany.


At Beyond The Blue we deliver a number of different courses and services, which include;


• Consultancy Service (Event Management) – assists clients with the planning and execution of successful events.
• Consultancy Service (Event Security) – provides the specific skills and knowledge required to deliver safe and secure events through effective security planning.
• The National Certificate for Door Supervisors (NCDS) which provides relevant information for anyone assuming the position of DPS in licensed premises.
• Conflict Management and Resolution training provides the knowledge to help employees understand and deal proactively with Workplace Violence.


Please visit our website at http://www.btbl.co.uk/.


For more information on any of our services, please call us on 0845 602 55 95 or Contact Us.


To view the original article Click Here
To view the article on the Safe Gap Year website Click Here
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 25th July 2010
Submitted by – Peter Mayhew

Concert-goers condemn crush chaos

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Title – Concert-goers condemn crush chaosSource – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 15th November 2009

What seems remarkable about this story is the fact that the organisers of this event were very lucky to get away with as few injuries as they did. The simple fact is that the result could have been much much worse and could easily have resulted in fatalities.

Now my comments which will follow are based on assumption, we were not involved in this event or witness to it and I comment from the news coverage and information which has so far been made available; it is for the inquiry to look at the detail.

There seem to be a few key errors from the information we have so far.

The first and possibly the worst is the estimation of the numbers who would attend. With the line up of artistes playing appealing to a range of the demographic (including JLS currently appearing top of the charts with a large fan base of young people and Natalie Imbruglia appealing to a older section of the population), the concert would attract not just one section of the community but the whole community. This may be good as far as variety of the event goes, but will naturally attract more people in total. In addition the concert was free which removes another barrier for young people, especially those who may not be able to afford the usual concert ticket price.

The only real surprise with the numbers is that only 20,000 turned out and here is the first place where the organisers had some luck, had the weather been better they may well have had many more attend. JLS alone could sell out an arena tour at the moment, with 10,000 – 15,000 attendees each and at £30+ a ticket… who didn’t envisage that a free concert may attract twice this number?

Now we are not privy to the police plan or the risk assessments that must have been carried out by the organisers and the security companies involved. However the other questions which we must ask from what is seen in the cctv footage is how entry to the event was protected.

Presumably the cctv footage which is out there is of the holding area outside the event itself. It should have been predicted that thousands of people would be in this area. One of the main questions for us is what type of barrier was used, because from the evidence an unsuitable choice was made and led to collapse without too much pressure being exerted on it. This is probably the second area where the organisers got very lucky, although many of the injuries occurred during the barrier collapse, had the barriers been slightly stronger (not the correct barrier choice which would have withstood the pressure but something in-between) the effect of the collapse could have been catastrophic.

By collapsing when they did, this failure actually relieved the pressure in the crowd (what occurred in the event itself where those people moved to we are unaware, but could have caused further problems). Here again we feel that the organisers got a little lucky.

The way the barriers were set up in this area meant that as the crowd built up there was no way for people at the front to leave. There is a distinct ‘V’ shape and ‘right angle’ at the focal point of this crowd towards which the entire crowd is pushing, thus trapping those at the front. Even with a much smaller crowd this would have caused significant problems; especially without suitable crowd management behind the barriers and first aid facilities to deal with crush injuries.

Crush injuries can be very serious and a few broken bones are far from the worst consequence. Crush injuries often lead to breathing difficulties and death over very short time scales. Without experienced crowd management and paramedic support who understand crowd dynamics, these are the inevitable outcomes.

The questions here should not be about the numbers of police or private sector security nor should any blame be put on ‘people being determined to get in…’ as there is no indication that those in the crowds were behaving in any other way than would be expected for such an event. This was not a riot, civil disturbance or protest, it was enthusiastic (mainly young) people trying to get into a free event. Initially at least the cause does seem to be poor planning and execution.

Beyond The Blue provide training and Consultancy in a number of different areas including Event Security Planning and Event Management.

Please visit our website at www.btbl.co.uk. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.

For more information on any of our services, please call us on 0845 602 55 95 or Contact Us.

Fireworks blamed as 60 killed at nightclub

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Title – Fireworks blamed as 60 killed at nightclubSource – The Times
Date – 1st & 3rd December 2008

Many might argue what place a fire in a nightclub in Bangkok has in this section of our blog, but I argue it has a very important role.

We are always hearing cries of ‘nanny state’ here in the UK, people complain of regulation, regulation and more regulation. In the area of

Fire Safety there are very good reasons why the authorities go on about it; the consequences of getting it wrong can be devastating.

We are fortunate not to have had a fire disaster here in the UK of this magnitude for some years now, but complacency is our most serious threat. With the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 the emphasis was placed on the business to conduct a Fire Risk Assessment and not on the fire service. Every business must have a Fire Risk Assessment in place and it must be effective and meet all the statutory requirements. It must also be regularly reviewed and any actions highlighted must be taken.

All employees should receive Fire Safety Training and understand prevention and evacuation measures in place.

What we can learn from the Bangkok disaster is that those things we take for granted are always the ones which cause high death tolls in these tragedies. It is not just that fireworks and sparklers were allowed in the club, they may have started the fire; but what leads to high death tolls tends to be in the design and management of the premises. Even at this early stage there seems only to have been one exit, bars on the windows, no emergency lighting, no co-ordinated evacuation procedure, doors blocked or welded shut, overcrowding, no fire proofing of building materials, no separation or suitable fire fighting equipment and no regulation.

Anyone of these factors could lead to disaster, additional injury or casualties; combined they are a recipe for disaster. Sadly that is exactly what happened.

We should really look at these events and be grateful for the strict regulation we have in the UK, but having said that, go now and look round your premises and check: Is the Fire Risk Assessment up-to-date? Are the fire exits blocked or locked? Does the emergency lighting, fire alarm and fire fighting equipment work and is it serviced regularly? Is the fire signage in place? Are all employees Trained in Fire Safety and evacuation? Is the capacity of the premises strictly observed? Are fire safety procedures strictly observed?

Where any of these questions can not be answered or procedures, facilities and systems are either not in place or being observed, resolve them as a matter of urgency, call us on 0845 602 55 95 or Contact Us at Beyond The Blue. We can help you to meet your statutory requirements and more importantly meet fire safety standards that protect you, your employees and your business.

Please visit our website at www.btbl.co.uk or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.

For more information on any of our services, please call us on 0845 602 55 95 or Contact Us.

Managing work-related violence in licensed and retail premises

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Title – Managing work-related violence in licensed and retail premises
Source – HSE
Date – 10th December 2008

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) have released this very useful leaflet aimed at helping people reduce

Workplace Violence, especially within the Licensed Retail Sector and the retail sector generally. We have made a pdf of this leaflet available through our website and recommend it to all our clients. If you are unable to access it, please Contact Us and we will be happy to arrange to provide you with a copy.

This document helps you to assess, through a risk assessment, any risk your staff face through violence in their workplace, what level of risk they face and what you can do to reduce it. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 defines employers legal obligation to protect employees welfare, including protecting them from workplace violence. Workplace violence is defined by the HSE as:

‘Any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work’.

This definition is one that many employees who work in any way with the general public will recognise.

Too many employees are made to think that workplace violence is just ‘part of the job’ and too many employers are prepared to accept this view and turn a blind eye to the problem. It is not until the underlying consequences of workplace violence are really understood and the business case made for identifying it and putting measures into place to resolve it, that many employers stand up and take note. Workplace violence results in absenteeism, high staff turn-over, low productivity, customer dissatisfaction, poor customer service, unnecessary cost to business and in the worst cases prosecution.

The HSE document provides a straight forward method of assessing the level of risk faced by employees and some of the solutions. Summarised these solutions include; Work environment (eg. premises design and layout); Working practises; Training; Legal options; Partnerships working and special schemes.

Beyond The Blue can help you in all of these areas, through our training programmes and Consultancy Service. Assessing risk is the first step in this process and it can be that to gain a clear view of the risks faced it is more effective to get opinion from people who understand workplace violence and who are unfamiliar with your business. Many employers and employees are too close to their business to gain an impartial and all inclusive perspective on the problems faced by their employees; assumptions can cloud the potential for clear risk assessment. We can provide you with this assessment, as well as providing you with the solutions. Our Conflict Management & Resolution courses (CMR) are tailored to meet your specific needs, those of your business and your employees. By performing a Training Needs Analysis we design courses aimed at providing you with conflict resolution techniques as well as specific solution to your particular challenges.

Please visit our website at www.btbl.co.uk or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.

Adverts tell teenagers of cocaine peril

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Title – Adverts tell teenagers of cocaine peril
Source – The Times
Date – 4th December 2008

This latest advertising campaign attacks many of the common myths about cocaine use. Cocaine is a drug that has gained an alarming acceptance amongst users and the public generally. Although there is some debate about the angle of the dog used in this campaign, the messages are clear.

It paints cocaine as the unsavoury drug it really is. The myths that it is a drug whose control people can regulate are exposed. Many users claim they can give up cocaine at any time, this is not exactly the honest truth.

Cocaine users do on the whole develop a physiological addiction to the drug, they ‘look forward’ to its use and rationalise it. The perception that it is not addictive or dangerous is challenged by the statistic of 196 death certificates last year stating cocaine as a mitigating factor. This doesn’t even touch on the long term damage to health that many medical professionals predict. The chemicals and other agents ‘cut’ into cocaine (see ‘

Drawing the line’) are a serious risk to users.

For the Licensed Retail Sector and for workplaces generally cocaine users present a constant headache. Dealing with the users, the dealers and the after effects of cocaine use should be taken seriously; ignoring it not only presents issues of potential prosecution; but also security and personal safety issues. Cocaine users present a unique set of challenges to employees.

At Beyond The Blue we run a number of specific courses directed at providing the knowledge not just on how to recognise drug use and drug dealing but how to prevent it and how to deal with users. The National Certificate for Licensees Drug Awareness (NCLDA) and our bespoke Drug Awareness (DA) courses look at illegal drugs, the effects and the drug litter synonymous with their use. Our Conflict Management and Resolution (CMR) courses help staff deal with drug related conflict and Violence in the Workplace and the National Certificate for Door Supervisors (NCDS) provides successful candidates with the qualification required to allow them to apply for their SIA Door Supervisor Licence.

Please visit our website at www.btbl.co.uk or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.

For more information on any of our services, please call us on 0845 602 55 95 or Contact Us.

UK top of European cocaine league

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Title – UK top of European cocaine leagueSource – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 7th November 2008

Where we sit in the European ‘league table’ in regard to drug use is less important to us then the figures for the UK itself and they do make quite disturbing reading, especially when you consider the negative effects drugs have on health and society in general.

These figures are important for people working in all sorts of sectors and anyone working with the general public. It is important that they are realistic about the level of the drug problems in the UK, so they can account for it within their workplace and businesses.

With close to 1 in 10 people in the UK having taken cocaine and some 800,000 having taken it in the last year, few workplaces will be free of cocaine users; certainly anyone dealing with the public will come across a cocaine user on a regular basis.

Illegal drugs cause all sorts of problems in our society, apart from public health issues, it adds to crimes levels and exasperates the problems associated with Workplace Violence.

Beyond The Blue run a number of courses where we examine illegal drugs, drug use and the enforcement of zero tolerance policies. For the Licensed Retail Sector we run the National Certificate for Licensees – Drug Awareness (NCLDA), for those people facing workplace violence we run Conflict Management and Resolution courses (CMR) and Physical Intervention (PI) courses and those people working in the Security Industry we run the National Certificate for Door Supervisors (NCDS) and In-House Security Induction (IHSI) courses. We also run bespoke Drugs Awareness courses (DA) which are suitable for both employees dealing with the effects of drug user or for groups (such as youth groups, schools etc.) looking for a course to make people aware of the effects of drug use; please Contact Us for more details of these Drug Awareness courses.

Please visit our website at

www.btbl.co.uk

More young people end up in hospital as price of heroin and cocaine falls

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Title – More young people end up in hospital as price of heroin and cocaine falls
Source – The Times
Date – 15th August 2008

With illegal drug use on the increase in young people and Class A drugs (especially Cocaine) increasing amongst the ‘young professionals’ 25-34 bracket, it points to a failure on the ‘war on drugs’ that most people are pretty honest about.

But it is a fight that must go on and as the fight grows, so must the response because we all know that drug dependency is not only a very big burden on our society, but the cause of much greater criminal activity.

Ironically many successful young professionals, who consider themselves ‘recreational drug users’, are really not in a better position then what we consider drug dependents to be. Much like problem gamblers they convince themselves that they are in control of their habit, which ironically is why they use the drug in the first place; to lose some of that self-control. The difference between them and the more traditional image of the drug addict, is that their disposable incomes feed their habits, as opposed to crime which feeds the habits of those drug dependents who don’t (or no longer) have high disposable incomes.

‘Recreational’ drug use has to an extent become acceptable in some arenas. How many people who work in high flying industries such as ‘the city’ can honestly say they don’t have colleagues who ‘dabble’ in the odd ‘line’; more importantly how many do anything positive about it?

Sadly more and more of these people willing to ignore these users will soon be able to add their name to the list of people who would be able to answer ‘Yes’ to the question “who knows someone who has been admitted to hospital because of drugs?”.

The problem is not going to get better if younger and younger people are taking class A drugs as a matter of habit; these are after all the next generation and it will only be two or three more years before they are the ‘young professionals’

Drug use leads to problems beyond the users themselves. In many organisations drug use endangers other customers or employees and in some cases even the organisation or business itself. In the Licensed Retail Sector, drug use can lead to reputations being lost, swiftly followed by business being damaged, followed shortly afterwards by premises licences being suspended or forfeited and large fines being issued. In other organisations employees have to deal with drug fuelled individuals with aggressive behaviour that can be unpredictable and very violent.

At Beyond The Blue we run bespoke drug awareness courses as well as nationally recognised qualifications such as the National Certificate for Licensees – Drug Awareness (NCLDA) and Conflict Management & Resolution Courses (CMR) that help those who work with or in environments where aggression and violence are just one of the sad consequences of drug use.

Please visit our website please visit at www.btbl.co.uk

‘Out of hours’ noise service is reinstated

Title – ‘Out of hours’ noise service is reinstated
Source – Staines Leader
Date – 1st May 2008

Understanding the policies of your local licensing authority as well as your local council as a whole, gives you an advantage and advanced warning of what you can expect.

All councils have websites on which they publish everything you will need to know and spending as long as it takes to go through their website paying special attention to their licensing policy, will give you an insight into the kind of regulations they will enforce and what they will tolerate. It is also worth getting to know the key players in your local council and not see them as the ‘enemy’, after all they have a great deal of influence over your business.

It always makes good business sense to work with the local council; generally you can resolve problems, without them needing to resort to using the powers they have to sanction you. So if you have a big night on or an outdoor event, don’t wait for the out-of hours noise service to turn up at your door, contact your local council and work with them, if you have good reason they will often make exceptions especially if you do all you can to reduce the disturbance from your event.

Councils are not there to work against you, they are elected to serve all in the community and that includes you. The local licensed premises or event is important to residents just as reducing disturbance and nuisance is. The council will help you find an acceptable balance.

Joining a local pub-watch scheme will also help your cause as licensing officers regularly attend these events and anything you can do to prove that you are a responsible retailer will help your cause, part of that process will be to prove that you and your staff have the appropriate level of experience and training to perform responsibly in your role.

We provide training to the licensed retail sector through the portfolio of BIIAB courses including the Award in Responsible Alcohol Retailing (ARAR), the National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (NCPLH), the National Certificate for Door Supervisors (NCDS), National Certificate for Designated Premises Supervisors (NCDPS) and the National Certificate for Licensees – Drug Awareness (NCLDA).

We also provide Event Management solutions which include environmental acoustic monitoring experts who work closely with local authorities to ensure compliance occurs before it is enforced.

Please visit our website at http://www.btbl.co.uk/

Deadly fire sweeps Ecuador club

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Title – Deadly fire sweeps Ecuador club
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 20th April 2008

The stronger our health & safety laws and enforcement gets in the UK the less likely this sort of tragedy will occur on our shores, but complacency is probably as great a threat as fire itself. The less fatal fires we have in the UK, the less the topic remains at the forefront of our activities and that it precisely where it should be.

Although tragic fires with high death tolls are more common in the developing world, they are certainly not a thing of the past here in the UK. The alarming factor is that almost every time we see a report of a fatal fire in a premises such as a night club or other entertainment venue the causes of the high fatality rates almost identical. The number of fire reports that incidentally remark that the ‘fire exits were locked’ is almost unbelievable and the reason often given for them being locked is to prevent people from getting in without paying.

Analyse these reasons and excuses and the fact is simple, people lock their fire exits to protect income and because it is cheaper or ‘easier’ then providing other effective solutions such as manning the exit or installing technology (alarms, CCTV etc.). This most short sighted approach is literally criminal.

Fire is a killer, it has been since time began and always will be; but it doesn’t need to be inevitable. Many serious fires occur every year without a single injury being sustained, we have excellent safety regulations in the UK supported by an exceptional and professional fire service. So why is it that public venues are still so naïve to fire safety regulations and so complacent to the risks of fire?

The general public take for granted and trust owners and managers of public venues with their safety and do so blindly; therefore owners and managers have to accept the responsibility and take it extremely seriously. Fire safety in its basic form is not a complicated subject and very simple measures can be extremely effective. It astonishes me that in this enlightened age I can still find venues, offices, public buildings and any host of places where fire safety measures which should comply with The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 either are completely ignorant as to their responsibilities or criminally negligent

All public premises and places of work need to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment on their premises and reassess the risk on a regular basis. This is a very effective measure, not only to set up systems and equipment to reduce the risk from fire but it educates those responsible for fire safety and others within the organisation of the best practice.

Risk Assessments are often seen as a bureaucratic necessity, at Beyond The Blue, we make them a practical resource. A resource that makes the process easy to complete and easy to pass on to all those using your facilities. Many people will contract out their risk assessment, and file the resulting document, a process that is a waste of time and money. We work with organisations to provide a working document that explains the reasons we for our recommendations and the way that the organisation and individuals within it, can resolve any failings and implement change organisation wide.

Our fire safety courses compliment this process, not only providing candidates with effective fire safety advice, but also covering venue specific emergency evacuation training.
Please visit our website at www.btbl.co.uk

Nightclub owner liable for contract bouncer

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Title – Nightclub owner liable for contract bouncer
Source – Financial Times
Date – 25th January 2006

This test case is one that all employers and owners should be aware of; it effectively means that contracting out security aspects of your business does not effectively free you of all responsibility. As responsible employers, we always have to guide our staff in the right direction, we have to set the standards and take responsibility when our inaction or errors result in professional standards dropping or as in this case, when serious incidents result from these lapses.

At Beyond The Blue we only set the highest standards and we are honest about our fields of expertise. We will say no to our clients if we do not think that we can provide the services they require and more importantly we only pursue work that we are confident can reach a positive conclusion.

We can help you outsource effectively or bring the security services of the venue in-house. If clients choose this second option, we can provide consultancy advice and take an active part in securing the staff and training them to suitable standards. The direct control this gives, allows the managers to further protect their interests and can help gel a complete team together, rather then have a disjointed feel to your organisation. Through training and generating documentation and systems for your venue including comprehensive Venue Specific Security Manuals, you as the employer will have a much stronger position in the case of facing liability for the actions of your staff.



Please visit our website www.btbl.co.uk

Scores die in Argentine club fire

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Title – Scores die in Argentine club fire
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 31st December 2004

Basic mistakes and greed account for many of the reasons behind disasters round the world. This is not the first time that a fire has resulted in more deaths then would have occurred if basic safety procedures had been met.

If a list of the worlds public venue fires, where many deaths occurred, were drawn up, many would show similarities. Overcrowding and locked or blocked fire exits turn emergencies into disasters. Anyone who has worked in a venue with a strict capacity will know that if you go over the fire limits the venue quickly turns from comfortable and friendly to fraught and very tense. Fire limits are based on the number of fire exits, size of the venue and distance from inside to the external exit doors, if these limits are ignored and fire escapes are blocked or locked, anyone can see that it is a recipe for disaster.

As it was claimed with this fire, a venue supposedly fit to hold 1500 people was packed with 4000 revellers celebrating New Year, the greed to get as many paying customers in as possible is exasperated by the locking of fire exits, to prevent people getting in without paying. Arguably with 4000 inside this venue, even if the exits had been left open no one else would have been able to gain access anyway, due to the sheer numbers inside.

With a death toll of 175 and the number of injuries a staggering 700+ there can be no doubt that the capacity was ignored on this occasion and they are not alone. It is sometimes staggering the number of venues that ignore their official capacities, the pressure on managers and staff to cram a few extra bodies in when the opportunity arises can sometimes seem impossible to ignore. The targets set for managers by senior management and shareholders can simply be overwhelming.

To counter these pressures, more companies are starting to realise the benefits of good staff training. Conflict Management and Resolution Training (CMR) is now being directed at staff beyond the door supervisor team. The realisation that responsibility for your customers goes beyond this team and that all staff are involved, means that bars and venues can boast staff that can cross over from one job to another and where they truly work as a team, in making environment safer. Well trained staff will realise the dangers of ignoring the rules and the more members of your team that know and understand these rules, will put the peer pressure on maintaining them, rather then thinking if it all goes wrong they will be able to claim ignorance.

We run Fire Safety Courses (FS) and In-House Security Induction Training (IHSI) as well as providing Consultancy Services to help you set up the systems that allow your operation to run confidently so that when an emergency arises your whole team is able to react in a positive manner and respond to ensure the safety of, their colleagues, your customers and your property.

Please visit Our website at www.btbl.co.uk

Disco Tragedies

Title – Disco Tragedies
Source – The Independent
Date – April 2000

Tragedies and serious incidents in nightclubs and other licensed premises occur on a regular basis both at home and abroad. Despite better regulations having a positive effect on the severity of these incidents on the whole, they continue to occur on a regular basis despite the best efforts of the Security Industry to provide a more professional service to its clients.

Wherever large numbers of people will congregate, even without the addition of large quantities of alcohol that are consumed, problems and situations will occur. They will continue to be targeted when individuals want to make an impact for political or private reasons.

Please visit our website at www.btbl.co.uk