Public Events - Guidance for organizers - Employment of Stewards
The Organiser is responsible for matters of public order and the accurate monitoring and recording of all persons within the Event Site and to be in a position to make such information immediately available on request to the Emergency Service or Council Officials.
They are also expected to deal in the first instance with any disturbance using legal means. It is usual for organisers to employ stewards, or security contractors, to assist them.
Any person employed at the event to control admissions, keep order, remove people causing disorder, or searching premises or people must be licensed by the Security Industry Authority (SIA).
Stewards engaged either directly, or indirectly, for duties associated with the event should:
- Be physically able to carry out the work;
- Not to be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs;
- Remain at their point of allocated duty (except in pursuit of public safety);
- Remain calm;
- Be courteous towards all those with who they have contact;
- Co-operate in full with any legal requirements of the Emergency Services or Council Officials;
The organiser shall ensure Stewards are suitably and sufficiently trained. Before an event they must be fully briefed by the event organiser about their specific areas of responsibility - this should include (where applicable):
- Roles and responsibilities;
- Staff command and control;
- Division of responsibilities between the event organiser and the Police;
- 'Transfer of Authority' procedures and requirements;
- Safety requirements;
- Communication methods;
- Partial and Total Evacuation;
- Action in the event of fire or an explosion;
- Response to bomb threats;
- Response to and management of disruptive elements;
- Management of distressed, lost and injured persons;
- On site and off site traffic management;
- Assessment of crowd densities, problematic dynamics and signs of distress;
- Resolving access issues;
- Location of: event control; exits; evacuation routes and assembly areas; fire fighting equipment; first aid points; disabled viewing/access; car and coach parking locations; drop off and pick up points for car/coach/taxi/participant/equipment/public; lost/found property point; welfare services; emergency liaison centre;
The organiser should require all staff working at the event to wear clothing that clearly identifies them and their role e.g. T- shirt or jacket with the word 'Steward'.
They also must have personal protective clothing (e.g. hats, boots, gloves, coats) to deal with the possible range of weather conditions they will be working in (e.g. sun, rain, hail, snow).
At events lasting several hours, duty rotas will be required, with time allowed for refreshment breaks.
For evening events, torches may also be required.
