What is the Music Festival Site Safety Inspection.

It is usually a condition of being issued with event permits for a music festival site to pass a final safety inspection prior to opening to the public. What is typically involved during inspections, who has responsibility for final sign off to proceed and how can organisers be best prepared for these site inspections.

Organisers invest time and money in building and preparing a site for a music festival but there is one final hurdle before they are allowed to proceed. The site safety inspection can be a day or even hours before officially opening so being prepared for the inspection is essential. In some cases, earlier inspections may have taken place to check on specific safety aspects of the site, but the final inspection is about operational readiness. What aspects do inspectors check on and how can organisers ensure that every aspect of the site is ready.

Inspections.
A final walkthrough on a festival site can take up to 4 hours or more and usually involves checking that things like temporary structures and stages have the necessary ‘Structure Completion Certificates’ for example. The entire inspection takes the form of a digital audit where timestamped photos are recorded as evidence of certifications along with notes and observations, for example. Once completed, the final inspection can get a pass which means the site is safe and ready to open. In some cases, a conditional pass may be issued where certain zones may be cordoned off until something has been rectified, but this does not stop the event from opening, just with limited access. A failed inspection will occur if inspectors have identified something that poses a serious safety risk. These must be rectified and a further inspection conducted before a site can open.

Inspection Teams.
Festival site safety inspection teams consist of numerous interested parties, each with a specific responsibility. The inspection teams are usually coordinated by the organiser's own Event Safety Manager whose job is to ensure that the site is ready for inspections and that the necessary representatives are included. Someone from the local authority who is responsible for event licensing and permits will need to attend to verify compliance. A representative from the local fire department will attend and focus on site access points and compliant placement of the correct fire extinguishers. Someone from the local police force will be included to check the site’s security measures and compliance with Martyn’s law. Other team members could include someone responsible for overall health and safety compliance.

Access Points and Emergency Evacuation.
An assessment of egress and identification of obstacles that impact crowd flow are a high priority as crowd crushes continue to be a high-risk factor for any music festival. Emergency evacuation routes will be checked for appropriate signage that clearly indicates exit routes including appropriate illumination for nighttime events. Routes and pathways will be inspected to identify potholes and other obstacles that pose a danger to crowds; electrical cables must be covered with clearly identified crossover ramps, for example. All external security fencing and internal zone separation fencing must be physically tested for robustness.

Other Common Inspections and Tests.
Any large-scale festival site will have dedicated medical facilities, and first aid stations often supported by on-site ambulances for medical emergencies. The access routes for ambulances need to be thoroughly inspected. Testing PA systems will ensure that emergency broadcasts can be clearly heard throughout a festival site. Security protocols will be checked to ensure that metal detectors and bag scanning will be correctly carried out by security personnel. Some larger festivals may also be required to install HVM (Hostile Vehicle Mitigation) systems that prevent unauthorised vehicle entry, and these must be operationally ready. All site communications systems will be checked so that the Event Operations Centre can clearly communicate with security and medial teams. for example. Inspections of toilet and bathroom facilities will be checked for cleanliness and compliance with required hygiene standards.

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