EventPlan's statement of Health and Safety Policy

This is our policy on live events, and filming projects via Historical Film Services

1 EventPlan regards the health, safety and welfare of employees and all others affected by its operations as having equal or greater status than its business objectives. We shall ensure that our activities as safe as possible for clients, employees, contractors (and where appropriate) visitors alike.

2. Whether organising/co-coordinating live events, filming projects or engaged in office-based duties, health and safety remains top priority at all times.

3 We shall operate within each client’s health & safety strategies (to include an EventPlan risk assessment) and disaster/evacuation plan, drawn up by clients in consultation with appropriate official bodies.

3 Basic Health and Safety requirements are published as part of our regularly updated event web site as our Standard Terms and Conditions for Participation, at www.eventplan.co.uk/conditions_of_participation.htm. Performing groups/individuals engaged are required to sign a contract  which includes a clause agreeing to adhere to these.

4. EventPlan will only engage the services of the most experienced and skilled performers/specialist extras/stunt men, all appropriately trained. Likewise we shall only utilise specialist “battle trained” horses, including any required for stunts. The above will be covered at live events by their group’s/company’s public liability insurance, and EventPlan’s when contracted to stage reconstructions for film or TV.

5. All performers/specialist extras/stunt men will operate within that group’s/individual’s safety policy & risk assessment, subject to these complying with ours.

6. At events, H&S announcements will be made on our on-mains public address system as appropriate and reinforced by signs and re-enactors. Any non-public areas (including a main display arena) will be taped or roped off. The main arena will feature warning signs.

7. On filming projects, visitors will be kept at a safe, appropriate distance (usually by the production company staff). Filming will take place in non-public areas whenever possible.

8.  Re-enactors/performers/specialist extras/ stunt men/horse suppliers will be self-stewarding and not reliant on others to maintain their safety and that of others nearby. This will augment safety procedures carried out by the client and EventPlan staff.

9. Where appropriate, fire points will be provided by EventPlan or the client, to be located in camping and other appropriate areas. When recreating an historic encampment or using black powder artillery, performers are advised through our Standard Terms and Conditions for Participation to always additionally provide their own fire extinguisher or bucket of water.

10. When utilising EventPlan’s services, clients (including TV production companies) will be requested to draw upon Managing Director Howard Giles’ 21 years’ specialist knowledge/experience as an organiser of live re-enactments and reconstructions for TV, and as a military historian specialising in military tactics and use of weapons.

11. Clients will be requested/required (as appropriate) to defer to EventPlan and/or as appropriate, performers’/specialist extras’ advice with regard to the use and effect of period weaponry – in particular archery, firearms, hand to hand fighting and during stunts - except where the client engages a professional armourer or specialist (eg stunt co-ordinator) that clearly has a greater understanding of same. The latter is however extremely unusual as EventPlan only utilises the most specialised and skilled performers/extras.

12. Clients will be asked to note that the period weaponry utilised, albeit replicas, are real, not props. Swords, spears and arrows will always be safety-blunted unless specifically requested otherwise by clients for agreed purposes. However, the firearms, pointed bayonets, some C17th pike heads and non-firearm artillery weapons (eg Roman or medieval catapults) used are 100% real/potentially lethal and must be treated as such. Blank charges will be fired from muskets/pistols/rifles/cannon but these can be very dangerous at close range and only those engaged and trained to use them can have access, or be close by when in use.  Live firing of firearms with projectiles can only be undertaken in certain, highly controlled situations.

13. Hand-to-hand fighting should only take place between suitably trained combatants, with clients including film crew remaining at an appropriately safe distance, as advised by EventPlan or agreed production company staff member. EventPlan reserves the right to override decisions made by the latter if EventPlan consider said person’s advice unsafe.

14. Black powder and arrows are dangerous and are to only be handled/used by trained performers/extras. A clear and appropriately sized non-public area for “fall of arrows”/artillery projectiles and firearms blast must be maintained (double-taped off & stewarded at events, and as a minimum, stewarded at film shoots).

15. EventPlan and performers/ extras engaged by the company will adhere to the law, including all & any health & safety and other relevant legislation, eg on the storage, use and licensing of black powder and/or firearms/edged weapons.

16. Clients will normally be responsible for arranging First Aid cover on set or at a live event, although certain performing groups/extras also have these skills. The most likely accidents are slips, falls, minor impact injuries from blunted weapons, and minor black powder burns from use of muskets. Visitors at events are more likely to injuries (eg from slips, falls, insect stings) than performers, due to performer safety procedures. Site layout and First aid cover will reflect the requirements of all on site, reflecting the risk assessment.

17. Any accidents/incidents will be appropriately treated, recorded and investigated.

18. EventPlan will continually strive to improve standards of safety in all areas.

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Updated 10 June 2005