Risk management

Hurricane. Terrorist attack. Avian influenza epidemic. Staff strike. Missing participants. Your heart beats quickly yet? Meetings planners today have worse scenarios which must be planned for in the past. September 11th has completely changed our idea of risk management and avian influenza was not something that meeting planners considered it a year ago. Last may, two participants to a Conference in California have disappeared Saturday round trip. Fortunately, this story had a happy ending, but if it does not have? It is unnecessary to have a plan for every situation that may arise, but some thought and planning can help reduce your risk and help conduct things if a situation arises.

Make a Plan

The first step is to write a plan for management of risks, including planning for risks such as natural disasters, accidents, situations of technology (ie. failure) and the risk of human origin (ie. speaker is a defection). Risks specific to the destination, location, participants, and programs should also be included. The plan should describe responses to different situations, the responsibilities of the facility staff and hired security staff members and how the media will be managed.
Your risk management plan should be reviewed and revised each year and that new risks arise.

How to reduce your risk

The best three tools to reduce your risks are inspection sites, contract and insurance.

Site inspection

During the inspection of your site, it is important to know what type of emergency plan, rather a - including evacuation plans, what type of training of their personnel and type of emergency equipment that is on the site. In the case of a health emergency, whether members of staff have a CPR/First aid training and how they can be identified quickly. To avoid an allergy related emergency, make sure that food will be labelled on buffets and breaks.

Contracts

All contracts, including those with speakers and performers, should include clauses in case of Force majeure-what happens if a situation arises is the willingness of the parties. This should include things such as strikes, wars, threats or acts of terrorism, weather, travel or disease outbreaks advisories. Include also a catch all provision covering anything else which did not.

Insurance

It is important to understand your coverage commercial general liability for each event. If you plan to do whatever it be held off-site, be sure to what you are covered if you are temporarily out of business. Also know if there are any exclusions in the policy as physical activity or consuming alcohol. It may not be true for each event to pay for event cancellation insurance, then consider carefully each event to determine what is best for you.

Do you need help with your risk management plan? Contact design events at info@designingevents.com or 866-867-1933.

Michelle Issing, is one of the co-owners of design event, leading global provider of planning, management and marketing for conferences, meetings and event services.

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