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Date published: September 26, 2023
Author: William Heubner
Will Heubner, Principal Consultant looks at the importance of crowd management plans to prioritise safety.
Article

How to develop effective crowd management plans that prioritise safety and enhance guest experiences.

Sadly, news reports of incidents where inadequate crowd management has led to serious consequences are a common occurrence.

Effective crowd management is essential for ensuring safety and enhancing the experience of large gatherings. Whether it’s an event, a venue or a public space, proper planning, clear communication, and proactive strategies are crucial.

Safety is the foremost concern in crowd management. By providing clear routes, informative signage and an adequate number of trained staff members, the risk of accidents and confusion can be significantly reduced. Managing crowd densities and ensuring smooth flow allows attendees to enjoy the event without congestion or falls.

Enhancing guest experience is equally important. Well-managed crowds enable attendees to navigate the space easily, find facilities and experience a seamless flow. This creates a positive atmosphere, leading to favourable reviews and increased attendance in the future.

Emergency preparedness is a critical aspect of crowd management. Having a well-defined strategy, including clear communication channels, evacuation procedures and trained staff, is essential to handle urgent situations such as fires or natural disasters. Prompt and organised responses minimise panic and ensure the safety of all individuals present.

Unfortunately, crowd management is often overlooked. This can be due to various factors, including an overreliance or overconfidence in previous experience or ‘business as usual’ operations. Some underestimate its importance due to a lack of experience or understanding. Others prioritise costs and time constraints, considering it an unnecessary investment. However, with the introduction of stricter security measures and emergency preparedness requirements, such as the upcoming ‘Protect Duty’ (aka Martyn’s Law), effective crowd management is paramount.

The Protect Duty, which is expected to come into legislation in the UK in 2023, will likely require venues to employ enhanced security measures and robust emergency preparedness plans for a range of possible incidents. This means that a purely reactive approach to crowd management will no longer be acceptable. Organisers must be proactive and ensure that crowd management plans align with the new requirements to prioritise safety and security.

When developing a crowd management planconsider several key factors:

  • Accurately assess the expected number of attendees and their arrival and departure rates to determine appropriate measures.
  • Clear communication among event organisers, security personnel and guests is vital to ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities.
  • Strategically-placed signage and effective wayfinding systems prevent bottlenecks and confusion.
  • Attendee comfort should be considered with resting areas, accessible facilities and amenities.
  • Adequate staffing is crucial for success, ensuring the smooth execution of the plan and timely response to emerging issues.

Every day our  pedestrian and crowd flow modeling and management supports the development of effective crowd management plans that prioritise safety and enhance guest experiences in busy environments, to align with the future requirements of the Protect Duty in the UK and similar requirements around the world.