Hosting an Event
Running an event or a special activity can pose additional risks that are typically not top of mind unless your organization has significant experience running them. Everyone involved with the event should identify, and minimize or eliminate all risks and strive to make the experience as safe as possible.
The following are guidelines to help you monitor event specific safety hazards with your activity:
Emergency Planning
- Recruit only reliable, responsible doctors, dentists, physiotherapists, St. John Ambulance attendants, or other medical professionals for your event.
- Maintain an accurate injury report log during the event.
- Ensure that each team has an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place and that someone familiar with your arena and community assists the Call Person and Control Person on each team with directing emergency personnel to the arena and ice surface. Ensure that medical support staff, who will be at the arena at all times, review each team’s Emergency Action Plan with team personnel. If your event does not involve individual teams, you should implement an EAP for your event.
- Ensure that every team knows the location of telephones, First Aid Kits and stations, stretchers and Fire Exits within the arena facility.
- Provide each team with an emergency telephone directory including numbers for the doctor and dentist on call, the physiotherapist or certified athletic therapist, any emergency numbers (911 if applicable), including ambulance service, police, fire department and any other important numbers.
On Ice Ceremonies
- During any on-ice ceremonies, ensure that a proper "T" carpet with rubber backing is in position for dignitaries or other participants to walk on the ice surface. The carpet must reach completely from ice surface entrance to the area of focus, and must rest flat on the ice, free from bumps and debris. All players must wear full protective equipment including helmets and face masks.
- Emphasize that anybody entering the ice surface, including dignitaries, singers and photographers, must exercise caution and walk only on the carpet provided: no-one should ever walk on the bare ice surface in street shoes. Guides should be provided for any dignitaries or others requiring assistance.
- During on-ice ceremonies, ensure that all participating teams, bands or members of special skating displays are aware of risks such as carpets, tables and other participants on the ice surface, and that no-one enters the ice surface until the ice resurfacing machine is completely off the ice.
Television and Audio
- Ensure that all press areas are free from dangers such as fire hazards or wet floors, and if there is a suspended press box in the arena facility, caution media members and others using it about the dangers of dropping debris onto the crowd below.
- Ensure that only qualified personnel work with television equipment and that cables and wires are positioned so they do not pose a danger.
Hosting
- Recruit only reliable, responsible adults to act as team hosts and liaisons, and insist that hosts and liaisons make safety the first priority in all activities with visiting teams.
Team Pictures
- All team pictures should be taken off of the ice surface, and photographers should never go onto the ice surface in street shoes to take pictures unless a proper rubber-backed carpet is in place.
Security
- Recruit only reliable, responsible adults to work as arena security personnel and ensure that fan and gate control are part of security personnel responsibilities. Security personnel should make spectator safety their first priority at all times.
Catering
- When organizing events where food and drinks will be served, ensure that you utilize a reliable, responsible catering company, that all food is prepared properly, and all health standards have been observed. Also be aware of special diets and food allergies of any participants.
