Overview

Staff and students organising events (referred to as 'event coordinators') at UTS or on behalf of UTS have a duty to manage any risks to the health and safety of themselves, other staff or students, contractors and visitors.

This responsibility extends to risks arising from the activities before and after the event, as well as to risks during the event itself.

Please note that these guidelines differ from those of ActivateUTS and its various clubs and societies, and from those of the Housing Service concerning social gatherings at UTS student residences.

 

Event Management

Definition

An event is defined as including but not limited to a function, event or activity that:

  • invites internal and/or external visitors
  • showcases UTS scholarship and/or research
  • contributes to staff and/or student engagement
  • is a staff and/or student event
  • encourages wider public engagement with UTS, and/or
  • is a charitable or other fundraiser.

It does not include meetings that form part of regular work for university staff.

An event approval form must be completed for all events at UTS.

Health and safety risk management

Obtain formal approval for the event

It is important that the event coordinator has the approval of the dean, director or member of the UTS senior executive sponsoring the event, prior to planning the event.

Once approval is sought, complete the UTS event approval form for events at UTS.

This form guides event coordinators through the health and safety risk management process for events. It addresses a variety of considerations such as:

Room bookings at UTS

Room bookings raised via the web room bookings system (UTS staff access only) may require the UTS event approval request form to be completed, depending on the activities planned as part of the booking.

Events checklist

  • For on-campus events, complete UTS event approval and any room bookings
  • Perform a pre-event housekeeping inspection of the site for example slips and trip hazards, access and egress in emergency,  ventillation and lighting.
  • Document a risk assessment showing identification of hazards related to the event and the control measures to manage risks arising (visit Risk management). Consider, for example, noise, alcohol, manual handling during set-up and pack-down, power leads and other electrical hazards, crowd control, food safety, security, protection of valuables, contractors, work from heights/ladders, students/children, cash handling, hot-work, lasers, drones and pyrotechnics.
  • Familiarise yourself with emergency response procedures, first aid provision, accident and incident reporting and security arrangements.
  • Familiarise yourself with access to site facilities, toilets, parking and transport.
  • Provide health and safety procedures, information and training to workers involved in event.
  • Make the event accessible.

Support

Events and Brand Partnerships team

The Events and Brand Partnerships team in the Marketing and Communication Unit can provide advice about the event management process for events held on the UTS campus or on behalf of UTS. Contact them by email at events@uts.edu.au, noting the:

  • style of the event,
  • total budget for the event
  • proposed date/s and time/s
  • number of attendees, and
  • name of the event sponsor (this should be the senior staff member who has approved your event, for example a dean of a faculty, a director of an administrative unit, or a member of the UTS senior executive).

The team also have resources for planning and running events via Event management (Staff Connect).

Forms and documents