Dear Expert

Rockin’ Without the Risks

Concerts and other live events are coming back. Do you know all the liability issues? Insurance executive MAXIME LEFEBVRE provides some advice.

Dear Expert, My radio station is producing some concerts featuring well-loved artists over the next year. It’s been a while since we did this. What are the property and liability risks? — Making Music in Memphis

Dear Memphis,

You are not alone in expressing concerns. After almost two years with the lights off and the curtains down, many entertainment events – indoors and outdoors – are reopening nationwide. Like anything that hasn’t been used on a regular basis, “rust” can develop, increasing the potential for risk.

An organization hosting or sponsoring an event where thousands of people congregate is subject to risks including property, general liability and workers compensation. In all cases, it is best to discuss these and other potential exposures in advance with your loss control and risk engineering teams as well as your insurance broker or agent to minimize risks. But what follows are some of my topline recommendations.

PROPERTY HAZARDS

Bear in mind that no two venues are completely alike. Each is different in terms of topography and utilities. The weather is sometimes unpredictable, with events and locations subject to extreme temperatures or unexpected storms.

If the stage is not prepared to limit the impact of weather, a sudden deluge or extreme heat and humidity can damage expensive instruments and equipment. Replacement costs can be significant.

If the event is taking place indoors in a facility that has been largely vacant or unused for numerous months, an insurance agent or broker may recommend that the premises be surveyed by a loss control team to ensure the location is in good condition.

The staging/set decor, lighting and sound system at each venue must be hastily assembled and taken down pre- and postevent. Aside from the physical injury risks, there is the possibility that an improperly secured piece of equipment may fall and be

damaged – or result in harm to the venue or people involved.

Another property hazard is fire. Concerts consume an enormous amount of power due to the electrical equipment involved. Since each venue has different electrical consumption considerations, make sure you don’t overload the system. With many venues closed for an extended period, loss control and risk engineering personnel should discuss the need for a comprehensive review of the electrical system with an insurance agent or broker.

PEOPLE CONSIDERATIONS

In many cases, show technicians may not have worked in a while. A previously welloiled machine may now be out of practice, increasing the risk of accidents and injuries.

Performers are subject to similar risks. For example, an orchestra that used to perform in the same indoor venue on a regular basis may now be performing in a different environment. Indoors, the lighting and sound equipment is fixed above the stage. Entrance and exit areas are known to them. Outdoors, neither may be the case. Precautions and safety measures include securing wires to the floor and brightly marking them to avoid a tripping accident. Similarly, ingress and egress should be marked and illuminated during evening performances.

Event organizers are responsible for ensuring the safety of not only performers and outside contractors but audiences as well. Hazards include trip-and fall-accidents as well as injuries caused by special effects.

Crowd control is critical. During a weather-related disruption or power outage, audience members are at risk of panicking and causing conditions in which people can be injured. Potential hazards affecting audience safety must be identified, along with the efficacy of existing safety precautions and emergency plans.

Chubb has published a detailed checklist can help identify hazards. It’s available at https://news.na.chubb.com. In the “Topics” section, click on “Risk Management.” You can adjust it to meet your use and needs. Follow the checklist regularly during your event or production.

By bearing in mind these precautions, you’re likely to produce an enjoyable – and hopefully profitable – entertainment experience for everyone involved.

Do you have a professional puzzle that MFM and BCCA experts might be able to answer? We’ll mine the contact base and find the right person to answer your question. Just contact TFM editor Janet Stilson at TFMeditor@mediafinance.org. Potential hazards affecting audience safety must be identified, along with the efficacy of existing safety precautions and emergency plans.

This document is advisory in nature and is intended to be a resource to be used together with your professional insurance advisors in maintaining a loss prevention program. It is an overview only and is not intended as a substitute for consultation with your insurance broker, or for legal, engineering or other professional advice.

Maxime Lefebvre is senior vice president, entertainment, at the global insurer Chubb. She can be reached at mlefebvre@chubb.com.