Site Management
At CA we understand that one of the biggest challenges faced by the event industry is the effective management of independent contractors and freelancers on site.
We recognise the need for one single company to take the lead role. At CA we can provide a complete event production, without compromising quality or safety, by effectively coordinating and synchronising all of the suppliers involved in the event production. From lighting and sound, to security and barriers, through to artist liaison and staging, our organisation can encompass it all.
Central to this is the preparation of a management plan for the entire event, focussing primarily onsafety, but covering other systems and procedures too. From this we produce site rules and handbooks for contractors and staff.
Site Design
The layout of event sites is often a balance between public enjoyment of the event, safety, and cost.
A huge amount of forethough is required to ensure that sightlines are good, bottlenecks don’t occur, queues are orderly, vehicle access is possible where required, ‘dead areas’ don’t develop, over-crowding is avoided, evacuation can be quick and orderly, unnecessary infrastructure is avoided, traffic doesn’t impact on the local community.
Meeting all these requirements can be difficult. But we firmly believe that it can be done, and there needn’t be any surprises on site. Using CAD software, large format printers, aerial photography, ordnance survey data, we can model the site in as much detail as is required.
Site Plans
Quite distinct from the actual site design process, it is vital that accurate plans are created and maintained.
Using ordnance survey data, aerial photography, and site surveys, we start by creating an accurate CAD map of the area. Every structure is then positioned on the plan.
Our plans can be made available online via our secure ECM system. We can therefore make sure that noone is looking at out of date plans.
When necessary we have two offices that can create paper plans up to A0 size.
Contractors
As part of the initial road-map for a project, we will create a list of ‘work-packages’ that comprise the project. From this we develop tender specifications that are the first step of the procurement process.
Every contractor’s appointment is documented in the same way: A specification, a quotation and a purchase order.
Where an event has particular requirements, for example to meet sustainability targets, these can be written into the initial tender specification.
Each supplier is required to provide essential H&S information, and will be provided with any particular site rules and instructions.
CA also operate an approved contractor scheme, so regular contractors can be pre-vetted with all the relevant documentation held on file.
On site, CA take the role of principal contractor, coordinating the health, safety and environmental issues for every company on site.
Schedules
Part of the trilogy – budget, site plan and schedule, that are central to the planning of any event or production.
We prepare detailed site schedules covering the whole period on site (build, event and break), and for the event itself. Like all key documents, these are stored in our ECM system, allowing version control and update notifications compatible with management system standards ISO 9001, ISO14001 and OHSAS18001.
Health and Safety
At CA Health and Safety is integrated completely into our systems. There is no point bolting on H&S paperwork to an event, when noone reads it or complies with the stated procedures.
Policy and risk assessment are legal requirements. But actually managing H&S on the ground is the challenge.
