Story Highlight
– Mark Elliott launches Gigsavvy for event safety compliance.
– Platform combines training, risk assessments, and incident reporting.
– Supports both small venues and large festivals effectively.
– Developed in response to Martyn’s Law regulatory changes.
– Aims to enhance safety culture in live event sectors.
Full Story
A new initiative aimed at enhancing health and safety standards in the live music and events sector has been launched by an entrepreneur from North Shields. Mark Elliott, who co-owns The Engine Room, a popular grassroots music venue, is the driving force behind Gigsavvy, a pioneering digital compliance and training platform.
Gigsavvy is designed to streamline the health and safety processes for venues, promoters, engineers, and event organisers. By gathering various essential resources into a unified digital interface, it enables businesses to effectively manage their health and safety obligations, train their workforce, and ensure compliance with industry regulations.
This platform is equipped with IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health)-accredited e-learning courses that are concise and informative, alongside tools for conducting risk assessments, reporting incidents, and monitoring compliance. It also features a comprehensive directory that connects users with trained professionals operating within the industry.
With over twenty years of experience in health and safety training across sectors such as oil and gas, construction, engineering, manufacturing, and renewables, Mark Elliott brings a wealth of knowledge to the project. He expressed his concerns regarding the fluid nature of the live events industry where “people and workers moving between venues constantly – engineers, crews, promoters, bands – and sometimes things can become a bit too informal.”
Elliott highlighted the inherent dangers associated with live events, noting, “When you look at live events properly, there are real risks involved,” including working at height, handling electrical equipment, and constructing stages and lighting rigs. He emphasised that while some principles from high-risk industries like oil and gas and construction are applicable, the safety culture in live music venues and night-time entertainment has lagged behind.
Gigsavvy aims to rectify these issues by providing both accredited training and essential compliance tools within a single platform. As Elliott elaborated, the tool caters not only to small venues, like The Engine Room, which holds a capacity of sixty, but also scales effectively to larger venues and festivals that attract thousands of attendees.
Elliott’s experiences at The Engine Room have unveiled significant deficiencies in how health and safety regulations are applied within the music and events sector, inspiring him to develop Gigsavvy. The project has received backing from Innovate UK and Creative UK, coinciding with a crucial period for businesses in the night-time economy as they prepare for upcoming regulatory changes, notably the introduction of Martyn’s Law.
Discussions are currently underway for a wider rollout of Gigsavvy, with talks involving several industry organisations and training bodies to foster partnerships. This collaborative effort aims to boost the uptake of safety training and compliance measures across the sector.
Elliott remarked on the importance of the impending Martyn’s Law, stating, “Martyn’s Law is a significant moment for the sector, and it’s right that venues prepare for it.” However, he clarified that while the training mandated under Martyn’s Law is not yet obligatory, employers must still demonstrate competency in assessing and managing the risks faced by their staff. “That obligation exists now, regardless of Martyn’s Law,” he asserted. Gigsavvy is tailored to provide straightforward solutions that can help organisations meet these existing duties and provide evidence of compliance.
Having dedicated a significant part of his career to training individuals to work safely in some of the most hazardous environments, Elliott believes that the live events sector deserves equivalent safety standards. He stated, “The live events and night-time economy deserve the same standard of safety thinking – and now there’s a platform built specifically to help deliver it.”
Elliott’s conviction is that grassroots venues play a crucial role in supporting the live music industry. “If Gigsavvy helps protect even a handful of them by making compliance less daunting and more accessible, that’s exactly what it’s here to do,” he added.
This ambitious launch of Gigsavvy not only reflects a response to the unique challenges faced by the live music industry but also represents a progressive step towards ensuring that health and safety practices keep pace with the evolving demands of the sector. As venues and event organisers continue to adapt to an increasingly complex landscape of regulations, Gigsavvy stands poised to be an essential resource for enhancing safety and compliance across the board.
As the night-time economy gears up for changes in legislation and operational standards, platforms like Gigsavvy play an important role in safeguarding the health and safety of everyone involved in live events, ensuring that the vibrancy and culture of the music scene can thrive in a secure environment.
Our Thoughts
The launch of Gigsavvy addresses critical gaps in health and safety practices within the live events and night-time economy sectors. Key safety lessons from this initiative highlight the importance of formalizing health and safety protocols, particularly in environments where risks such as working at height and electrical hazards are prevalent.
To avoid incidents in the sector, businesses must prioritize comprehensive training programs and risk assessments, as mandated under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Employers are legally required to demonstrate competence in managing associated risks, which Gigsavvy aims to facilitate through its platform.
The introduction of Martyn’s Law emphasizes the need for venues to step up safety measures, although current regulations still require proper risk assessment and management. Failure to adhere to these legal obligations, including the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, can lead to breaches. The Gigsavvy platform provides tools that could prevent similar incidents by encouraging a robust safety culture, ensuring compliance, and making training accessible for small and large venues alike. Regular training and compliance monitoring could significantly enhance safety standards and outcomes in the sector.
