Security and systematic fire safety at events
Security and systematic fire safety when organising events on Uppsala University premises.
The organiser must ensure a high level of security during the event, take steps to deal with any deviations from security requirements and discontinue the event if security cannot be guaranteed. The Security and Safety Division at UU provides support and advice to those organising events.
Security officer
The organiser of an event is security officer for the event, with the exception of events for which the police assume responsibility.
The security officer must establish security routines and designate individuals to perform necessary security functions at the event, in accordance with the authorisation for the event. If unforeseen situations arise, the security officer must be available for contact and must communicate with UU, the security guards and public order officers (if any) supplied by the security company, and with police, ambulance and fire services.
Security plan
Anyone organising a relatively large event or party on University premises must draw up a security plan. The plan must specify:
- who is responsible for security (security officer);
- who is responsible for fire safety (fire safety officer);
- who is in charge of evacuation procedures (evacuation leader);
- the organisation’s alarm instructions;
- the organisation’s internal and external communication procedures.
Security guards
Following a risk analysis, the Security and Safety Division may decide to order augmented security in the form of security guards. In such cases, the organiser bears the cost of security guards.
Only security guards from a procured security services supplier may be used on UU premises. The Security and Safety Division books security guards.
Public order officers
If an event is open to the public, notification or authorisation may be required. In such cases, the Swedish Police Authority may require public order officers to be present. The number of public order officers will be indicated under special conditions on the authorisation certificate and the organiser is obliged to comply and to pay for the public order officers. Only public order officers from a procured security services supplier may be used on UU premises. The Security and Safety Division books public order officers.
Public order officers have limited police powers and may order individuals to leave or physically remove them if their behaviour is disturbing or directly endangering public order. If these measures do not suffice, public order officers may take individuals into temporary custody. Public order officers are subject to the orders of the Swedish Police Authority and are obliged to obey orders given by a police officer concerning the exercise of their duties as a public order officer. Public order officers have an obligation to report to the police and must do so when they become aware of any crime.
Systematic fire safety
The organiser is responsible for fire safety, which means an active fire safety organisation must be in place at every event. The scale of the organisation can vary, depending on the size of the event, but it must include at least one person responsible for fire safety (fire safety officer) and one person in charge of evacuation (evacuation leader).
Fire safety self-inspection
The organiser must establish self-inspection routines to prevent outbreaks of fire and limit the consequences of fire. In support of this, the Fire safety self-inspection checklist must be gone over ahead of any event. If an event lasts for more than one day, a fire safety self-inspection must be carried out before the start of the programme each day.
Fire safety
Fire safety equipment and means of evacuation are designed for the activities conducted on the premises. Changes in the design or furnishing of the premises can result in the fire safety provisions being inadequate/under-dimensioned, so any changes made to the premises must be approved by UU.
The technical fire safety provisions on the premises always consist at least of an evacuation alarm and a foam handheld fire extinguisher. The design of the evacuation alarm may vary between premises and it is therefore necessary always to check how the alarm works at the premises where the event is held.
Number of people
The maximum number of people allowed is determined by the means of evacuation and the type of activity, as specified in the fire safety description.
The number of people allowed on the specific occasion depends on the event and must be assessed based on the relationship between the number of people on the premises, the design of the premises, any props (furniture, loose fittings, etc.), evacuation conditions and whether the people present are familiar with the premises. Note that the maximum number of people allowed must not be exceeded without written approval from the fire services.
Fire safety officer
At an event, the organiser must designate a fire safety officer who monitors fire safety before and during the event and ensures that the design of the premises does not change. In fire and evacuation situations, the fire safety officer communicates with UU, the security guards provided by the security company and fire services.
Evacuation leader
The person in charge of evacuation (evacuation leader) must have a good knowledge of the premises and of all evacuation routes and assembly points. The evacuation leader must ensure that evacuation routes are free of obstructions and that emergency exit doors work before and during the event. Any deviations from these requirements must be reported immediately to the fire safety officer and put right.
The evacuation leader orders evacuation, guides the guests to the assembly point and informs the fire safety officer when the evacuation has been completed. If deemed appropriate, the evacuation leader can be the person responsible for the event, a door supervisor or an event official, but never a fire safety officer.