Capacity: 110 persons.
Purpose:
The Health and Safety Executive states that when managing a venue, we must think about what may cause harm to staff and customers through crowd movement, dynamics and behaviour as people arrive, enter, move around a venue, exit, and disperse (see dispersal policy).
We must consider customers who could become more vulnerable such as young or elderly people and people with disabilities or learning difficulties.
Primarily our Fire Risk Assessment sets our venue capacity, but this may be decreased dependent upon specific events and activities taking place.
Responsibility
It is every staff member’s responsibility to:
- Look for overcrowding in any internal areas of the venue: outside toilet, in front of stage area, main entrance/exit area, bar area – as this is primarily what ensures the flow of people around the venue, based on what we know about customer behaviour.
- Look for overcrowding outside the venue: where queues have built up outside – ensure that these do so away from the main road, where people are smoking, ensure this is done away from doorways, outside of main fire exit – ensure people are not congregating here and that the exit is kept clear.
Event Planners
Event planners must present their risk assessment prior to any event taking place at The Dubliner – this should include a revised capacity (no greater than 110) for the event taking place.
Events must be approved by the license holder.
What to do if overcrowding occurs
All members of staff, particularly floor staff or glass collectors should:
- Approach the crowd and asses what is causing the overcrowding.
- Attempt to disperse the crowd, by politely requesting some of the group move to a non-crowded area in the venue where they would be more comfortable.
- Advise the manager/supervisor and security team.
- Check current capacity levels with the door staff and advise that no more customers should be let in until the congestion has been reduced.
- Make a record in the incident book which is kept behind the bar.
Managers/supervisors should:
- Review the incident book weekly, check for incidents of overcrowding and develop a solution to overcome this, with the license holder.
- Consider where stools/seating is positioned to prevent overcrowding and allow for a flow of customers around the venue.
- Ensure the correct numbers of staff are employed at the correct times.
- Ensure door staff are limiting entry to the premises at busy times to prevent overcrowding.
Door Staff
SIA Door Staff should be advised of any changes to the capacity of the venue for that night.
SIA Door Staff should also be issued with 2 footfall counters – 1 for counting people into the venue, 1 for counting people out of the venue. The difference represents an accurate total of the number of people within the venue. In the SIA folder you will find induction for new door staff which stipulates the normal capacity and the role of footfall counters in monitoring the capacity of the venue. All new door staff must receive induction training by a manager or supervisor before they have started their first shift.