Members of the Global Crowd Management Alliance (GCMA)

In 2022 we joined the GCMA, a worldwide network of individuals and organisations who are committed to representing and advancing the crowd management and security services industry within the public and private sector. The core objectives of the GCMA are to:

  1. Develop and promote responsible crowd management and safety practices worldwide, leading to the establishment of a globally recognised body of knowledge for crowd managers.  
  2. Deliver meaningful and globally respected learning opportunities for crowd management practitioners of all experience levels, regardless of location or financial means.   
  3. Raise awareness of the behavioural science underpinning many crowd management considerations.  
  4. Represent the interests of members as practitioners, specialists, and stakeholders within the wider crowd management industry.    
  5. Foster and support meaningful diversity in the crowd management industry.

Andy Smith, Harrier Director said:

‘This is an important network for Harrier to be part of as it enables us to share knowledge and experience with likeminded individuals and companies who are working to make events safer across the world. Recent incidents that have happened across the globe, remind us that this work remains important and ongoing. This connection with other event specialists who are willing to have open and honest conversations and embrace change is something we are privileged to be part of.’

You can read more about the GCMA on their website.

Harrier named ‘Best Health and Safety’ winner at Festival Supplier Awards 2023

Harrier are delighted to announce that they were named winner at the Festival Suppliers Awards 2023 in the Best Health and Safety Category.

With their focus on Putting People First, they’re a well-respected and trusted health and safety team supporting outdoor events and festivals both nationally and internationally. Harrier pride themselves on becoming a valued partner to their clients, taking an active role during every phase to make sure everything runs safely and smoothly.

Speaking about the award win, Helen McCabe, Managing Director of Harrier said:

“We’re absolutely thrilled and overwhelmed to have won this award. I’m incredibly proud of the whole Harrier team, their unwavering commitment to build good relationships and keep everyone safe at the events they support is inspiring. Thank you to each and every client who chooses us as their health and safety partner, we’re so proud to work with you all.”

The Festival Suppliers Awards were developed to recognise, reward and promote best practise in the outdoor event and festival sector. The ceremony took place on Thursday 26th January 2023 at the Hurlingham Club in London.

The awards were judged by an esteemed panel of high-profile industry experts. When announcing Harrier as winners, the comments from the panel were as follows: “This company’s focus on getting to know the team and working in harmony is brilliant. Health and safety is such a vital aspect of all events and it is so important to ensure everyone is working together to make sites safe.”

You can read more about the events Harrier have supported and their client testimonials here.

3 reasons why focusing on health and safety leads to great customer service

Many of the benefits of deploying solid health and safety practices at events are well-known. They prevent accidents, keep people safe and provide clear guidelines to event teams on how to prepare for and deal with various safety related scenarios. But one benefit that isn’t always talked about is how focusing on health and safety as an integral part of event planning also leads to the benefit of delivering great customer service.

In this blog, we’ll share 3 reasons why focusing on health safety leads to great customer service.

Perceptions of safety have evolved post-pandemic

It’s always been a widely accepted fact that customers need to feel safe and relaxed to have a good time and speak highly of the event they’ve been to. But, as we moved through and out of the peak of the pandemic and people started resuming some semblance of a normal life, the general public had to think about their personal safety in ways they’d never considered before. Would event venues allow too many people to attend? Would social distancing be in place? Would people be asked to provide proof of a negative test?

Event organisers were talking about their approach to health and safety as a benefit in their marketing material; a way to reassure customers and attract more visitors. What may have historically been viewed as a tick-box exercise became a key indicator to determine the success and trustworthiness of an event.

Interestingly, as a lasting effect of COVID, the health and safety measures in place at events have remained a key factor when customers decide if they’ve received a good customer experience or not.

The 3 reasons why focusing on health and safety leads to great customer service

#1 You’re more likely to attract returning customers and new visitors

When eventgoers have a great time and feel safe, they’re more likely to speak positively about their experience and return in the future. On the flip side, if people have a bad experience or witness something they perceive as unsafe, they’ll quickly spread the word to friends, family or through social media. This may have a lasting impact on the event’s reputation, as it can lead to a perception that event organisers aren’t committed to good service as they aren’t prioritising the safety of their customers.

#2 Continuity of event staff

Without a solid foundation of health and safety practices, event staff are at higher risk of on-site injuries. If a member of the team does have to take time off following a safety incident, organisers will need to replace them with someone new and potentially inexperienced. If it’s during the height of the event, the new team member may be thrown in at the deep end without in-depth training. This lack of experience and training can result in them not being able to provide the service that visitors expect and deserve. It’s much better to protect the existing event team with clear and effective safety policies, maintaining the continuity of service and delivering great customer experiences.

#3 If something does happen, it’s managed swiftly and effectively

Despite every event organisers best efforts, sometimes things happen whether it’s a slip, trip or an unavoidable scenario. Part of the duty of care of an event team is to not only try and prevent safety issues but to also deal with them effectively if they should happen. In this situation, the perception of customer service is directly impacted by how event teams dealt with incidents.

By including health and safety in your event planning from the very beginning, it will blend seamlessly into your plans and become second nature to your event staff. Your team will feel protected and equipped with the right knowledge and your customers will feel safe, relaxed and positive about the service they received.  

If you’d like support with health and safety planning for your next event then get in touch with our friendly team today.

Harrier shortlisted for Festival Supplier Awards 2023

We’re delighted to announce that we’ve been named as finalists at the Festival Suppliers Awards 2023 in the Best Health and Safety Category.

With our focus on Putting People First, we’re a well-respected and trusted health and safety team supporting outdoor events and festivals both nationally and internationally. We pride ourselves on becoming a valued partner to our clients, taking an active role during every phase to make sure everything runs safely and smoothly.

This is a highly competitive category, so we’re thrilled to have made the final shortlist.

Helen McCabe, managing director, said “We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the Festival Supplier Awards in recognition of the hard work the whole of the Harrier team has done this year. It’s a fantastic way to finish what has been a busy year and are very proud to have been chosen as a finalist.”

Michelle Tayton, event director of the Festival Supplier Awards comments: “The quality of our shortlisted suppliers is outstanding, a welcome reminder of the excellence and professionalism that exists within the outdoor event and festival industry. We’re delighted that Harrier has been recognised for its pursuit of excellence, given the tough competition in its field.”

With a focus on delivery, customer service and sustainable initiatives, the awards are judged by an esteemed panel of high-profile industry experts. These include: Harry Guthrie, HG Event Production; John Adkins, JA Productions; Catherine Bishop, The Game Fair; Matthew Phillip, Notting Hill Carnival; Will Holdoway, METHOD; Jo Debs Seymour, AELTC; Saoirse Holland, Raver Tots; Paul Dunstan, Ryder Cup; Kim Bickell, CSG Events; Frankie Tee, EnTEEtainment; Ben Hardy, REM Events; Andy Lenthall, Festival Insights; Jess Noakes, LS Events and Liz Thompson, IMG.

The Festival Suppliers Awards are now in their eighth year and were developed to recognise, reward and promote best practise in the outdoor event and festival sector. The ceremony takes place on Thursday 26th January 2023 at the Hurlingham Club in London.

Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022

From 6th April 2022 the previous PPER 1992 will be updated.

What does this mean for us?

Currently you may provide workers with PPE based on the findings of your risk assessment where they are exposed to a hazard.

This may be safety boots, goggles, gloves or clothing to protect against weather and will be given free of charge.

You will also ensure that it is:

  • Suitable and correct
  • Used correctly
  • Maintained
  • Training is provided
  • Storage is provided
  • Replacement occurs as required

It is workers responsibility to:

  • Wear it as they have been trained
  • Report any defects
  • Return to the appropriate storage.

This hasn’t changed!

However, the new regulations extend your responsibility to “limb (b) workers”.

What is a “limb” worker?

Section 230(3) of the Employment Rights Act 1996’s definition of a worker has 2 limbs:

  • Limb (a) describes those with a contract of employment. This group are employees under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and will already be accounted for in PPE provision
  • Limb (b) describes workers who generally have a more casual employment relationship and work under a contract for service

Generally, workers who come under limb (b):

  • Carry out casual or irregular work for one or more organisations
  • after 1 month of continuous service, receive holiday pay but not other employment rights such as the minimum period of statutory notice
  • only carry out work if they choose to
  • have a contract or other arrangement to do work or services personally for a reward (the contract doesn’t have to be written) and only have a limited right to send someone else to do the work, for example swapping shifts with someone on a pre-approved list (subcontracting) 
  • are not in business for themselves (they do not advertise services directly to customers who can then also book their services directly)


What can I do?

  • Take the opportunity to review your PPE provision across the organisation to ensure it is sufficient and current for each role
  • Establish with your HR department / provider, whether any of your workforce are classed as “limb (b)” workers. We work with some fantastic HR companies and will be happy to pass on their contact details to assist with this. Address any gaps to ensure ALL workers remain protected and compliant
  • Contact your Harrier consultant for further advice and support

Why is Health and Safety Crucial For Businesses in 2022

Each year, roughly 1.7 million people in the UK suffer from a work-related illness, with 470,000 of these resulting in some form of musculoskeletal disorder. With so many accidents taking place each day, health and safety is something that needs to be at the forefront of business leaders’ minds every day at work. As we enter the new year, there’s no time like the present to look after your team and make your workplace a safe and healthy environment to work in this year.

While we’d all love to have zero accidents and illnesses throughout the year, this often isn’t the case for most businesses. Work-related stress and depression have skyrocketed in the past years to impact 822,000 workers annually. The good news is that there are things that businesses can do to make their office more enjoyable to work in. When you start to focus more on health and safety with our team’s help, you’ll notice many benefits to both your employees and your business.

Reducing Time Lost to Illness and Injuries

One of the biggest reasons to consider improving your health and safety practices with our help is to stop people from getting hurt in your office and taking time off. Most injuries and illnesses result in some form of paid sick leave, which can be frustrating for the rest of the team and your organisation as a whole. While this is completely unavoidable for the employee, it soon means that other people are left to pick up the slack.

When you focus on having good health and safety practices in place from the start of the year, you’ll find your team’s efficiency and productivity will increase over time.

A More Welcoming Work Environment

When working in a high-pressure or high-stress environment, you’ll want to focus on increasing the training and improving the policies in your office to make it a more enjoyable place to work. If your team notice that a large number of employees are taking time off from illness, they may begin to become exhausted from work. This tiredness is one reason we see an increased number of incidents in some industries, particularly due to the impact of COVID-19. When you focus on health and safety, you’ll be able to strengthen relationships within your business. We prioritise Putting People First, and we really do believe this is one of the top reasons to improve your health and safety.

Health and safety is something we feel should be focused on for the long-term, rather than something you can work on for a few weeks, then forget forever. Our team is here to help develop a long-term partnership with your business to ensure you feel confident in all areas of health and safety. To help reduce the chance of injuries and illnesses in your workplace this year, contact our team today. We’ll be excited to work with you to help you start Putting People First and set you up for another successful year.

If you need any help, please contact us on 01332 460 703 or info@harrieruk.com

Harrier ensures ‘health MOT’ of events crews with mobile surgery

A safety firm which has worked with some of the biggest names in showbiz is looking to roll out a ‘mobile surgery’ to ensure events staff have a clean bill of health.
Castle Donington-based Harrier, which specialises in health and safety and event safety, teamed up with partner business Phoenix Occupational Health to provide a mobile occupational health van at the recent Strawberries & Creem Festival, in Cambridge.
It is thought that it was the first time that such a vehicle had been provided on a festival site.
News of the proposed rollout comes ahead of World Occupational Therapy Day, which celebrates the profession, and takes place this Wednesday, October 27.
Harrier used Arts Council Culture Recovery funding to be able to provide the facility.

The van was visited by 25 backstage staff and crew members, and Phoenix’s specialist nurse practitioner (occupational health), Lyndsey Marchant, provided services such as hearing and cholesterol tests, diabetes checks and blood pressure checks.
The facility proved popular among the crew members, many of whom are freelancers with a hectic lifestyle, especially in the current climate where GP appointments are difficult to access.

Helen McCabe is acting managing director of Harrier, while Andy Smith, managing director, works on Expo 2020 in Dubai.
She said: “Normally, the festival season starts in April, but due to Covid restrictions, it started in July this year.
That meant companies in the events sector, like ourselves, put six months of work into two.
Having had no work for the past 18 months, all the subcontractors and contractors were running at 200mph.
If they were jumping from event to event, access to their doctor was particularly difficult, so our occupational health van proved really popular. The ability to see a nurse can stop something that might appear minor, getting a lot worse, and the pandemic has really put a focus on health.”

Lyndsey said she and husband David, lead occupational health technician, carried out hearing tests, which are really important for people in the entertainment industry as hearing can be damaged due to loud noise, and they may not be able to tell until it’s too late.
Lyndsey added: “Other things that these types of workers might need are assessments to determine if they are developing hand arm vibration syndrome, working at height medicals, and driver medicals. The benefit of using the Phoenix mobile unit is we are able to drive anywhere, we don’t even need to plug it in to the electric, and we have a fully functioning mobile health clinic complete with audio booth. It’s basically a private space at the event for people to come and discuss their health concerns and hopefully have some reassurance.”

Lyndsey said blood pressure and cholesterol check results were “surprisingly good”, considering crew members admitted that due to their demanding work life, they did not always have the healthiest of diets.
She continued: “The team at Phoenix OH has 10 employees now and demand for the van has been so great we are looking to buy another one. We are really looking forward to working with other festival teams in 2022.”

Harrier, which has supported multiple events and venues with its safety operation, including the Beyonce tour, as well as having worked on gigs by Fleetwood Mac, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi and BTS, and on the Y Not and Truck festivals, forecast that 2022 will be a particularly busy year in the events world.  

Helen said: “It looks to be a mega year for the events industry. We are hoping to roll out the occupational health van out to our sites next year. Our strapline is ‘putting people first’ and we really want backstage staff to be proactive and on top form to help ensure fast-paced environments like events go smoothly and customers and workers remain safe and healthy.”

Louise Young, event director for Strawberries & Creem Festival, said: “We do work quite hard on general crew and staff welfare, so adding the occupational health van into the mix was perfect in ensuring that after all those long hours and hard work everyone was doing, everyone was looking after themselves.
“It’s something that festivals and events should definitely have to help look after their crew.”

If you would like to discuss how you can support your team with occupational health, give us a call on 01332 460703.

Harrier and Payaro Strengthening Your Business Together

As a Payaro customer you can benefit from Harrier’s expertise and Health and Safety knowledge too.

Harrier is a health and safety organisation that offers bespoke services to small businesses, sole-traders and venues. The Harrier team offers a face to face service and on-site support alongside online training and event documentation and planning.  Harrier simplifies Health & safety and strengthens businesses as a result.

Why is safety important?

People are the lifeblood of every business, keeping your people, staff, employees safe and healthy has numerous benefits including staff retention, fewer sick days and less time off due to injury or illness. The benefits keep coming, health and safety can increase efficiency, lower costs and overall contribute to a happy and healthy workforce.  Happy and healthy staff are very likely to be more productive. Increasing knowledge and skills and improving working practices has many benefits.  Good Health & Safety can strengthen your business.

There are a number of reasons to ensure that the Health & Safety aspects of your business are up to date, relevant and understood:

Moral reasons

  • Keeping customers safe
  • Keeping employees safe
  • You’ll want your workplace to be somewhere you would feel comfortable to send your friends and family to work in

Financial reasons

  • Makes your business more efficient
  • Helps to defend personal injury claims (claims can increase insurance premiums)
  • Reduces lost working time, sickness absence

Legal reasons

  • Everyone has duties under health and safety regulations
  • Good policies and procedures can help with compliance
  • You can be investigated by the HSE, Local Authority or Fire Service

People often ask how to ensure they can be profitable while enlisting health and safety, some envisage restrictions and regulations will impinge on productivity or a great experience. Sometimes people ask what should I focus on? I can’t take my eye off the bottom line. Experience shows us that doing the right thing by staff and customers results in a more efficient business, a safer environment, lower staff turnover, happier customers and increased revenues.

Who is responsible?

A key thing to remember is that safety is everyone’s responsibility, it’s the responsibility of the business owner, management and employees.

What does my business need?

Health & Safety policy – this sets out how you are going to manage Health & Safety in your business

Risk Assessments – they identify hazards within your business and what you are going to do to reduce the risk of them harming your employees and customers

If you have more than five employees you must write down your policy and risk assessments. They still need to be put in place if you have less than five employees.  It is always good practice to have them written down.

Fire Risk Assessment – if you have premises (leased or owned) you should have a fire risk assessment completed by a competent person

Training – you should make sure your staff have suitable training to complete their roles safely this should include fire safety and manual handling as a minimum

Proactive Safety Monitoring – check sheets or safety inspections to monitor the safety measures you have put in place

Why work with Harrier?

We firmly believe in putting people first and enjoy creating spaces where people can work, be entertained and have fun safely.  Our team will work with yours to jointly pull together a bespoke plan to ensure your office, workspace, building, venue or facility has the health and safety of your employees, staff and customers at its heart.

Paperwork is not just a tick box exercise; we make sure that it accurately reflects your business and is operationally useful.  It will help implement procedures and processes that in turn will help to reduce the risk of harm or ill health to employees, customers and the public.  Harrier will work with you to ensure that your paperwork is correct for your business and adds value.

Exclusive packages for Payaro customers

As a Payaro customer you are entitled to excusive Harrier packages at reduced rates. These packages include many of the Health & Safety essentials to strengthen your business.

 GoldSilverBronze
Bespoke health and safety policyYesYesYes
Template pack*YesYesYes
Health & safety support via telephone and email (8.30am – 5.30pm, Monday – Friday)**YesYesYes
10 x risk assessmentsYesNoNo
Fire risk assessmentYesNoNo
Discount for online training courses25%15%15%
Workplace inspection with follow up report1 per yearNoNo
Newsletter with safety updates and changes to legislationYesYesYes
Site visits to proactively or reactively manage safety issuesPOAPOAPOA
COST£XX£XX£XX

*Includes risk assessments template, COSHH assessment template, DSE self-assessments, standard check sheets, fire evacuation plan.  All templates to be completed/amended by client to be suitable and sufficient for their business

**Support is limited to advice only, with a 15 minute maximum time limit per query.  Additional time or work required will be charged at the additional consultancy rates.

Additional consultancy costs

Day rate £450 per 8-hour day

Hourly rate £65 per hour, minimum 2 hour call

Travel charged at 45p where applicable

All rates are exclusive of VAT.

Spring 2021 Brings Changes To Harrier

Harrier team members

Spring 2021 brings changes to Harrier’s management team. In May, Andy Smith will be travelling to the UAE applying his knowledge and experience to assist with the delivery of Expo 2020 Dubai.  Meanwhile, Craig Combe will be joining the Harrier team as Health & Safety Consultant on a part time basis. Craig has worked with Harrier previously and brings his expertise in Health & Safety from event and venue operations and international Health & Safety management to the role. 

While contemplating his move to Dubai Andy revealed, “I’m really looking forward to being part of a team delivering a global event. I have found working overseas provides great development opportunities with the chance to apply my knowledge and working practices. When I board the plane to Dubai, I’ll know Harrier is in good hands and fully equipped to support and deliver.”

When asked about Harrier, Craig replied, “It’s great to be joining the Harrier team, I have worked with Helen in the past and know the team makes things simple and effective. Joining a team that is progressive and all about people feels like a great fit for me.”

As part of the developments Helen McCabe will take over as Acting MD. Helen has over 15 years industry experience and is a fundamental part of Harrier.  Customers and clients can expect the personal touch and putting people first to continue.

Helen is excited about the developments, “Andy is going to have a fantastic experience at Expo 2020 Dubai, back in the UK, we are taking on great skills, capabilities and a great character in Craig and I will be ensuring Harrier continues to put people first and support our clients and customers.”

Harrier goes from strength to strength, acquiring new skills from new projects, recruiting industry expertise and promoting from within. The developments outlined above will mean Harrier can continue to offer trusted and effective Health & Safety support, advice, documentation and training.

APRIL FOOL!

Surely you guessed it.

One day we may share with you the perfect banana recipe once we’ve tested a few and found it  🙂

Please do not take the advice listed before.  This is what you should do instead:

  • for Good Hygiene ensure you have washed your hands thoroughly and tie long hair back so it is out of the way
  • avoid Cross Contamination and never use anything that has come into contact with raw poultry
  • ensure your food preparation surfaces have been wiped clean first and put cleaning products safely away
  • smoke alarms should be checked that they are working and tested at least once a month
  • fire doors should not be wedged open and should be kept closed
  • when preparing food for others check that you have an understanding of allergy awareness.

Make sure you have consulted the right professionals to walk you through the correct Health and Safety requirements.

Here at Harrier we offer that.

Don’t be a fool contact our team who will answer most queries on Health and Safety –  https://harrieruk.com/contact/