Event fire safety requirements: what organisers need to have in place

Start with the event fire risk assessment

The organiser is normally the responsible person for the event space. That means making sure someone competent assesses the fire risks: what could start a fire (cooking, heaters, generators, lighting, pyrotechnics, smoking), what would burn (marquee fabric, straw bales, décor, stored stock), and who would be at risk (a large crowd, children, people who have been drinking, people with limited mobility). The assessment then sets out how each risk is controlled. Venues, safety advisory groups and licensing officers commonly ask to see it in advance.

Structures and marquees

Temporary structures should use fabrics with appropriate flame-retardant treatment and come with supplier documentation. Check that the number and width of exits suits the expected occupancy, that exits are marked and lit if the event runs after dark, and that nothing — seating, tables, cables, decorations — narrows the routes. Keep a clear space around marquees so a fire in one structure doesn't spread to the next.

Catering and food traders

Catering units are one of the highest fire risks on most event sites. Common requirements are:

• A suitable extinguisher and fire blanket in every unit, with wet chemical extinguishers where there is deep-fat frying.
• LPG cylinders secured upright, outside the cooking area where possible, with hoses in good condition.
• Units spaced apart and away from structure exits.
• Traders able to show gas safety records for their equipment.

Generators, fuel and electrics

Generators should be positioned away from structures and public areas, fenced or barriered, with a suitable extinguisher nearby. Refuelling is done with the engine off and cool, and spare fuel is stored in approved containers in a secure, signed area. Cables should be protected or buried across walkways so they don't cause trips or damage.

Extinguishers across the site

Beyond catering, extinguishers are typically placed at structure exits, stages, generator positions and fuel stores. For one-off events, hired extinguishers delivered with stands and signs are usually the simplest option. Stewards should know where they are and when to use them — and when to leave and raise the alarm instead.

People: stewards and the emergency plan

Brief stewards on how to raise the alarm, how to guide people to exits, and where the assembly points are. Decide how an evacuation announcement will be made — PA system, radios, air horns — and test it. Agree emergency vehicle access routes, keep them clear, and nominate someone to meet the fire service on arrival with a site plan.

On the day

Walk the site before gates open: exits clear and marked, extinguishers in place, generators fenced, catering units checked, routes free of obstructions. Repeat as the event goes on, because routes fill up with stock, bins and deliveries.

Help with your event

We provide event fire risk assessments and extinguisher hire across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire. See our event fire safety service.

After the event

Once the public has left, keep stewards on site until generators are shut down, cooking equipment has cooled and fuel is secured. Walk the site again to check for smouldering materials, especially around catering units, bins and smoking areas. Collect hired extinguishers and note any that were used, so they can be recharged or replaced. Finally, review what happened: near misses, crowded exits, trader issues or delays in communication. Recording these lessons in the fire risk assessment makes next year's event safer and gives the venue and the local authority confidence in your planning.