The Event Safety Podcast

How did you learn a career in live events was a thing? How did you end up in your profession? In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, we chat with Erin Grabe ( ESTA ) and Boxer Hardison ( Bigger Hammer Production Services ) about how they got their start and how we can make our industry enticing to those considering joining our "island of misfit toys." Notes: Event Safety Podcast Episode 52 -...

In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, we welcome back ESA Board Member and ESA Canada Executive Director Janet Sellery for a conversation on assessing risk. Topics of discussion include organizing risks factors, benefits & shortcoming of various assessment models, prioritizing process over specific tools, and more. They also drop some info on several upcoming events and ESA’s new student me...

Time to talk about training! In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and Steve welcome back the extremely knowledgeable and always entertaining Phil Van Hest, Rigging and Safety Manager at Bigger Hammer Production Services . Topics of discussion include identifying who and what needs to be taught, training program development, hazard reporting, managing new crew members, the power of...

In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, we're chatting about the business of festivals and events with Steve Schmader, President and CEO of the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA). Conversation includes the origins of IFEA, focus areas, thoughts on the status of the events industry post-COVID, and more. Notes: International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA)

In this edition of The Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and Steve continue their conversation from last episode with a closer look at the concept of the normalization of deviance, including its origins, why it happens, and most importantly how to avoid it. They also revisit the idea of the “Swiss cheese model” of risk mitigation and lessons from John Barylick’s excellent book on the Station Nightclu...

In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and Steve recount a recent exchange an ESA associate had with a reporter regarding crowd crushes, and why the reporter was focused on the wrong issue. Discussion includes prioritizing root causes, the hierarchy of controls, human factors engineering, black swan events, and loads more. Event Safety Podcast Episode 60: Crowd Science Hierarchy of...

We're back with the first Event Safety Podcast of 2023! In this episode, we discuss communications planning with Derrec Becker , Chief of Public Information & External Affairs at the South Carolina Emergency Management Division. Topics include incident communication planning, creative messaging, the importance of tone, platform selection, and loads more (and if you’re not following their Facebook...

“The metal doesn’t make it safe. The metal provides the opportunity for the organizer to promote safety with other resources.” In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast we dive deep into the subject of barricades with Tim Roberts, Director of The Event Safety Shop. Discussion includes what is (and is NOT) acceptable barricade, types and applications, installation and oversight responsibilities,...

Ahead of our first-ever Black Friday membership promotion, we’ve dropped a quick “mini-pod” to discuss why you should become a member of the ESA and what’s in store for 2023. Oh yeah, and Steve’s back! Notes: Membership Enrollment Page

You’re likely familiar with the environmental benefits of sustainable energy technologies (raise your hands, EV owners). But they can also help create safer, healthier event sites. In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast Danielle talks with Neel Vasavada, Founder and President of Overdrive Energy Solutions and member of ESA’s Board of Directors. They discuss the intersection of safety and sust...

What is crowd science, and how can its study help create safer events? In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast we dive back into the topic of crowds with Emma Parkinson, Course Director Postgraduate Programs in Crowded Places at Coventry University (Whew!). We discuss the foundations of crowd science, intrinsic and extrinsic factors that can influence crowd movement, how COVID, smartphones, an...

Safety professional. Firefighter. Helicopter pilot. And ESA Board Member! In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, we kick off a series of ESA Board of Directors profiles, beginning with that man of many hats, Kurt Miner. We discuss his path from working in the safety department at Universal Studios to his current role as a Managing Director at Alliance, how he became involved with ESA, the cu...

As outdoor event season slowly winds down, what can we learn from the experience? In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast Danielle chats with Jim Digby (President, Event Safety Alliance) and Jahn “Boxer” Hardison (President, Bigger Hammer Production Services) about what they’ve seen in the field during this VERY BUSY summer. They discuss how COVID continues to affect event operations, persiste...

Is taking an “at all costs” approach to our jobs something to be applauded? In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Steve Adelman swings by to join Danielle for a conversation about a concerning story making the rounds on social media. They discuss why show stop calls should not be limited to crowd-related incidents, the balance between individual choice and leadership responsibility, and how...

Is your meter lying to you? Can welding cable be used in event applications? Does electricity always take the path of least resistance? Is it ok to plug a power strip into another power strip? What about extension cords? In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast Danielle welcomes back author , ETCP Recognized Trainer, ETCP Certified Entertainment Electrician, and all-around fabulous human Richar...

In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and Tami chat with Event Safety Advisor Doug Bruce about the intersection between event production and emergency management. They provide a debrief of their standing-room only appearance at a recent emergency management conference, the importance of working with your public safety partners, bridging the cultural gap between disciplines, and mor...

What is harm reduction, and how does it apply to live events? In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and special guest host Tami Richter chat with Stefanie Jones, harm reduction advocate and founder of the Safe Partying Program. They discuss how harm reduction principles can create safer events, strategies for implementation, training resources, the line between support and encourag...

It’s been a year since we last discussed insurance on the Pod…what’s changed since then? In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and Steve welcome Rochelle Brotter-Wayne ( Reel Media ) and Peter Tempkins ( HUB International ) for a look at the current state of the event insurance industry. Topics of discussion include the role of your insurance partner, how claim size and frequency i...

Many of us got our first taste of “the life” in our high school theater program. What if there was a framework for developing and evaluating the skills and knowledge we acquired back then? In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, Danielle sits down Kristi Ross-Clausen and Dana Taylor, two developers of the USITT BACKstage Exam (Basic and Comprehensive Knowledge Exam for High School Technical T...

Conference season is in full swing, which included the successful return of the USITT Conference earlier this month. In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and Steve talk with outgoing USITT Executive Director David Grindle about lessons learned from at this year’s event, adjusting to changing COVID protocols, new program features, CTE training for high school students, improving di...

The USITT Conference is this week, and what better way to celebrate then a new Event Safety Podcast episode on Broadway touring?! In this episode Danielle and Steve talk with NETworks Tours Senior Production Manager Hector Guivas about safety at touring theatrical productions. Discussion topics include using modeling to enhance safety, working across diverse and often challenging venues, coordinat...

To the bridge! In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, we expand on last episode’s conversation about the Incident Command System with a look at where the ICS magic happens - the command center. Danielle and Steve are joined once again by Tami Richter and John Badcock from SXSW, along with event control room specialist Chrissie Gilbert for a discussion on ideal room setup, technology, personn...

We’re back with the first Event Safety Podcast of 2022! In this episode, Danielle and Steve are joined by Tami Richter and John Badcock from SXSW for a conversation about applying the Incident Command System to event operations. They discuss the foundational principles of ICS, the benefits of its use, integrating ICS to your event plans, and much more.

From airplanes and grocery stores to stadiums and other event spaces, we are living through an unprecedented era of grievance and conflict. Ushers and event security are on the front lines of this battle between health and safety versus aggressively-held assertions of personal liberties. In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, we rebroadcast a session from our recent Event Safety TV broadcast...

In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Steve and Danielle take a look at the newly-released ANSI ES1.4-2021 Event Fire Safety Requirements standard with the chair of the fire safety working group, ESA’s own Dr. Donald Cooper. They discuss the importance of this new standard, the thinking behind its development, how it was created and approved, topics covered and more.