Public events and large gatherings of people require a great deal of planning and forethought in order to be successful. Whether managing a music festival, a sporting event, or something entirely different, it is critical that organisers are able to account for the welfare of their guests while taking reasonable security precautions. Not just to ensure a successful event, but also to balance risks and liabilities. Here we will look at how physical security can be used for this purpose.
Creating a crowd management plan
The first port of call in managing crowds and queues is to create a detailed analysis of the risks at your venue or event. This comes from breaking down factors like the type of event, the type of venue, available entry and exit points, traffic management, communications, staffing abilities, and the overall makeup and demographics of the crowd attending or visiting the premises. This will help provide you with an overview of your needs when it comes to perimeter security and what help is needed. The next step is to discuss with an experienced provider some of the options available to you. Let’s take a look at some of the popular choices for crowd control and queue management that might be recommended.
Choosing physical security tools
While manned personnel can play an important role in the management of large groups of people, offering them instruction, monitoring threats, and dealing with any issues, there are physical tools that should always be considered.
Turnstiles
Turnstiles offer a robust and effective solution to managing the entry and exit of large numbers of pedestrians and can slow down traffic to a manageable level. Turnstiles effectively limit the number of people who can enter at any one time, avoiding a dangerous build-up or rush of people through entry or exit points.
Turnstiles are designed to only let one or two persons enter at any one time and depending on the type of business or event can be enhanced with a range of different access control methods such as manual entry, token or ticket entry, pin pads, and more. Another key benefit of turnstiles is the ability to prevent tailgating where one person quickly enters behind another.
In terms of aesthetics, waist-height variations of turnstiles have a sleeker, more corporate look, while full-height, 3 / 4 height, and full height combi turnstiles are more suited to sporting or arena-based events.
Gates, bollards, and blockers
Another important tool can come in the form of pedestrian gates. They serve a dual purpose in that they can be used to manage pedestrian traffic, but also used alongside turnstiles as a separate means of access for crew and staff during an event.
Pedestrian traffic should not be the only concern with crowd management. For specific venues and events, there are times when vehicular access also needs to be carefully managed. This might be to ensure that only staff and contractors are allowed entry to an area such as a car park, or it may be that members of the public or customers are required to have their credentials or passes checked prior to entry. There are several tools that can be used in these scenarios such as automatic barriers, road blockers, and bollards.
Gateway Automation is a nationwide manufacturer and installer of perimeter security systems and devices. We undertake civil and electrical site preparation and automate existing perimeter security devices and equipment throughout the UK. For a free, no-obligation quotation please contact us on 01522 682 255 or visit our website for further information: http://www.gatewayautomation.co.uk/.
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