Posted By Brian Penny I'm a gas and LPG engineer, one of my interests in gas safety in the festival and live events field. I was at a show last weekend and spoke the the safety officer regarding gas safety as 90% of the catering trailers and traders cooking in marquees had immediately dangerous installations, even the site organisers own LPG cylinder storage had 5 faults which could have caused a serious incident. With this in mind I am getting a new website made to make some on site services for events and safety organisers, can anyone point me in the direction to festival and events safety training that I could undertake to give me a better understand of the risks at such events - preferably within the next 3 weeks as I have been asked to give a talk at the Chartered Inst of Environ Health Officers mid October. Thanks in advance.

Posted By Brian Penny Thanks for that.

Posted By Steve M Granger also try getting information from the local authority where the events are run as they may have packs to assist in licensing the event. Steve

Posted By Brian Penny I test a lot of catering trailers and keep in close contact with UKLPG, HSE gas dept at Basingstoke and NCASS the caterer's trade association, so am acutely aware how low standards are. Gas safe are getting better, but even after forwarding photos of a dangerous trailer and the associated engineer's certificate, just getting them to call you back is hard work. The main problems I've encountered are non compliance at manufacture (previously trailers were sold under the factories act), variance between local authorities (Cambridge City Council have not in the past asked for gas certs on market pitches, or licensed road side traders), forged certs and poorly set up installations (free standing bottles not stable, over length hoses, non CE marked appliances). Everyone I have spoken to so far is interested, but what awareness raising there has been, hasn't seemingly reached home. I have seen safety devices removed and the holes on gas valves plugged with poly filler, burner bars repaired with chemical metal, very commonly water heaters designed for fitments with flues, fitted without them (a product called the morco d51-b & d61-b) plus numerous ventilation and cylinder storage issues. If there is interest enough, I may end up offering either on site services at events or some kind of awareness raising sessions for local authorities. I feel this is important as that there are enough risks with the use of LPG in mobile catering, but with the Olympics looming a dozen dangerous stored 47kg cylinders at an event are an easy target terrorism wise, which makes compliance doubly important.

Posted By Linda Crossland-Clarke Hi Try Tom Owen, he is a safety advisor in the entertainment industry on tom.owen@talktalk.net There is also a safety passport being introduced into the industry, not sure how successful it is, I did make a few enquiries but didn't get a lot of joy through return phone calls. There's also a "purple book", but I can't for the life of me remember the title of it, but I believe its to do with safety in the business too. Regards Linda

Posted By Linda Crossland-Clarke ah yes, I just skimmed through. oops xx