6 minute read
FIRST LOOK: STEVE KEARNEY
STEVE KEARNEY GIVES HIS INSIGHT ON HOW THE INDUSTRY HAS HANDLED THE PANDEMIC AND SHARES HIS VISION FOR THE COMEBACK OF LIVE EVENTS IN 2021 AND BEYOND.
It has been more than a year since COVID-19 swept like a tidal wave around the world, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. In that year, we’ve learned a lot about our industry; while its dependence on assembling large crowds in one place makes it particularly susceptible to the effects of a global pandemic, the industry has also shown its resilience, with a number of events that have overcome the odds, keeping business ticking over until a more long-term solution can be achieved. Take BreakoutDXB [TPMEA #27], for example – an event put together by Dan Bolton, which we worked on. Everything was managed in accordance with the guidance and directive from the government, and we worked extremely closely with Civil Defence and Dubai Tourism to ensure that all the safety standards were met. The result was a fantastic event that not only provided entertainment for the public, but also much-needed work for the suppliers involved.
Events like that are an example of a small number of people coming together to proactively work out and implement a solution, in order to hold an event safely while COVID-19 restrictions remain in place. However, I can’t help but feel that there could have been many more events like this, if only we as an industry would have been able to come together and get behind a single organisation or body that could represent the industry as a whole and engage with the government. Instead, it’s been left up to individuals and companies to develop their own strategies and protocols for how to operate safely throughout the pandemic, which is a great shame and a missed opportunity – especially when you consider that our industry is worth many millions of dirhams to the local economy every year.
The very nature of the pandemic means that restrictions have to be updated regularly, and I believe that the current tighter restrictions in the UAE and elsewhere in the Middle East are absolutely the right thing to do. It is imperative that the number of cases goes down before we can consider opening up again. However, when we do start to open up again, I believe that we should consider how and in what areas restrictions are lifted.
From an events perspective, consistency is key. At any event that we work on, we consider everything from the load-in to crowd safety, with a rigorous process ensuring that the potential for transmissions is as low as possible. In my view, a properly managed, ticketed event is a much safer environment than, say, a pub or hotel, where people come and go freely, so events should be subject to more lenient restrictions.
One thing is for sure, though: if anyone is trying to put on an event in 2021 and beyond and they don’t use an event safety specialist, they are asking for trouble. That’s not to say that
everyone needs to come to us – there are a few really reputable and professional event safety specialists in the region who do a great job in keeping events safe – but the most important thing is that, moving forward, all events should be overseen by a specialist.
The pandemic has meant that there is now a lot more focus on health and safety which, in general, is a good thing. That said, this has provoked an influx of people changing disciplines. I’m all for people gaining a greater understanding of health and safety, but just because someone has done the entry-level NEBOSH General Certificate, that doesn’t make them anywhere near qualified to handle largescale events competently.
When it comes to health and safety, as in any department, the importance of qualifications and experience can’t be underestimated. Unless you have both, then you’re putting your event at risk. Decisions based on the personal opinion of the safety advisor are what cause problems – that’s the last thing an advisor should do. Base decisions on legislation, regulations, approved best-practice, but if you’re basing it on ‘I think that ladder should be positioned differently’ then you’re on a very slippery slope indeed. Looking ahead, I believe the only way we’re going to get events back to anything like what they once were is by introducing proof of vaccine status.
Some have the view that this is an invasion of privacy or a removal of freedom, but I don’t accept that. There are already so many areas where we have to prove things in order to be granted certain freedoms – if you want to travel, then you need a passport; if you want to drive a car, you need a driving licence. And in these extraordinary times, with a highly infectious disease spreading around the world, I think it’s only fair that if you want to go to events where you’ll be mixing with others, then you should need to prove that you’ve either had the vaccine or at least tested negative for the virus.
We’re already seeing this start to happen on the supplier side of things, with some clients now requiring that every contractor on site has to have proof that they have had the first vaccine, and I believe that it is only a matter of time before we see this extended to the public – something which I support wholeheartedly. As we move along the so-called roadmap, I hope that we will eventually reach a point where these measures are no longer required. However, we as an industry can’t afford to wait around for that point and, what is more, the public don’t want to have to wait until that point either. That’s why we have to put these measures into place.
We have already made great progress in some areas since the start of the pandemic. Think back to October when it was considered a huge achievement to hold UFC Fight Island in a complete bubble with no spectators. Skip to UFC Fight Island in January and there were 2,000 fans inside a brand-new Etihad Arena. That is genuine progress, and it is to be celebrated.
There are so many exciting projects coming to the region in the near future: Expo 2020 is around the corner; the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar is on the horizon; and Saudi is a massive and still relatively untapped market that we’re looking at very closely. We know that events are coming back bigger and better, and we’re actively recruiting for qualified and experienced advisors now, so we can make sure that we’re equipped to meet the needs of what we predict will be a market that grows rapidly. Photos: Gallowglass Health & Safety / Hyku www.gallowglasshs.com
