1. Statement of Intent

Beyond AV Ltd is committed to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment for all employees, contractors, clients and others who may be affected by our operations. The nature of our business — event audio-visual hire and live production across Ireland, the UK and beyond — carries inherent risks associated with equipment handling, temporary structures, working at height, electrical systems and live event environments. We recognise that statutory health & safety requirements represent the absolute minimum standard and we aim to go beyond them, striving for zero accidents and continuous improvement.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all activities undertaken by Beyond AV Ltd, including but not limited to:

  • equipment hire (LED screens, projectors, sound systems, lighting rigs)

  • full event production services (conferences, awards ceremonies, festivals)

  • transport, installation, commissioning and de-rig of AV systems

  • work at height (rigging of trusses or lighting), temporary structures, outdoor venues

  • interactions with clients, venue contractors, sub-contractors and third-party suppliers

  • remote and on-site work in multiple jurisdictions (Ireland, UK, etc.).

3. Responsibilities

  • Directors & Senior Management: have overall responsibility for health & safety matters, ensure appropriate resources, set clear policy and review performance.

  • H&S Manager / Appointed Person: implements the policy operationally, maintains risk assessments, safe systems of work, ensures competence of staff and subcontractors, monitors performance and leads investigation of incidents.

  • Project Managers / Site Leads: ensure that each event or hire project is planned with health & safety in mind; that risk assessments and method statements (RAMS) are prepared; that site-specific hazards are addressed; that staff and contractors are briefed and supervised.

  • Employees / Sub-contractors: must take care of their own health & safety and that of others, cooperate with policies and procedures, follow safe systems of work, wear provided personal protective equipment (PPE), report hazards, incidents and near-misses.

4. Risk Assessment and Safe Systems of Work

  • Before any event or hire engagement, a formal risk assessment will be undertaken to identify hazards (e.g., manual handling, working at height, electrical hazards, temporary structures, weather/external environment, audience/footfall, vehicles and site access) and determine control measures.

  • For each event/hire project, a Method Statement (or similar – RAMS) will be prepared, detailing safe working methods, roles/responsibilities, emergency procedures, PPE requirements and site‐specific considerations.

  • Where we act as principal contractor or lead contractor (or agree to assume such duties), we will plan, manage, monitor and coordinate the work of all contractors and subcontractors under our control, in accordance with applicable regulations (for example the UK’s CDM Regulations 2015 where relevant).

  • Safe systems of work will include: manual handling controls, working at height procedures, electrical safety, ladder/platform/truss use, rigging inspections, access/egress safe routes, traffic segregation, event site crowd management where relevant, emergency evacuation procedures, first aid provision.

  • All RAMS documentation will be regularly reviewed and updated during the project lifecycle and any changes (e.g., last-minute venue changes, weather impact) will trigger re‐assessment and briefing updates.

5. Competence, Training and Communication

  • All staff, whether full-time or subcontracted, will receive induction training covering the main hazards of their role, the company’s health & safety policy, relevant safe systems of work and reporting procedures.

  • Where roles demand special competence (e.g., working at height, rigging, use of slings/chains/trusses, tower scaffold, aerial work platforms (AWPs), PAT testing), only trained and certificated persons will be permitted.

  • Staff and subcontractors will receive regular refresher training, toolbox talks and be encouraged to raise concerns or suggestions for improvement.

  • Health & safety will be a standing item in project‐kickoff meetings, and communication lines will ensure site leads can escalate issues swiftly.

  • We will maintain appropriate records of training, certifications, inspections, incidents and near-misses.

6. Monitoring, Audit and Continuous Improvement

  • We will regularly monitor health & safety performance through site inspections, audits of RAMS compliance, review of incident/near-miss reports and feedback from staff and clients.

  • Any accidents, near-misses, unsafe conditions or behaviours will be reported, investigated, recorded and corrective action taken to prevent recurrence.

  • The policy will be reviewed annually (or sooner if required by legislative change, incident outcomes or significant change in operations) and communicated to all staff.

7. Equipment, Maintenance and Inspection

  • All AV hire equipment, rigging hardware, lighting and electrical items are subject to systematic inspection, testing and maintenance in accordance with manufacturer guidelines, relevant standards and statutory requirements.

  • Temporary structures (rigging, trussing, towers, staging) will be inspected before use, during use (as required) and after removal. Loading/unloading, transport and storage procedures will safeguard equipment integrity and operator safety.

  • Electrical distribution and temporary power installations will be installed, tested and maintained by qualified personnel, cables will be protected from damage/overheating/trip hazards, and all work will comply with relevant electrical safety standards.

8. Site Management and Interface with Clients/Venues

  • When working at a client or venue, Beyond AV will liaise with the client and venue management to establish site‐specific risks (e.g., access/egress, emergency evacuation routes, vehicle/pedestrian segregation, crowd flow, weather effects, temporary works).

  • We will work within the venue or client’s H&S framework and procedures, while imposing our own safe systems as applicable, thus ensuring coordination with all onsite stakeholders.

  • In event contexts involving public audiences, we will cooperate with venue crowd management, stewarding, traffic/parking control and adjacent contractor activities to maintain safe conditions for attendees and operators.

  • We will ensure that our installations do not compromise venue safety systems (e.g., fire routes, emergency lighting, power supply, structural integrity) and that our changeover/dismantle phases include reinstatement of safe conditions.

9. Emergency and Incident Response

  • We will maintain clear emergency procedures for all operations: including fire, structural failure, electrical fault, weather incident (for outdoor events), equipment failure, medical emergencies and crowd safety incidents.

  • Each event/project will identify suitable first aid provision, trained first‐aiders, and ensure that staff know how to contact the event emergency controller, venue/security/medical services.

  • All incidents and near‐misses will be logged, investigated, root‐causes identified, and corrective/preventative action taken. Where required, statutory reporting (e.g., under the UK’s RIDDOR regulations) will be carried out.

  • Emergency contact lists, evacuation routes, assembly points and on‐site responsibilities will be communicated to all staff and subcontractors in advance of the event.

10. Review and Revision

  • This policy will be reviewed by the Board on an annual basis or earlier if legislative change, incident findings or significant operational change necessitates.

  • All staff will be informed of any changes and given relevant briefings.

  • Improvements and lessons learned will feed into updated risk assessments, training plans and safe systems of work.