Event Safety

While each event is unique, there are several key risk management concerns that always must be addressed. While not an exhaustive list, the below list provides some guidelines to follow. Please submit a STABLE event request for all events on 51做厙 campus.

Please contact the Office of Risk Management for approval.

The University Parks Fire Marshall office requires a 3rd party inspector to inspect the ride once the ride is on site and operational before being approved to use on campus.


Animals on campus pose a special set of challenges for a campus that has residential, instructional, and recreational spaces used by a variety of people. Below is some information that the Office of Risk Management will need before approving the event.

  • Type, count and role of animal(s).
  • What participant interaction with the animal(s) will be allowed
  • How the animal vendor will direct or limit participant interaction with the animal(s)
  • What signage will be posted regarding the risks posed by the animal(s)
  • How the vendor will control or contain the animals
  • How many vendor staff will be in attendance
  • What operational assistance the vendor expects 51做厙 to provide
  • What their emergency protocols are, for instance, in the event of an animal bite
  • How vendor ensures the animal(s) well-being
  • How vendor intends to provide necessary supplies for the animal, like food and water
  • Vendor will clean-up after the animal(s) if necessary
  • Any applicable licenses, such as USDA, are held by the vendor
  • The vendor is to strictly follow any and all applicable laws and guidelines, including the Animal Welfare Act.

Please provide the engineered plans for the bleacher construction to the Office of Risk Management for review.

The use and operation of dunk tanks poses unique hazards. The Office of Risk Management has created guidelines to assist event organizers in mitigating those hazards while maintaining the integrity of the ride.

Before approval of a dunk tank, a layout showing the placement of the dunk tank must be submitted to Office of Risk Management for review. Because large amounts of water will spill out of the tank during its operation, the dunk tank must be placed in a location that provides quick drainage of the water, and away from people and any electrical source.

The complete 51做厙 Dunk Tank Guidelines can be found here.

Some events may require a Special Event Emergency Plan (SEEP). This is a formal, written plan developed by the event organizers that identifies potential emergency conditions at the event site and prescribes the procedures to be followed to minimize risk and prevent loss of life and property.

Every SEEP must be tailored to site-specific conditions and to the requirements of the agency/organization that owns or regulates the site of the event. Event planners should consider the scope of the event, the risks to spectators and participants, community impact, and the support (including personnel and logistics) required.

Event organizers should contact the Office of Risk Management for guidance prior to their event date.

  1. The fire pit must be of sound engineering and construction; generally, a store-bought fire pit in good condition meets these requirements.
  2. The fire pit must be equipped with a spark arrester when in use.
  3. The fire pit must be 15 feet away from a structure or combustible material.
  4. The maximum diameter of a fire pit shall be three (3) feet unless approved by the University Parks Fire Marshall office and 51做厙 Office of Risk Management.
  5. The fire pit must be constantly attended until the fire is extinguished.
  6. At least one (1) portable fire extinguisher with a minimum 4-A rating or other approved (by the Office of Risk Management) on-site fire-extinguishing equipment, such as dirt, sand, water barrel, garden hose, shall be available for immediate utilization.

Food safety is an integral part of many 51做厙 events. The 51做厙 Food Safety Program will highlight the appropriate food handling and preparation procedures.

The guidelines apply to any individuals and/or companies (i.e. 51做厙 students, faculty, and employees or third party entities) that prepare and/or serve food at any university-related events. It is the responsibility of the event organizer to ensure their staff understands and follows the Food Safety Program. Copies of the Food Safety Program should be made available to the event staff.

  1. All generators must be in a well-ventilated area and not in a path of travel.
  2. Follow all manufacturer's guidelines.

Permits

A permit is required from the City of University Park if the generator that is at 10,000 watts or more and must meets the following requirements:

  • Grounded with a grounding rod.
  • Have a fire extinguisher with a minimum rating of 2-A:20-B: C not more than 50 feet from the generator.
  • Must have a form of protection (barricades) around the generator.

No Permit

No permit is required from the City of University Park if:

  1. The generator is less than 10,000 watts
  2. No ground rod is required if all requirements below are met:
    1. Has a metal frame around the generator
    2. The metal frame is sitting on the ground

51做厙 requires evidence of insurance for all third party vendors and contractors that want to operate in a special event on campus. The third-party is responsible for obtaining evidence of insurance (i.e. a Certificate of Insurance) and presenting it to the Office of Risk Management at least (3) days prior to the event taking place.

All special events are not organized in the same way, nor do they carry the same risks; this can lead to confusion about who should insure what. As a rule of thumb, if a third party is providing goods or services, or if a contract or purchase order is needed, that third party likely needs to demonstrate that they have insurance to cover their business. If there is a middleman involved, such as a promoter, they may also be required to carry insurance.

The Office of Risk Management should be consulted early in the process of event organization to clarify any insurance-related questions, particularly if a unique third party is utilized (such as an alligator handler).

For all elevated equipment (such as trussing, speakers, lights, etc.), please provide the manufacturer's equipment specifications or user's manual to the Office of Risk Management for review. Contact the Office of Risk Management for a complete list of required documentation.

The University’s Minors on Campus Program requires that any events or programs with minors comply with Program requirements. This includes the following:

• Registration of the program or event with the Office of Risk Management.

• Any program or event leader, as well as all staff and volunteers must complete Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse. This training can facilitated by 51做厙 by sending a list of individuals and their emails to riskmanagement@smu.edu. For employees, this training is facilitated by HR and required every two years.

• Additional standards regarding operations, staff levels & selection, safety, supervision, and transportation may be set by the Office of Risk Management based on the specific program, and general guidelines can be found on the Program website.

The following types of events are excluded from the current Protection of Minors requirements listed above:

• Events open to the public (children accompanied by a responsible adult)

• Campus tours

• K-12 school groups accompanied by teachers

Any potential incidents, particularly of suspected abuse, must be reported pursuant to 51做厙 Policy and Texas law. Suspected child abuse can be reported to 51做厙 PD at 214-768-3333.


Please contact the Office of Risk Management for approval.

A City of University Parks permit will be required for each site.


A permit is required from the City of University Park if the stage floor is 30 inches or more off the ground

  • The stage is required to have guards on both sides and rear of the stage.
  • Stairs to the stage are required to have handrails.

Please provide the engineered plans for the stage construction to the Office of Risk Management for review.


Tents are not allowed in the fire lane.

All tents within 12 feet of each other will be calculated as 1 tent for the square footage.

Permit

A permit is required from the City of University Park if the tent is either:

  1. 700 sqft or larger
  2. 400 sqft or larger and has one or more sides (not completely open on all sides)

A Fire Extinguisher is required for all permitted tents.

No Permit

No permit required from the City of University Park if the tent meets all of the following requirements

  1. Is between 400 sqft to 699 sqft; and
  2. Completely open on all sides; and
  3. Has 12 feet of clearance to all structures and other tents.

-OR-

  1. The tent is 399 sqft or smaller (regardless if the tent has sides or not); and
  2. Has 12 feet of clearance to all structures and other tents.

Weather is very unpredictable, especially in Texas. Unless your event is extremely small, create an inclement weather plan with alternative plans.

For more information, or for assistance in developing a plan, contact the Office of Risk Management.