Keeping People Safe at Events During Periods of Exceptional Heat/ hot weather at events / extreme weather at events

The increasing frequency and intensity of hot weather across the United Kingdom presents a growing challenge for the events industry. Whilst sunshine is often welcomed by organisers and attendees alike, prolonged periods of exceptional heat can create significant health and safety risks that require careful planning, management, and monitoring.

Whether managing a greenfield festival, outdoor concert, sporting event, fan zone, agricultural show, or temporary event site, organisers have a responsibility to protect not only attendees but also the staff, contractors, volunteers, and suppliers working on site. Heat related illnesses can develop quickly and, if not identified and treated promptly, can lead to serious medical consequences.

Recent research published in The Lancet estimates that more than 61,000 heat related deaths occurred across Europe during the summer of 2022, highlighting the significant impact that extreme temperatures can have on public health (Ballester et al., 2023). Whilst major incidents remain relatively rare within the events sector, heat related medical presentations regularly increase during periods of hot weather, placing additional demands on welfare and medical services.

Heat Risk is an Event Safety Issue at hot weather at events / extreme weather at events

Heat should be considered in the same way as any other foreseeable event risk. Just as organisers plan for severe weather, crowd density, fire safety, or emergency evacuation, they should also have robust arrangements in place to manage the effects of extreme temperatures.

Heat exposure can be influenced by a range of factors including air temperature, humidity, direct sunlight, physical activity, crowd density, alcohol consumption, dehydration, and the availability of shade and cooling opportunities. These factors are often amplified within event environments where people may spend many hours outdoors with limited opportunities to escape the heat.

For many attendees, the risks associated with hot weather are not always recognised until symptoms begin to develop. The same can be said for event staff, many of whom may be reluctant to report feeling unwell due to workload pressures or a desire to continue working.

Looking After Your Workforce during hot weather at events / extreme weather at events

Whilst much attention is rightly focused on protecting attendees, event organisers must also recognise that their workforce is often exposed to greater levels of risk.

Security personnel, stewards, traffic marshals, production crews, stage teams, medical staff, caterers, and contractors may spend extended periods working in direct sunlight, often undertaking physically demanding tasks whilst wearing personal protective equipment or uniforms that can further increase heat stress.

The UK's Health and Safety Executive advises employers to assess workplace risks associated with high temperatures and implement appropriate control measures. At events, this should include ensuring access to drinking water, providing shaded rest areas, encouraging regular breaks, adjusting shift patterns where possible, and monitoring staff welfare throughout the operational period.

Managers and supervisors should actively check on their teams rather than waiting for individuals to report problems. One of the challenges associated with heat related illness is that people do not always recognise the early warning signs in themselves. Colleagues are often the first to notice changes in behaviour, coordination, concentration, or physical appearance.

A workforce that is suffering from fatigue, dehydration, or heat stress is not only at greater risk of illness but may also be less capable of carrying out critical safety functions. In an event environment, protecting staff welfare is therefore directly linked to protecting public safety.

Planning Ahead

Effective heat management begins well before an event opens to the public.

Weather forecasts should be monitored continuously in the lead up to an event, with clear trigger points established for implementing additional control measures. These measures should be documented within event safety plans, contingency plans, and medical provision strategies.

Organisers should consider when planning for hot weather at events / extreme weather at events:

Providing free and accessible drinking water.

Increasing the number of shaded rest areas.

Establishing welfare and cooling zones.

Reducing queueing times where possible.

Increasing medical and welfare resources during forecast heatwaves.

Providing clear public information regarding hydration and sun protection.

Reviewing staff deployment patterns and break arrangements.

Monitoring vulnerable persons and high risk locations across the site.

The key principle is that heat management should not rely on a single control measure. A layered approach provides the greatest level of protection.

Hydration is Essential

Dehydration is one of the most common contributors to heat related illness.

People attending events often underestimate how much fluid they lose through sweating, particularly when alcohol consumption, physical activity, and prolonged sun exposure are involved. By the time someone feels thirsty, dehydration may already be developing.

Event organisers should ensure that drinking water is readily available, clearly signposted, and accessible throughout the site. Water refill points should be positioned strategically to reduce travel distances and minimise queueing.

Staff should also be actively encouraged to drink regularly throughout their shifts. Experience from numerous events demonstrates that operational personnel frequently prioritise their duties over their own wellbeing, sometimes working for long periods without sufficient fluid intake.

Recognising Heat Related Illness

One of the most effective ways of preventing serious medical incidents is ensuring that staff understand how to identify the early signs of heat related illness.

Heat illness exists on a spectrum ranging from mild heat cramps through to life threatening heatstroke. Early recognition and intervention can prevent conditions from deteriorating.

Heat Cramps

Heat cramps are often the first indication that the body is struggling to cope with heat exposure.

Symptoms may include:

Muscle cramps or spasms.

Heavy sweating.

Thirst.

Fatigue.

Elevated heart rate.

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion occurs when the body's cooling mechanisms become overwhelmed.

Common signs and symptoms include:

Heavy sweating.

Headache.

Dizziness.

Weakness.

Fatigue.

Nausea or vomiting.

Muscle cramps.

Pale or clammy skin.

Rapid pulse.

Increased breathing rate.

Difficulty concentrating.

Irritability.

Feeling faint.

Individuals displaying signs of heat exhaustion should be moved to a cool area, encouraged to rest, provided with fluids if appropriate, and actively cooled. Medical assistance should be sought if symptoms persist or worsen.

Heatstroke

Heatstroke is a medical emergency and requires immediate treatment.

Warning signs include:

Confusion or altered mental state.

Loss of coordination.

Unusual or irrational behaviour.

Collapse.

Loss of consciousness.

Seizures.

Rapid breathing.

Very high body temperature.

Hot skin.

Heatstroke can result in organ failure and death if treatment is delayed. Any suspected case should be treated as an emergency and escalated immediately to medical professionals.

Communication Saves Lives

Clear communication remains one of the most effective controls available to organisers.

Attendees should be informed before arrival about forecast conditions and advised to bring appropriate clothing, sun protection, and refillable water bottles where permitted. During the event, public address announcements, social media updates, event apps, digital screens, and steward engagement can reinforce key safety messages.

The same principle applies to staff and contractors. Briefings should include heat related risks, welfare arrangements, emergency procedures, and escalation routes for anyone displaying signs of illness.

Creating a culture where people feel comfortable reporting concerns about their own wellbeing or the wellbeing of colleagues is essential.

Roundup

Exceptional heat should never be viewed simply as a comfort issue. It is a genuine health and safety risk that has the potential to affect attendees, staff, contractors, volunteers, and suppliers alike.

The most effective events recognise that safeguarding people during hot weather requires more than providing a few additional water points. It demands planning, preparation, communication, trained personnel, effective welfare provision, and a commitment to looking after everyone on site.

Critically, organisers must remember that the people responsible for keeping others safe also need protecting themselves. A tired, dehydrated, or heat stressed workforce cannot perform at its best. Looking after staff welfare is not separate from event safety; it is a fundamental part of it.

Sources and References

Ballester, J., Quijal-Zamorano, M., Méndez-Turrubiates, R. F., Pegoraro, M., Herrmann, F. R., Robine, J. M., Basagaña, X., Tonne, C., Antó, J. M., Achebak, H., and others. (2023). Heat related mortality in Europe during the summer of 2022. Nature Medicine, 29(7), 1857–1866.

UK Health Security Agency. (2024). Supporting vulnerable people before and during hot weather: healthcare professionals. GOV.UK.

UK Health Security Agency. (2025). Beat the Heat: Staying Safe in Hot Weather. GOV.UK.

National Health Service. (2026). Heat exhaustion and heatstroke. NHS England.

Health and Safety Executive. (2025). Temperature in the workplace. HSE.