Well before selecting the location of the planned special event, you should estimate the type and expertise of volunteers and staff who will be available. Review the services and activities you plan to have including food, security, maintenance, entertainment, parking and monitoring of the location, safety, clean-up, and first-aid. Your staff and their duties should be determined by the special event type and the participants. For a sit-down event, it is recommended that a single employee or volunteer be assigned per ten attendees. If your special event is an outdoor event, such as a country fair or insurance seminar recommendation of a staff member per 14 attendees may be sufficient. Please remember, these ratios are not written in stone. It is your responsibility to evaluate this risk, and the unique needs and characteristics of each special event. Be sure to consider the special needs of your attendees. Assess whether you will be able to command the help you will need for the special event. If not, reconsider the scope of the special event.
As you plan for the special event, you will need to assign individual staff to specific tasks. Assess the skills of your workforce and try to fit the person to the task, which will yield the best results. Often, the working hands will be those of volunteers. It is essential to get a firm commitment from those who have volunteered their time and energy. Important jobs should be filled from those committed to the special event. Do not rely on last minute volunteers to fill critical positions. Be sure to have alternates in mind, in case the volunteers you have scheduled do not show up.
Once you've determined you staffing needs, contact a local broker or your lawyer to make sure you are covered should an employee or volunteer get injured at your event. General Liability policies such as the ones offered through www.theeventhelper.com will not provide coverage for injuries to employees or volunteers. Worker's Compensation should be obtained for your employees. It is recommended that your volunteer agreement includes a valid waiver or release of liability.