Project Management

(MGT 3125)
Chapter 7
Case: XSU Spring Concerts
 Chapter 7
Case: XSU Spring Concerts
Risk Identification

Firstly, we can state that, as with most projects, there are several risks that occur when it comes to
the execution of this spring concert. To make the risks more easily viewable, it is preferable to divide
the risks into different sections and via that use the Risk Breakdown Structure, (RBS).There are four
general categories that the risks are divided into: Technical, External, Organizational and Project
Management. These risks are divided into more specific subcategories, which all of them can make
or break the project.
First of all the XSU entertainment committee has to get permissions and approvals from the city and
XSU to be able to go through with the concert. There will be requirements that needs following during
the concert as well.
Regarding the technical category, some main risks are that the electricity and the sound system will
be functioning, the constructing of the stage will go as planned and that there will be enough space
for restroom facilities for 10 000 visitors and parking lots for 1000 cars. The stage-building depends
on capable work force with required skills. There might be security issues by the stage or in the
secluded beer-garden, which might arise if it gets too crowded and that would be disastrous as Hasta
Weekend has a history of fatalities.
When it comes to the external risk category there are some factors that the committee really can’t
affect, for example the weather can make this outdoor concert a hit or a disaster. There are a lot of
sub-contractors involved, as well as vendors and artist. This demands many contracts, which can turn
out wrong, and communication issues can emerge. If the committee can’t sign a big artist to this
eight-hour concert, there might be a huge loss of money, as there won’t be enough visitors, and result
in a bad reputation. That might also be a reaction to the event of not finding sufficient sponsors or
suppliers.
Security: Contingent measures should be put in place such as having a police team, medical and
ambulances at standby just in case there is a need to quickly get into the crowd. Security personnel
are supposed to have specially marked clothing. They should be provided with communication
gadgets.

Venue design: Organizers should consider crowd dynamics by erecting a performance stage leaving
enough leeway between the crowd and performance. The stadium should be inspected in advance.

Support staff: These should be hired preferably from security companies as they are well versed in
crowd control and management. Regular staff with no prior training should be briefed beforehand
about their roles.

The following are the potential risks associated with the XSU Spring Concert scheduled to be held at
Wahoo Stadium:-

1. Concert violence
2. Fire
3. Excessive consumption of alcohol
4. Criminal activities

When people get hot, they either drink, or they don't. Both carry risks. On a warm summer evening,
many people's refreshment of choice exposes them to more dangers than drinking nothing at all. Soda
and alcohol tend to dehydrate a body, and some drugs, such as Ecstasy, have a similar effect.
Conversely, patrons who drink too little water for an evening of dancing and close contact can pass out
and get trampled before anyone notices. Event staff and security must be trained to recognize signs of
intoxication and heat-related distress, and water stations should be easily accessible to GA patrons.
None of this is rocket science. If it were, the law would not require you to solve these riddles. It is
precisely because this is reasonably foreseeable to a competent venue operator or security provider,
and the solutions are reasonably available, that the law imposes a duty to address the risks of holding
GA events. If you fail to adequately protect your patrons, then your venue may end in castastrophe.
Warning signs are important and necessary, but in a crowded concourse or vom or on a dark GA floor,
a written message may have little impact. Your event staff must be posted where patrons can easily
ask questions, and event staff training must address your reasonably foreseeable risks. Also, make
sure you keep a copy of your pre-event briefing in case it becomes an issue later. Your hourly minimum
wage event staff might be long gone by the time a lawyer starts taking depositions, but your notes will
be a lasting record of what your venue told patrons about the risks of that evening's event.

Unlike moshing, which requires enough space for moshers to get a running start, surfing generally takes
place where people are packed tightly enough to make it unlikely that a surfer will be dropped. Assuming
the surfer chooses a location with a high enough occupant load to stay aloft, the greatest risk will again
be to the innocent bystander who gets kicked in the head or has someone fall on them. And again, your
primary options are prevention and warning.

Most of the time, the biggest risk of moshing isn't to the moshers, who generally know what they're
doing and how much pain is consistent with their idea of a good time. Instead, the risk is to patrons who
aren't paying attention until someone crashes into them. If you have enough security to intervene
wherever people start moshing, you may be able to prevent most of it. If you don't want to spend your
crowd management resources that way, you will need to warn patrons what moshing is and what to do
if they don't want to be near it. The more ways you help non-moshing patrons make informed decisions
where to stand, the less liability your venue faces from a moshing injury

There are relatively few surprises regarding crowd behavior. Even if the floor is at less than the fire
marshal's maximum capacity, the occupant load can become excessive at the barricades separating
the crowd from the stage. Just a few people into the crowd, individuals become virtually invisible once
the house lights go down. Through countless crowd disasters, it is well-known that people can be lifted
off their feet or asphyxiated by the bodies of other patrons. Because excessive crowd density is a
problem inherent in any GA event, there are few good excuses for this reasonably foreseeable situation
to turn into a disaster.
Risk Assessment Form
Risk Event Likelihood Impact Detection When
Difficulty Difficulty
Concert violence 5 5 5 Concert in
progress
End of concert

Fire 3 4 3 Start-up
Excessive consumption of 5 5 5 Before start
alcohol During concert

Drug and substance 4 3 3 During concert

abuse
Crime 5 5 4 During concert
After concert

A risk assessment is a systematic examination of a task, job or process that you carry out at work for
the purpose of; o Identifying the significant hazards that are present (a hazard is something that has
the potential to cause someone harm or ill health).
o Deciding if what you have already done reduces the risk of someone being harmed to an
acceptable level, and if not;
o Deciding what further control measures you must take to reduce the risk to an acceptable
level.
Risk Assessments should also be carried out to satisfy the requirements of legislation but above all to
ensure the Health & Safety of employees.
Risk assessments should always be carried out by a person who is experienced and competent to do
so, competence can be expressed as a combination of Knowledge, Awareness, training, and
experience. If necessary consult a more experienced member of staff or external professional help to
assist with the risk assessment.

Risk response matrix

Risk event Response Contingency plan Trigger Person
responsible
Concert violence Reduce Hire more security staff Pushing and shoving X
Have the security team Reckless throwing of
stand at vantage points objects at each other

Fire Prevent Fire drills for support staff Fire alarm Y

Mark fire exit routes
Have smoke detectors
Hire medical teams

Excessive consumption Reduce Regulate bar opening and High depletion of beer Z
of alcohol closing hours stocks

Drug and substance Prevent Increased vigilance from Irrational crowd A

abuse support staff behavior
Crime Prevent Request for police Unusual and suspect B
presence movements