他山之石：從八仙彩虹趴學風險管理

source: 天下雜誌

The concept of Color Event comes from Holi Festival in India, which celebrates the beginning of Spring. Hindus believe it is a time of enjoying spring’s abundant colors and saying farewell to winter. Traditionally, washable natural plant-derived colors such as turmeric, neem, dhak, kumkum were used; but water-based commercial pigments are increasingly used.

Festival of Colors – World’s BIGGEST color party

Later on, in 2012, the first Color Run took place in USA and then started the global trend in the color events.

THE COLOR RUN™ – 2015 Shine Tour

When people enjoy the happiness and get wild in color powder, they may not know this kind of powder is inflammable. The worst of all is the planner does not know the risk. Dust explosion requires the conditions of the following five:

1. A combustible dust
2. The dust is suspended in the air at a sufficiently high concentration
3. The dust cloud is confined (not always required)
4. There is an oxidant (typically atmospheric oxygen)
5. There is an ignition source

However, the risky point is the ignition can be:

1. Electrostatic discharge
2. Friction
3. Arcing from machinery or other equipment;
4. Hot surfaces, including e.g. overheated bearings
5. Fire

Most event planners avoid the fire but the crowds, which cannot be eliminated, is the ignition! The unfortunate dust explosion of Taiwan Color Party teaches the worst lesson.

Risk management is a process designed to safeguard the various elements of a meeting / an event by minimizing the amount or severity of harmful events that may occur, according to the PCMA book – Professional Meeting Management. The importance speaks loud from the past experience yet many organizers still turn head around. It is not only the matter of human life, but also information, property, financial investment, organization image and professional reputation. To be a responsible event planner, start to review your risk management plan and start it now!

Step 1. Identify those elements or activities which could carry a risk.

Step 2. Identify the risks associated with each element or activity.

Step 3. Determine the possibility of occurrence of the risk and the severity of the consequences if the risk does happen.

Step 4: Risk Prioritization.

Step 5. Formulate, prepare and implement strategies to manage risks

Some common strategies used for risk management are:

1) Risk Avoidance: Avoid those elements and activities which could carry a risk.

2) Risk Retention: Accept some or all the consequences associated with a particular risk.

3) Risk Transfer: Transfer the risk to a third party, e.g. transferring the event security responsibility to a security agency.

4) Risk Reduction: Reduce the risk associated with a particular element or activity by developing an effective contingency action plan.

Step 6. Monitor the risks periodically

All in all, we should always prepare for the worst. In the tragedy of Taiwan Color Party, the lack of evacuation accessibility and immediate response increased the mass injury. While the solid risk management plan is done, can the real condition support?

There is no second chance to manage the risk, so Do it Right the First Time.
Shall you wanna learn more, here is the conference for you.
22^nd Anuual Risk Minds International  (7-11 December 2015, Amsterdam)

※ Reference

Wiki

Risk Management Plan for Events