How to automate your event team

#1 - Workplace safety walk

When in the day: Before set-up, then again before guests arrive.

Who runs it: Event coordinator.

What it is: A site-wide safety walk of the venue (or section of it) that the event will use. The team checks for trip hazards, exposed cabling, locked or blocked fire exits, missing signage, electrical issues, and anything else that creates risk for the crew during set-up or for guests during the event. The canvas guides the walk and captures findings.

Available on: Standard.

In practice: At 9am the event coordinator walks the function room four hours before set-up. They find a fire exit blocked by stacked banquet chairs from last night's wedding, photograph it, and the canvas escalates. The chairs are moved by the venue team before the AV crew arrives. Without the walk, the AV cabling layer goes down with the exit still blocked, and the issue isn't caught until the fire marshal does the pre-event check.

Why it works for your event team: Events bring temporary risks to permanent venues — trailing cabling, raised platforms, pop-up bars, crowds in spaces designed for fewer people. The safety walk creates a clean baseline before set-up starts and creates the dated record that satisfies the venue's risk management, the event-insurance position, and any HSE inquiry.

Steps included:

• 1 area-by-area checklist (function room, back-of-house, fire exits, electrical, signage)
• 1 photo capture for any flagged hazard
• 1 notes field for issues
• 1 signature from the coordinator

More variations: Show more workplace safety walk templates →

#2 - Working at height training

When in the day: Foundational — at induction, refreshed for each role that involves height.

Who runs it: Every crew member working on rigs, ladders, scissor lifts, or platforms.

What it is: A training programme covering the Working at Height Regulations as they apply to events — when to use a ladder versus a tower versus a lift, harness use on rigs, edge-protection rules on platforms, the rules for working above other people, and what to do if equipment is in poor condition. The canvas walks each team member through the principles and captures their understanding.

Available on: Standard.

In practice: A new AV technician joins for a big show. Before they're allowed up on the truss, the canvas walks them through harness use, the three-points-of-contact rule, and the no-one-underneath protocol. They sign off, the senior tech checks them out, and they go up safely. Without the training, the first time they're on the truss they freelance on safety and someone underneath gets a tool dropped on them.

Why it works for your event team: Working at height is the single biggest source of serious injury in event production. The training closes the gap that "they should know this" leaves, creates the dated record HSE will look for if there's ever a fall, and protects both the team member and the business from the worst category of incident.

Steps included:

• 1 rich-text training module (regulations, equipment, harness use, edge protection)
• 1 equipment-by-equipment walkthrough (ladders, towers, lifts, rigs)
• 1 understanding check
• 1 photo capture of harness fit (optional)
• 1 signature confirming understanding

More variations: Show more working at height training templates →

#3 - Manual handling training

When in the day: Foundational — at induction, refreshed annually.

Who runs it: Every event crew member who lifts equipment, furniture, or stock.

What it is: A training programme covering safe lifting posture for the heavy and awkward items an event crew handles — flight cases, banquet chairs (carried in stacks), trestle tables, AV gear, drinks crates. The canvas covers when to use a sack truck or two-person lift, the rules for unwieldy loads, and the technique for moving stacked furniture safely.

Available on: Standard.

In practice: A new event crew member is asked to clear 50 banquet chairs after a function. Before they start, the canvas reminds them — chairs in stacks of 5 max, use the trolley wherever possible, two people for any stack over knee height. They take it slowly and finish without injury. Without the training, they grab stacks of 10 and lift with their back, ending the shift unable to walk straight.

Why it works for your event team: Event crew are the most acute manual-handling risk group in hospitality — they move more weight, more often, under tighter deadlines than anyone else. The training reduces incidents and creates the dated evidence you trained the team, which matters if a back injury becomes a claim.

Steps included:

• 1 rich-text training module (lifting posture, when to use a trolley, two-person rules)
• 1 equipment-by-equipment walkthrough (flight cases, chairs, tables, AV gear)
• 1 understanding check
• 1 protocol for reporting back issues
• 1 signature confirming understanding

More variations: Show more manual handling training templates →

#4 - Working outside training

When in the day: Foundational — required for any crew on outdoor events.

Who runs it: Every event crew member working on outdoor events, marquees, or festivals.

What it is: A training programme covering the specific risks of working outdoors — cold and heat exposure, dehydration, sun exposure, wet ground, wind on temporary structures, lightning protocols, and the rules for finishing an outdoor build safely if weather turns. The canvas walks each team member through the principles and captures their understanding.

Available on: Standard.

In practice: A new crew member joins for a summer festival build-out. Before the build starts, the canvas walks them through the heat-exposure rules (water every 30 minutes, breaks in shade every hour), the sun protection requirement (long sleeves, sunscreen), and the wind protocol on the marquee (stop work if gusts exceed the engineer's spec). They follow the protocols and the build finishes safely. Without the training, heatstroke or a marquee collapse become serious risks.

Why it works for your event team: Outdoor events have a higher risk profile than indoor ones, and the people most exposed (crew building marquees in summer heat or rigging stages in winter cold) are the least likely to be trained for it. The training closes that gap and gives you the documented evidence required by HSE for outdoor work.

Steps included:

• 1 rich-text training module (heat, cold, sun, wet, wind, lightning)
• 1 weather-protocol walkthrough (when to stop work)
• 1 PPE checklist for outdoor work
• 1 understanding check
• 1 signature confirming understanding

More variations: Show more working outside training templates →

#5 - Hot buffet training

When in the day: Foundational — at induction, before any team member runs a buffet service.

Who runs it: Every event team member who serves hot food from a buffet.

What it is: A training programme covering the food-safety controls specific to hot-buffet service — holding temperature (≥63°C), the 4-hour limit out of temperature, the rules for replacing depleted trays, allergen separation across stations, and serving-utensil hygiene. The canvas walks each team member through the standards and captures their understanding.

Available on: Standard.

In practice: A new event server is staffing a hot buffet at a corporate lunch. Before service, the canvas walks them through the holding-temp rule, the 4-hour clock, and the protocol for swapping in a fresh tray when the depleted one cools. During service they catch a chafing dish dropping to 58°C, photograph it, and the canvas escalates to the kitchen. The dish is swapped before any guest is served from it. Without the training, the temperature drift goes unnoticed and a food-poisoning incident becomes possible.

Why it works for your event team: Buffet service is one of the highest-risk food-safety contexts in hospitality — long holding times, multiple replenishments, lots of hands, varied guests. The training puts the controls in front of the team and creates the dated evidence that you trained them — which is exactly what an EHO will check during an event-focused visit.

Steps included:

• 1 rich-text training module (holding temp, 4-hour rule, replenishment, allergens, utensils)
• 1 temperature-check protocol
• 1 allergen-separation walkthrough
• 1 understanding check
• 1 signature confirming understanding

More variations: Show more hot buffet training templates →

#6 - Cold buffet training

When in the day: Foundational — at induction, before any team member runs a buffet service.

Who runs it: Every event team member who serves cold food from a buffet.

What it is: A training programme covering the food-safety controls specific to cold-buffet service — holding temperature (≤8°C ideally, ≤5°C for high-risk items), the 4-hour limit out of temperature, ice-bath replenishment, allergen separation, and the rules for items that need to stay covered. The canvas walks each team member through the standards.

Available on: Standard.

In practice: A new event server is staffing a cold canapé buffet at a wedding. Before service, the canvas walks them through the holding-temp rule, the ice-bath protocol, and the rule that high-risk items (shellfish, raw fish, dairy) must stay below 5°C even during peak service. They catch a tray of prawns drifting up during peak demand, photograph it, and the kitchen swaps in a fresh tray. Without the training, the prawns stay out too long and a food-poisoning case follows.

Why it works for your event team: Cold-buffet failures are particularly insidious — the food looks fine even when the temperature has drifted. The training makes the invisible visible and creates the dated record that protects both the guests and the business.

Steps included:

• 1 rich-text training module (holding temp, 4-hour rule, ice baths, allergens, covering)
• 1 temperature-check protocol
• 1 high-risk-item walkthrough
• 1 understanding check
• 1 signature confirming understanding

More variations: Show more cold buffet training templates →

#7 - Cooked food temperature check

When in the day: Through service, on a sample of cooked dishes.

Who runs it: Catering chef or designated event food-safety lead.

What it is: A probe-and-record check on finished dishes at the event — chicken, fish, mince, pies — that records the dish hit 75°C for at least 30 seconds. Any dish that didn't is rejected and re-cooked. The check applies whether the food was cooked on-site or arrived hot from a central kitchen.

Available on: Standard.

In practice: During a 200-guest wedding service the catering chef probes a tray of chicken arriving from the venue kitchen and gets 71°C. They photograph the reading, mark it as a re-cook on the canvas, and the tray goes back to the kitchen. The guests get a safe meal six minutes later. Without the check, the chicken goes out at 71°C and the wedding ends with a string of food-poisoning calls the next day.

Why it works for your event team: Event catering is high-volume, high-pressure, and high-stakes — one bad tray can affect a hundred guests. The check is the proof a dish reached safe core temperature, and the photo + signature variant gives you defensible evidence if a complaint arrives.

Steps included:

• 1 dish selector (link to the event menu)
• 1 temperature input
• 1 photo capture of the probe reading
• 1 pass/re-cook decision
• 1 chef signature

More variations: Show more cooked food temperature check templates →

#8 - Allergen training

When in the day: Foundational — at induction, refreshed before any new event with new menu items.

Who runs it: Every event team member who serves food or speaks to guests.

What it is: A training programme covering the 14 major allergens, the dishes on the event menu that contain each, the cross-contamination risks of buffet service (shared utensils, dropped tongs), and the protocol for handling a guest disclosure. The canvas walks each team member through the event-specific allergen risks.

Available on: Standard.

In practice: A guest at a corporate dinner tells the canapé server they have a severe peanut allergy. The canvas-trained server immediately stops, opens the allergen matrix for the event, identifies the safe canapés, and the guest is served from a separately-prepared plate by the kitchen. Without the training, the server says "I think the canapés are fine" and a guest ends up in A&E mid-event.

Why it works for your event team: Events bring varied, unknown audiences — far harder than a restaurant where regulars are known. The training puts allergen-handling discipline in front of every team member and creates the dated record an EHO will check during a complaint investigation.

Steps included:

• 1 rich-text training module (the 14 allergens, the event menu's risks)
• 1 protocol walkthrough for guest disclosures
• 1 understanding check on the 14 allergens
• 1 signature confirming understanding

More variations: Show more allergen training templates →

#9 - Fire emergency training

When in the day: Foundational — at induction, refreshed annually and before any major event.

Who runs it: Every event team member, with a specific brief for marshals.

What it is: A training programme covering evacuation procedure for the event — the assembly points, the marshal roles, how to use a PA or megaphone, what to do for guests with mobility issues, how to handle a fire mid-service, and what to do if pyrotechnics or other event-specific fire risks malfunction. The canvas covers both the venue's standard procedure and any event-specific additions.

Available on: Standard.

In practice: Before a 1,500-guest gala the event coordinator walks the full crew through the canvas — assembly points (two: front lawn for west-side guests, car park for east-side), marshal roles, the PA script, the mobility-assistance protocol. Two hours later the alarm sounds for a real (small) fire in the kitchen — the team executes the procedure and the evacuation is clean in under four minutes. Without the training, the team improvises and the evacuation takes 12 minutes with confused crowd flow.

Why it works for your event team: Crowd-evacuation failures kill — the historical event disasters all share the same root cause of untrained staff in a panic situation. The training is the only thing that turns a fire into an orderly evacuation, and the dated record satisfies your event-licence conditions and your insurer.

Steps included:

• 1 rich-text training module (procedure, marshals, PA, mobility)
• 1 site-specific walkthrough (assembly points, evacuation routes)
• 1 understanding check
• 1 signature confirming understanding

More variations: Show more fire emergency training templates →

#10 - First aid training

When in the day: Foundational — required for designated first aiders, awareness for the wider team.

Who runs it: Designated first aiders (formally certified) plus the wider event crew on basic awareness.

What it is: A training programme covering both formal first-aid skills for the designated first aiders (CPR, AED use, choking response, severe bleed response, burns) and basic awareness for the wider team (when to call a first aider, how to clear a casualty area, how to call emergency services from the venue). The canvas walks each role through what's expected of them.

Available on: Standard.

In practice: Mid-event, a guest collapses near the bar. The nearest crew member — basic-awareness-trained on the canvas — immediately calls the nearest first aider on the radio, clears space around the casualty, and prepares to direct paramedics. The designated first aider (full-trained) arrives in under a minute and starts CPR. The paramedics arrive in nine. The guest survives. Without the training, the crew freezes, the first aider arrives late, and the outcome is much worse.

Why it works for your event team: Events are statistically the highest-incident environment in hospitality — crowds, alcohol, dance floors, varied health conditions in attendees. Having designated first aiders is a legal requirement; having a wider team that knows what to do is what makes the response actually work. The training documents both.

Steps included:

• 1 rich-text training module (CPR, AED, choking, bleed, burns)
• 1 awareness module for non-first-aiders
• 1 emergency-services script (event-specific address)
• 1 understanding check
• 1 signature confirming understanding

More variations: Show more first aid training templates →

#11 - Personal hygiene training

When in the day: Foundational — at induction, refreshed before any food-handling event.

Who runs it: Every event team member handling food or drinks.

What it is: A training programme covering handwashing, uniform standards, jewellery rules, hair restraint, the 48-hour illness exclusion rule, and the event-specific point that long shifts and outdoor conditions don't suspend the hygiene rules. The canvas walks each team member through the standards.

Available on: Standard.

In practice: A new event server joins for a wedding. Before service, the canvas walks them through hygiene — handwash after the breaks, no jewellery on a glass-handling hand, what to do if they feel unwell mid-shift. They sign off. Six hours in, they feel ill and follow the protocol — report to the supervisor, get sent home, the illness doesn't spread to the kitchen. Without the training, they soldier on and a gastric bug spreads through the catering team.

Why it works for your event team: Event service involves more hours, more handling, and more pressure than restaurant service. The training keeps the standards constant across the long shift and creates the dated record an EHO checks.

Steps included:

• 1 rich-text training module (handwashing, uniform, jewellery, illness, glassware handling)
• 1 understanding check
• 1 photo capture of the team member in uniform (optional)
• 1 signature confirming understanding

More variations: Show more personal hygiene training templates →

#12 - Food poisoning reporting

When in the day: As needed — triggered by an attendee complaint or illness report.

Who runs it: Event coordinator or event manager.

What it is: A structured complaint-capture workflow for when an attendee reports falling ill after the event. The canvas captures the attendee's details, the meal eaten, the time of illness onset, the symptoms, anyone else from their group who ate the same, and pulls in the kitchen's food-safety records for the dishes in question. The data goes into the post-event report and triggers the EHO-notification protocol if the case meets the threshold.

Available on: Standard.

In practice: Two days after a corporate dinner, three attendees call to report illness. The event coordinator opens the canvas for each, captures the details, and the canvas pulls in the kitchen records for the suspected dish. The pattern emerges quickly (all three ate the prawns) and the event coordinator escalates to the venue's EHO before the council does. The proactive handling protects the business's relationship with the venue and the EHO. Without the workflow, each call is captured inconsistently and the pattern is missed.

Why it works for your event team: Event food-poisoning incidents can affect hundreds of guests at once, and the post-event handling determines whether you recover the relationship with the venue and the EHO or lose both. The structured capture means every complaint is handled the same way, and the dated record is what your insurer, the EHO, and any legal claim will draw from.

Steps included:

• 1 attendee-details capture (name, contact, event date)
• 1 meal capture (dishes eaten, time of service)
• 1 symptoms capture (onset, severity, duration)
• 1 group-size capture
• 1 evidence-pull from the kitchen records
• 1 manager signature

More variations: Show more food poisoning reporting templates →