The Business Events Council of Australia (BECA) is a peak industry body, providing a single voice for the events sector to liaise with the federal government and relevant agencies on matters common to all segments of the industry. BECA has delivered a set of strategic principles to the federal government that instil confidence in Australia’s business events industry so that Covid-19 restrictions can be safely lifted and the industry can rapidly restart.
A Safety and Hygiene Sub-Committee has also been established to ensure the business events industry is ready to safely restart and that the government and the public can be confident that restrictions can be lifted. This sub-committee has been made up of the following leading events industry organisations:
Association of Australian Convention Bureaux, Australian Convention Centres Group, Exhibition & Event Association of Australasia, Professional Conference Organisers Association, Meetings & Events Australi
BECA’s aim is to secure a restart of the industry much sooner than allowances that will be needed for mass gatherings. Business events are an extension of the workplace and delivered in a controlled environment, with organisers, personnel and attendees able to take steps that will minimise the health risks from COVID-19. Importantly, this includes that all persons related to a business event are fully contactable and traceable.
The guidelines currently being developed by the sub-committee focus on providing advice on managing a business event during the planning phase, the event itself and following the event. These guidelines will be updated as required as health advice develops and will be aligned with Government guidelines including information from the Department of Health and Safe Work Australia.
The Guidelines will
Ensure personnel and personal safety
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- Manage the use of hygiene products and materials (e.g. masks, hand sanitiser)
Enable physical distancing
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- Provide barriers, markings and flow directions in all public spaces
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- Ensure sufficient size venues to meet government requirements for space/person
Increase health and safety measures
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- COVID training for all business events personnel
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- Manage access controls, registrations and contact details for all event personnel and attendees
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- Health screenings
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- Initial deep-clean of venues and equipment
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- Enhanced regular cleaning- before, during and after an event
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- Sanitation stations – easily accessible and mandatorily used
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- Ensure best-practice ventilation
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- No-touch policies
Implement maximum gathering control
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- Adapt systems and processes including for registrations, catering, crowd flow
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- Manage number of attendees
Encourage and enforce measures
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- Display measures and sanitation requirements
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- Ensure role and routine clarity for all business events personnel, including on-the-day point of contact for managing issues and concerns
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- Medical facilities onsite
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- Monitor real-time movement of people and have mechanisms in place for corrective actionSummarised from the BECA update article – click here to view.
