Event organizers have a duty of care to provide a safe environment and to sure participant safety during their event. Good planning means being prepared and ensuring that safety is a priority throughout all stages of event planning.
Please keep all permits and approvals issued for your events with you at all times!
Points of Consideration
In the planning stages of your event:
- Write out an itinerary - include time for set up, clean up, and travel
- Visit the site of your event - whether on or off campus
- Obtain approvals in writing
- Think of potential emergencies - first aiders, CPR training, AED locations
- Determine if extra security is needed
- Get contracts reviewed, determine if insurance documentation is required
- Determine your transportation needs - how will attendees get to the event and home safely
- Create contingency plans for different situations (inclement weather, delayed transportation, power outages, etc.)
More information:
For more information on planning events please see the following Standard Operating Procedures on:
Departments across campus can help you with planning your events. These include:
- Temporary Use of University Space (TUUS)
- Reservé Glendon
- Accommodation and Conference Services
- Facilities Services
- Custodial Services
- Food Services
- Learning Technology Services
- Parking Services
- Printing Services
- Community Safety
- York University Bookstore
A reminder to contact these departments well ahead of time, and to reach to them using the appropriate channels.
If you are serving alcohol at your event, your organizing committee is assuming a much greater risk than if the event was dry. If you decide that alcohol will be part of your event, consider the following:
- Always have food available where alcohol is being served.
- Hiring a professional server: There are professional servers on campus that are trained and licensed to serve liquor. Consider having the event at an on-campus location that serves alcohol or hiring their catering staff to serve alcohol at your event.
- It is a criminal offence to serve alcohol in 1) an unlicensed area and, 2) to minors.
Participants were are or appear to be intoxicated should not be permitted to drive a vehicle. Those who serve alcohol are legally responsible for the condition of those who drink.
If having alcohol at an on-campus event, please consult with Food Services and Community Safety.
Insurance Requirements for Events
Having external vendors/organizations on campus may be a great opportunity for engagement with the York Community. Depending on the nature of their operation on campus, they may require proof of insurance. For more information on York's requirements for certificates of insurance, please visit the certificate of insurance webpage.
A reminder that all markets and fairs on campus are subject to applying for use of university space. Depending on the campus in question, please follow the official process for booking university space.
| Type of Event/Service | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Organizations who are tabling on campus for recruitment or hiring purposes | There are no insurance requirements for organizations involved in recruitment or career events, but the event is subject to TUUS consultation. Please provide a list of all external organizations that will be in attendance. |
| Organizations who are on tabling on campus for a non-recruitment purpose | Organizations who are tabling for non-recruitment purposes are reviewed on a case by case basis. Typically those tabling with pamphlets or other informational materials do not need to provide evidence of insurance. Please reach out to Risk ahead of your event to confirm if proof of insurance is required, or Risk will address this during the TUUS consultation process. Example: A local fire department handing out pamphlets on fire safety would not need a certificate of insurance. |
| Vendors selling goods or services, or providing free samples of food or other goods | Any vendor selling a good or service on campus property must provide a certificate of insurance. Additionally, if they are selling food or other consumables, Food Services must be contacted. Example: Photographer taking student graduation pictures would need a certificate of insurance Example: A telecom company signing students up for cellphone plans would need a certificate of insurance |
| Vendors the York engaging to provide goods or services for the event | If you are having an on-campus event that features rentals or vendors who will be on campus providing a service as part of the event, a certificate of insurance will be required. Food vendors that are considered to be "off-campus vendors" must be reviewed by Food Services for compliance. Example: A vendor providing inflatable rentals and the staff to run them will require a certificate of insurance. Example: Using the campus caterer Chartwells wouldn't have any additional insurance requirements, but an external caterer would have to provide a certificate of insurance and comply with any other requirements set out by Food Services. |
Waivers
Depending on your event's activities (ex. high risk physical activity, bus transportation, alcohol, etc.) a waiver may be required.