TIPS AND ADVICE

Health and safety guidelines - Tips and advice that you may find useful when performing to the public

• Always ensure that you maintain a safe distance between the performer and spectators, especially if you are juggling with knives or fire. If all else fails a simple rope on the ground will create the barrier
• Never leave children unsupervised. There is a very high duty of care attached to supervising children, which is very difficult to defend
• Always ensure that you have adequate assistance for the number involved and never let children use equipment without one-to-one supervision
• Never invite people from the audience to participate in intrinsically dangerous activities
• Every Public Liability policy has a condition that the policyholder must exercise reasonable care in carrying out his / her work. It is imperative therefore that due care and diligence is observed during both performances and workshops to ensure full policy cover applies
• Written risk assessments are in some instances a legal requirement under the health and safety regulations and are regarded as "essential good practice". It is required that suitable risk assessments are carried out prior to a performance or workshop as a standard procedure
• The foundation of a risk assessment is basic common sense i.e. how I can conduct my performance in such a way as to minimise any risk to others. For further information please refer to www.hse.gov.uk or www.businesslink.gov.uk for practical help / advice to business
• Hot work - when using fire or engaging in hot work you should always have written risk assessment tailored at any particular venue and fire- extinguishing appliances should be readily available in the immediate vicinity
• If conducting workshops (particularly circus skills) and you involve other "teachers" it is imperative that each teacher / assistant holds their own insurance. It is your responsibility to check that such cover is in place prior to the workshops
• Training - you have a legal requirement to ensure that all assistants / helpers / employees are competent to carry out their duties. You should keep documented records of all induction training, which should be duly signed off by trainer and trainee

The above guidelines are for your information and are designed to assist you in conducting your activities as a performer as safely as possible. They are guidelines only, and we do not infer that adherence to these guidelines alone will make you compliant for the purpose of health and safety regulations. Compliance with health and safety remains your responsibility.