Holding An Event, Are Stallholders Participating?
Events are an excellent way for you to engage with your community. Often these events involve a variety of community stalls, not-for-profit information booths, dance groups from local schools, and stallholders selling their goods.
If You Are The Organiser Of The Event, What Do You Need To Consider?
- As an event organiser, you have a responsibility to make sure you have given consideration as to how you are going to manage risks at any events you hold effectively. Once you have identified, analysed, evaluated and treated any risks you could possibly foresee could possibly occur at an event, you are doing what is considered to be, reasonably practicable in providing a safe environment for all in attendance.
- You could be held responsible for anything that goes wrong as the organiser of the event. For further information on this, please visit the risk management online tools for guidance.
- You need to have your own insurances to cover you as the organiser of an event. For further information, please talk to the LCIS team who can assist you with all of your insurance requirements.
Are You Having Stallholders At The Event?
- Stallholders and community groups should have the proper licence to sell and exhibit products and to exhibit at any event;
- These groups should have their own Public/Products Liability Insurance;
- Stallholders and community groups have a duty of care to members of the public (third parties) while selling their products and/or services;
If someone is injured, or their property is damaged, whilst the stallholder is providing a service, or as a result of a product sold, the injured party could sue the stallholder. So it is really important that market stalls have a Public and Products Liability insurance policy to cover any liability they sustain about this rather than just Public Liability cover only.
If the stallholder is found responsible for loss or damage, they may be required to pay for the loss or damage or injury they have caused. Even if the stallholder is not found to be legally liable, they may still incur legal costs to defend themselves.
If the stallholder had decided not to purchase Public and Products Liability Insurance before the incident, they could be significantly out of pocket as a result.
Conclusion
As an event organiser, it’s important to ensure that any stallholders or community groups participating in your event understand that they have their own duty of care to members of the public who come into contact with their products and/or services. Participating stallholders or community groups can get a quote for Public and Products Liability Insurance here.
This can provide cover for a one-off event for up to three consecutive days or for an annual insurance policy if the stallholder or community group is having/ or attending multiple events or markets over 12 months. If you have any questions regarding stallholder’s insurance or obligations at your upcoming event, please contact us today.