Health and Safety: RecFest

Background

After a successful debut in 2022, RecFest returned to Knebworth Park in July 2023 for the world’s largest talent acquisition and HR event.

With a unique and immersive programme covering all areas of talent acquisition and resourcing, up to 5,000 attendees were also able to enjoy live music, chill out areas, entertainment, street food, multiple bars and an afterparty featuring headliners Basement Jaxx.

The Safety Team from OPS completed pre-event documentation including the ESMP and risk assessments as well as auditing all the suppliers, contractors and sponsors.

A Safety Officer was on site throughout the build, live event and break supporting the production team from our sister agency, The Fair.

Challenges

• With around 130 sponsors in addition to 40 contractors, supplier and traders, the auditing of all health and safety documentation was a major challenge for the OPS team.

• Maintaining safe working practices with so many people and so much work taking place on site during the build and break stages of the event.

• Liaising with sponsors to obtain relevant documentation where installations previously unknown to us were brought onto site.

• Working with the management team from Knebworth to ensure compliance with licensing and agreements.

Delivery

• A successful ‘Green for Doors’ with the event opening on time - overcoming pressures of the build and number on contractors and sponsors. The breakdown of the festival was also completed within the scheduled time.

• A safe site was maintained throughout with no recorded incidents, accidents or near misses.

• Dynamic risk assessments throughout focused on activities of those on site.

Result

• Hugely successful delivery of the event with positive feedback from attendees, client and Knebworth.

• Event likely to return to Knebworth in 2024 - but even bigger and better.

• Following the success of our work, a member of the OPS team was invited to ensure the safe delivery of the first ever RecFest, USA.