WITH YEAR-END and holiday festivities beginning, make sure to make safety a priority whether you’re just decorating the office or throwing a holiday/year-end party for your staff.
While you obviously want your staff to relax and have fun, you also want to make sure they get home safely and that nobody gets hurt or sick at your your holiday party.
Due to their infrequent nature, the liability risks of company- sponsored holiday events are often overlooked.
To ensure the health and well-being of all who attend, it is important to be aware of any potential liability concerns that your company may face if the event doesn’t go exactly as planned.
Holiday party safety considerations
- If you are holding a party offsite, inspect the venue first to make sure it meets your safety standards. Keep an eye out for easy-access exits, emergency lighting, and flooring that might cause slips and falls.
- If storms are looming on the date of your party, consider the effects that weather may have on safe travel to and from the event.
- Do you need security?
- Limit alcohol consumption.
- If party-goers are leaving at night, make sure nobody has to walk out alone in the dark to their car for safety reasons.
- Ensure safe food handling, like keeping hot foods warm and covered and not leaving perishable food out for too long to reduce the chance of foodborne illness.
- Have a plan in case someone is injured or needs medical assistance. Know where the closest hospital is and identify staff who know how to use a defibrillator or can perform CPR.
Reducing liability risk
Remind your employees that rules against harassment, discrimination and conduct apply at the event. Monitor behavior and take prompt action if any activity or behavior exceeds acceptable bounds.
Make the event optional and let your team know that it won’t reflect poorly on their performance evaluation, advancement potential or job security if they don’t attend. Emphasize this in invitations and announcements.
Take complaints that stem from the party seriously. As you would with any other incident, document, investigate and take appropriate action.
Liquor liability
Some companies have recognized the liability exposure and have chosen to hold alcohol-free holiday events. If alcohol is served, limit your exposure by:
- Holding the event at an off-site location and hire professional bartenders who have their own insurance and are certified for alcohol service. Speak with the vendor to determine what protocols it uses to keep from serving minors and others who are visibly intoxicated.
- Provide an array of choices of non-alcoholic beverages.
- Don’t have an open bar. Instead, hand out a set number of drink tickets to control consumption (two is usually a standard amount).
- Stop serving alcohol at least an hour before the event ends.
- Provide transportation that may include free cab or Uber rides.
A word about insurance
Make sure that any vendors you use carry insurance. Insist on seeing the certificates of insurance with sufficient coverage and liability limits for:
- Catering and bartending firms,
- Facilities, and
- Entertainers.
When reviewing rental contracts, be sure to note any hold harmless or indemnity agreements that could release the vendor from liability and instead hold your company responsible for losses from situations over which you have no control.
Also, talk to us to make sure that your own insurance policies cover any mishaps that may occur at your company event.