What's New > ESA announces the development of The Event Safety Guide Version 2
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ESA has announced the development of The Event Safety Guide Version 2 (ESG2), a significant evolution of their foundational resource that was created to support safer planning and operations throughout the live events industry.
Building on the foundation of the original Event Safety Guide, ESG2 does not just rewrite the existing resource, it updates and expands its guidance to reflect how the industry has evolved and it makes the information more accessible, practical, and easier to apply.
Additional information about ESG2--its contributors, development process, and publication--will be shared on the ESA website this fall.
ESG2 was discussed as part of the marking of 15 years on from the Indiana State Fair Stage Collapse, a summary of which, with two webinar recordings and other information, can be found here.
Full press release:
WILMINGTON, NC- The Event Safety Alliance (ESA) announces the development of The Event Safety Guide Version 2 (ESG2), a significant evolution of the organization's foundational resource created to support safer planning and operations throughout the live events industry.
Building on the foundation of the original Event Safety Guide, ESG2 is not intended to simply rewrite the existing resource. Instead, the project will update and expand its guidance to reflect how events, technology, risks, and industry practices have evolved while making the information more accessible, practical, and easier to apply across a wide range of event environments.
The new guide will combine updated existing content with new and emerging areas of event safety, enhanced visuals and practical tools, and contributions from subject matter experts throughout the live events industry. ESG2 is being developed for a broad audience, from students and those entering the industry to seasoned professionals looking for practical guidance and resources to support their work.
Importantly, ESG2 is also being developed as a living resource, allowing content to be reviewed and updated as industry practices, technology, standards, and emerging risks continue to evolve. This approach represents a shift from viewing the guide as a resource updated only through periodic editions to one that can remain relevant and responsive to the needs of the industry over time.
"The original Event Safety Guide gave our industry something it had never had: the United States' first published safety guidance written specifically for live events, and a place to consolidate knowledge that until then lived mostly in the heads of experienced people," said ESA President Tami Richter. ESG2 is about protecting that foundation while asking what this resource needs to be for the industry today and in the future. We want someone who is new to event safety to be able to pick it up and understand where to start, while still providing meaningful value to professionals who have been doing this work for decades."
The development of ESG2 is being supported by contributors from across the live events industry, bringing together experience and expertise from a range of disciplines. The project will focus not only on what information is included, but also on how that information is presented and accessed, with an emphasis on creating a resource that is digestible, practical, and useful in real-world event environments.
"Event safety isn't static, and our resources can't be either," Richter added. "The challenges we face will continue to change. ESG2 gives us an opportunity to create something that can grow with our industry and, most importantly, help people put good safety practices into action."
The ESG2 initiative comes as ESA marked 15 years since its founding following the August 13, 2011, stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair, which killed seven people and injured 58. The tragedy became a watershed moment for the live events industry and ultimately led to the creation of ESA and its continuing commitment to education, skills training, and advocacy.
Additional information about ESG2, its contributors, development process, and publication will be shared on the Event Safety Alliance website this fall.
Any individual or organization interested in supporting ESA's educational work can make a tax-deductible donation to the Event Safety Fund, a nonprofit corporation explicitly supporting the educational activities of ESA, at www.eventsafetyalliance.org/ESE.
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Event Safety Alliance® (ESA) is a non-profit membership-driven organization dedicated to promoting "life safety first" throughout all phases of event production and operations. Our mission is to help event professionals and our guests be empowered, safe, and aware of the reasonably foreseeable risks around them. We work to achieve our mission through education, skills training, and advocacy.