Nightclubs are great spots for celebrating the weekend after a long, stressful week. With hit music playing and colorful environments, nightclubs are perfect for getting out with friends and letting loose. But for owners and operators of nightclubs, they can quickly turn into moving liabilities.
From fire hazards to overcrowding to the general safety and well-being of patrons, nightclubs, like other nighttime establishments, should be kept as safe and accountable as possible. That’s why regular risk assessments need to be put in motion to keep dangers and liabilities away.
Here are some tips when it comes to performing a risk assessment for a nightclub.
While owners and managers can assess the risk of their venue on their own, it would help to perform an assessment with the help of their employees. Owners can include employees in order to get the most well-rounded feedback featuring multiple perspectives.
Owners should come up with targeted questions that are designed to uncover any major issues and provide the most accurate information possible. Owners can offer employee incentives for their participation and encourage more feedback.
Questions should revolve around hypothetical scenarios regarding liabilities or situations like over-serving, underage patrons, and possible health and safety hazards. Employees should be instructed to answer whether or not they feel they would be liable or if the venue would be in each situation.
Secret shoppers can be helpful in the retail industry when it comes to providing feedback, but they can also be helpful in the service industry in order to further assess liquor liability risks and other related risks. Operators should know the liquor liability laws and case law of the state they’re located in. For instance, in some states, if a patron has a certain blood alcohol level and is involved in an accident of any kind, the venue itself could be held responsible.
In this case, nightclub insurance is a must-have to protect a nightclub from further liability and allegations of issues like over-serving or inadvertently causing an accident. This can be avoided by incorporating the proper level of training of employees from the time of hire as well as regular check-ins to see if they’re consistent in their knowledge. It’s always helpful to make sure that all employees are educated and learned to keep the best possible customer service and avoid any risk of liability.
Other factors that should be looked at when assessing risks are the square footage of the nightclub itself as well as access and exit points. Major hazards can be present when patrons block these points or are unable to find them. Owners should go through the entire space and make sure to put signs up and mark exits and entrances as well as provide directions on where to go.
Risk assessment is about identifying problems, but it’s also about realizing the potential for risks and the liabilities that rest on the shoulders of owners and operators of a nightclub. By taking care of regular assessments, major risks can be mitigated and liabilities can be kept at bay so claims, injuries, and major lawsuits are non-existent.
At RMS Hospitality Group, our expertly crafted policies are written specifically for the hospitality industry. We offer custom-tailored solutions to meet any venue’s specific needs. For more information, contact our knowledgeable experts today at (888) 359-8390.
At RMS and associated firms, business continues as usual. Our staff is remote-capable and available to handle all partners, brokers, and insureds at the present time.
