Risk Assessments for Outdoor Markets and Craft Fairs

Why you need a risk assessment

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require anyone conducting a "work activity" to assess and manage risks. Hosting a craft fair counts as a work activity.

Beyond the legal requirement, a risk assessment is practically useful:

• Most councils require one for events on council-owned land or in council venues.
• Many private venues ask to see one as part of the hire agreement.
• Your insurance provider may require one — and if a claim is made, having a dated risk assessment is strong evidence that you took reasonable precautions.
• It forces you to think through problems before they happen, rather than reacting on the day.

The five-step approach

The HSE recommends a simple five-step process:

• 1. Identify the hazards — walk through your event in your mind (or visit the site) and think about what could cause harm. What are the trip hazards? Where are the vehicles? What happens if the weather turns?
• 2. Decide who might be harmed and how — the public, stallholders, volunteers, children, people with reduced mobility.
• 3. Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions — for each hazard, what are you already doing to manage it, and is there anything else you should do?
• 4. Record your findings — write it down. A simple table is the standard format.
• 5. Review and update — revisit your assessment before each event. If the venue, layout, or activities change, update the assessment accordingly.

Common hazards at outdoor markets

For a typical outdoor craft fair, the main hazards to consider include:

• Gazebo stability — gazebos in wind are one of the biggest risks at outdoor events. Most organisers require a minimum of 15-20kg weight per leg. Unsecured gazebos can injure people and damage property.
• Trip hazards — guy ropes, cables, uneven ground, tent pegs, stock displayed at ground level.
• Vehicle movements — delivery vehicles during setup and breakdown create risks if the public or stallholders are in the same area.
• Weather — wind, rain (slippery surfaces), heat (sunstroke, dehydration), cold.
• Crowd management — bottlenecks at entrances, exits, or between stall rows. Can people move freely? Can emergency vehicles access the site?
• Fire risks — cooking equipment, gas cylinders, candles, generators, electrical equipment.
• Manual handling — stallholders carrying heavy boxes, tables, and equipment during setup.
• Food safety — if food vendors are present, cross-contamination, temperature control, and allergen management.
• Electrical safety — generators, extension leads, and equipment in outdoor (potentially wet) conditions.

What councils and venues want to see

There is no legally mandated format, but a simple table is standard and is what most councils expect. The table should include columns for:

• Hazard — what could cause harm.
• Who might be harmed — public, stallholders, volunteers, children.
• Existing controls — what you are already doing to manage the risk.
• Risk level — Low, Medium, or High (after controls are in place).
• Further action needed — anything else you plan to do.

Many councils and event organisers provide their own risk assessment template — if one is provided, use it. If not, a simple table covering 8-12 hazards with clear control measures is typically sufficient for a small to medium craft fair.

The assessment should be dated and signed. Keep it on file — your insurer may ask for it if a claim is made.

Risk assessments for stallholders

Some event organisers ask individual stallholders to submit their own risk assessments as well. If you are a stallholder asked to provide one, do not panic — the scope is much smaller than an event-wide assessment.

A stallholder risk assessment should cover:

• Your stall setup — is the gazebo secure? Are tables stable? Is your display safe?
• Trip hazards — cables, stock on the ground, tablecloths that people could catch.
• Your products — are there any hazards associated with what you sell? (Sharp items, candles, allergens, choking hazards for children.)
• Manual handling — carrying heavy boxes and equipment.
• Electrical equipment — if you use lights, card readers, or other electrical items.

Write it once and save it as a template. The core risks for your stall are the same every time — you just adjust for the specific venue (indoor vs outdoor, power supply, layout).

Keeping it proportionate

A risk assessment for a 20-stall craft fair in a village car park does not need to be 30 pages long. It needs to be proportionate to the scale and nature of the event.

• A small craft fair with no food, no alcohol, and no live entertainment — 1-2 pages is fine.
• A larger event with food vendors, a bar, live music, and 100+ stalls — the assessment needs to cover more ground and will naturally be longer.
• If your event includes higher-risk activities (fairground rides, fireworks, large-scale catering), you may need specialist input.

The key is to show that you have thought about the risks and have reasonable measures in place. Perfection is not the goal — demonstrating competence and care is.