Massive gatherings and events taking place with vast number of attendants are also considered as critical instances where the combination of potential needs for out -of- hospital medical care, emergency care, disaster and public medical care, provides a challenge which should be effectively met to ensure guests’ health and safety. Wide attendance events require dedicated first aid, medical, and other health-related services at a higher rate than baseline population. There is great variability within and between mass gatherings.
The number of health problems among participants at mass gathering has been proved to be higher than that expected in the comparable size populations. Moreover, it’s been proven that 0.5% to 1.5% of concert goers will require a kind of medical assistance, regardless of the character, locale, physical layout, and size of the concert, moreover in 10% of the patients’ alcohol and drug use is the primary diagnosis. Other common complaints include lacerations, fractures and sprains, burns, sunburn, heat stroke, seizures, asthma, and exposure.
Mass Gathering Medicine at an event often involves periods of extremely high patient volume with variable acuity, usually with limited history available. Care is provided in temporary structures with limited resources. Health care providers are challenged to function without their familiar clinical systems while attempting to maintain a high standard of care, often for large numbers of patients over a variable and sometimes extended period of time.
HSTAR 1 Certification for Blue Service is a seal of trust for Massive Events’ Organizers, assuring emergency and safety preparedness.
Application for Certification
The interested Events Organizer applies electronically, via website, to Swiss Approval Offers’ department, and subsequently, access rights will be provided to the Management in order to download the Standard. Once the Events Organizer’s authorized staff, acquires the Standard then is able to be prepared for certification, as will hold all necessary information regarding the Standard requirements’ realization as well as the conformity assessment criteria.
A financial offer will follow after Standard delivery.
Prerequisites for Certification
The «Enterprise» which applies for the «H STAR I» qualification and certification, according to the current Requirements Framework, should primarily fulfil the following pre-requisites:
- It operates as a legally licensed «Enterprise» / «Provider» / «Organization» / «Institution», in the country of establishment, according to the existing valid national, legal, and regulatory framework.
Preparation Stage
The preparation process for certification is rather easy. A detailed check list will be forwarded to the Massive Events Organizer Management and in combination with the Standard, the quality assurance department or other equivalent, should follow the mentioned HSTAR 1 Standard requirements and satisfy the essential check points. Related documentation should be available to supporting the realization and accomplishment of the requested actions.
The main Best Practices and International guidelines’ implemented are targeted to:
- Safety assurance within the events’ / massive gatherings’ premises
- Effective management of emergency health incidents of healthy guests
- Comfort and reasonable duty of care of the guests and visitors is an inherent responsibility,
- Protection of the Organizers’ Brand and Reputation regarding their guests’ life safeguard, accomplished in a competent and professional manner.
After completion of all activities needed, everything in terms of documentation and related evidence, should be submitted to Swiss Approval Certification Department, according to the related instructions.
Certification Decision
The Certification Manager will evaluate all related documentation and evidence, and decide independently, for the certification or decline.
