Health and safety cruciality in festivals and big gatherings

Mass gatherings — from international music festivals and public celebrations to large-scale sports or cultural events — are in higher demand than ever. These events are not just for entertainment; they’re a prominent part of the economic wheel that mobilizes supply chains, activates brands, and generates millions in economic activity.

As the scale of gatherings grows, so does the complexity and expectation — not only in logistics and experience, but in health and safety as well. In this scene, health and safety cannot remain a secondary concern or a mere formality for compliance; it must become a core norm to embrace progressive and robust guidelines to promote a worthy, sustainable experience, for attendees, staff, and investors. In festival environments, alcohol and drug-related problems, fire incidents, and crowd-crush injuries are among the most common health threats.

In this article, EHS and Sustainability Regulatory Consultant Ramzi Al Khatib takes a closer look at two recent incidents — the Tomorrowland stage fire in Belgium and a fatal concert-related event in Egypt — to explore what they reveal about the evolving risk landscape in large events, and more importantly, what businesses can do to lead responsibly.

Throughout this article, we examine these two events from a health and safety perspective and explore the business implications for companies involved in such gatherings. Moreover, we will provide insight into the legal and regulatory infrastructure across the MENA region and discuss practical recommendations for how companies can embed health and safety into their operational culture. Ultimately, robust health and safety planning is no longer optional. It’s a strategic investment in people, reputation, and resilience — and one that forward-looking companies should own.

Preparedness pays off: How venues and organizers can successfully navigate an incident

On 16 July 2025, just hours before the gates of Tomorrowland were set to open to thousands of eager festivalgoers, a fire broke out on the main stage of one of its key sites. Fortunately, no attendees had yet arrived, and the incident was swiftly contained without any injuries. However, the fire caused significant confusion and uncertainty for both ticket holders and staff. Social media was flooded with speculation, while organizers scrambled to assess damage, restore confidence, and communicate updates in real time.

Although the fire didn’t result in harm to attendees or force a full cancellation, it exposed how fragile even the most carefully orchestrated events can be. Large festivals rely on seamless coordination between creative design, engineering, and safety systems — and when something goes wrong, even before doors open, the ripple effects are felt across logistics, operations, and public perception.

There were clear strengths in the way the incident was handled. Emergency services were reportedly on standby and responsive. Access was controlled, escalation was avoided, and communication lines — while strained — were eventually stabilized. Still, the incident raised legitimate questions:

• Was there a sufficient pre-opening fire inspection?
• Were materials used in line with fire safety codes for temporary structures?
• Could the root cause have been identified or mitigated earlier?

Answers are yet to come as the post-event investigation continues, but considerations of this nature can subsequently influence legislation, regulation, and requirements for future events.

It’s worth noting that Belgium’s relatively mature health and safety regulatory framework may have helped limit the fallout. The country’s requirements for temporary infrastructure permits, fire readiness, and event-specific risk assessments are more structured than in many other jurisdictions. This suggests that the presence of clear legal expectations and institutional preparedness can make a tangible difference, even when incidents occur.

What Tomorrowland showed is not that accidents can be fully avoided, but that preparedness, structure, and communication matter deeply — even before a single attendee walks in. And that’s precisely the space where business accountability begins.

The consequences of non-compliance at concerts and large gatherings

At another event in 2025, at a concert venue in Egypt, an unexpected fire broke out — this time with a far more tragic outcome. At least one person lost their life, and others sustained injuries when a fireworks canister exploded as the performer took to the stage.

In this case, health and safety failures may have been compounded by broader systemic insufficiencies — including limited enforcement of safety prerequisites, regulatory blind spots in concert and festival oversight, and the absence of clear or tested emergency evacuation plans.

This is not a unique incident within the landscape of mass-gatherings and festival-like events across the region.

From wedding celebrations that turned into tragedies to concert venues affected by fires, health and safety regulations in the region often remain present on paper rather than actively implemented, enforced, or monitored — especially in non-industrial, temporary event contexts.

Shared lessons

Whether in a well-regulated jurisdiction or one still evolving, large-scale events share a consistent health and safety theme: they are inherently high-risk environments.

This combination of temporary infrastructure, complicated sound and lighting systems, and dense crowds creates a setting where even small oversights can escalate into tragic, unwanted consequences.

For most countries in the MENA region, and others that still have developing health and safety regulation, there may be shared gaps across this domain, such as:

• Limited use of integrated safety assessments that address even seemingly minor gaps
• Insufficient training for non-technical event staff and contractors
• Absence of third-party auditors to flag inconsistent or unaddressed issues
• Emergency procedures that may be present on paper rather than in practice

What this means for businesses

Organizers, suppliers, sponsors, brand activators, and other companies involved in these events face a variety of risks that robust health and safety practices can help reduce and manage.

Legal and financial liabilities

There are many legal and financial liabilities that may be mitigated if robust health and safety steps are taken.

While liability can never be eliminated entirely, companies that can demonstrate they took all reasonable preventive measures are better positioned to defend against civil or even criminal claims when incidents occur. Additionally, companies that adhere to health and safety guidelines can avoid increased premiums and expensive insurance policies, even securing a stronger reputation for future business-to-business trustworthy transactions.

Moreover, such companies are better placed to avoid significant regulatory fines or long-term market exclusion.

Reputational exposure

The reputational impact of a major incident can be existential for a business and mark a defining negative turning point.

In the age of viral footage and instant outrage, even a minor incident may quickly turn into a fateful point that diminishes public trust and investor confidence — not to mention other competitors that may use such incidents to gain advantage in an already competitive market.

Operational and contractual disruption

Both operational and contractual disruptions can also hold hefty financial burden for companies, from fines or requested refunds to insurance voiding and refusal. These could be mitigated by meeting and securing all the needed or expected health and safety requirements for the event to go ahead. Companies that progressively adopt advanced health and safety standards and policies are more likely to avoid event cancellations, asset damage, and major logistical breakdowns.

In addition to financial considerations, operational and contractual disruption incidents can involve extensive permit and license requirements, whether for workers and staff, access, or reconstruction. Even when trying to resolve a disruption, unexpected time loss and resource demands may compound — not to mention the availability of the workforce.

Investing in health and safety is not just a compliance measure — it’s a strategic financial decision. Studies done by EHS practice show that every dollar spent on safety yields up to six dollars in savings. Companies with advanced EHS systems report 50% fewer incident-related costs, and those with strong safety cultures enjoy better productivity, lower insurance premiums, and enhanced brand reputation, as per the HSI Donesafe.

Health and safety regulations in MENA countries and regulatory infrastructure

In the MENA region specifically, health and safety legislation exists — even if it’s still growing — but its application is often disregarded or undermined as a secondary concern.

In some MENA countries, regulatory experience with managing large religious gatherings has driven specific mass-crowd safety practices. However, similar levels of oversight and enforcement are not always applied to entertainment-focused or temporary events.

When rules are thin or unevenly enforced, adopt a clear internal baseline from recognized standards, then evidence how you meet or exceed local permit conditions.

A step-by-step guide for companies operating mass gatherings in less mature regulatory environments

When operating mass gatherings in jurisdictions where health and safety regulations are limited, fragmented, or weakly enforced, companies cannot rely solely on local law. The following steps help organizers build a robust, business-aligned health and safety framework that goes beyond minimum requirements:

1. Choose a recognized baseline for health and safety

This does not mean the company must change its operating jurisdiction, but it should align itself with recognized international or regional health and safety frameworks and standards. For example, it may adopt ISO or OSHA standards, or refer to EU or GSO frameworks. Adopting such a baseline will almost certainly guarantee exceeding — or at least meeting — local requirements. It’s important to parallel this approach with staying informed about regulatory developments and revise procedures and standards accordingly.

2. Involve health and safety experts from the earliest stages

EHS professionals involved from the very beginning of planning help organizers foresee challenging events or circumstances and propose robust safety protocols tailored to the business’s capacities, values, and intentions. Early involvement also makes later implementation smoother and more cost-effective.

3. Build contracts that explicitly address health and safety

Legal and reputational damages can be significant when incidents involve health and safety. It’s therefore crucial to build contracts that clearly set health and safety requirements, obligations, and responsibilities for all parties. Additionally, keep contracts, policies, and related evidence audit-ready in case any regulatory or legal due diligence is required.

4. Conduct thorough risk assessments and audits

A comprehensive risk assessment covering all aspects of the event — including infrastructure, crowd management, fire safety, and emergency procedures — helps identify gaps that often go unnoticed. Regular internal or third-party audits can verify that plans are not only written but implemented in practice.

5. Provide training for everyone

One of the most effective ways to contain emergencies quickly is to provide adequate training to all staff, organizers, contractors, and everyone involved — including non-technical staff. Foster a culture where health and safety is seen as a pillar of success, not just a compliance checkbox.

6. Define and practice controls and emergency plans

Developing and operationalizing controls — such as emergency plans, clear roles and responsibilities, and contractor management procedures — is a crucial step in strengthening defenses against accidents. A key requirement is that these procedures are regularly practiced, tested, and updated, not just documented.

7. Implement lessons-learned reviews

While it is good practice to learn from your own mistakes, it is even better to learn from those of others. Maintain a monitoring mindset and systematically capture lessons from other events or incidents. Use these insights to improve future planning and address any gaps or blind spots in your safety protocols.

Conclusion

Mass gatherings will only grow in scale and ambition in the MENA region and globally. At the same time, public tolerance for preventable harm is shrinking, and regulators, investors, and audiences are paying much closer attention to how companies manage risk. In this environment, treating health and safety as a tick-box exercise is not just outdated; it’s a direct threat to business continuity, brand value, and market access.

For companies operating in MENA, the stakes are even higher. Regulatory frameworks for health and safety often exist but are unevenly detailed or enforced, especially for temporary and entertainment-focused events. This creates a dual challenge and opportunity: businesses cannot rely solely on local rules, but they can differentiate themselves by voluntarily aligning with higher international standards, documenting their due diligence, and helping set new expectations for the markets in which they operate.

The same logic increasingly applies worldwide. Whether in Belgium, Egypt, or beyond, companies that embed robust health and safety into their design, contracts, operations, and culture are better positioned to withstand scrutiny, secure partnerships, and win the trust of regulators, sponsors, and audiences. By moving first and not waiting for legislation to catch up, they don’t just protect people and assets; they help define what “good” looks like for the next generation of festivals and large events.