PA Hire in and around Gloucestershire

1. You have a statement of the terms of hire

This does not have to be - indeed, should not be - something only a lawyer would understand: if you don't understand something, you should not agree to it.

It should be clear:

• What you will get

• When (and for how long) you will be getting it

• What you will have to pay

• What you are liable for if something goes wrong

• What the supplier is liable for if something goes wrong.

Otherwise, you may not get what you expected, it may not be there when you thought you were getting it, you may be charged more than you expected, or you may be liable for something you knew nothing about.

2. The provider has Public Liability Insurance

Public Liability Insurance doesn't just protect the business: it protects anyone who has a claim against the business for injury or damage to property caused by the business (insurance makes it much easier for the claimant to get proper compensation).

It protects you and your property, your audience (and/or guests), their property, and the venue.

Some venues (including some hotels and clubs) will not allow you to use uninsured equipment or services.

3. The equipment is electrically safe

The most common evidence of this is a Portable Appliance Test Certificate (the equivalent in electrical equipment of an MOT).

A certificate does not prove the equipment is safe (any more than an MOT proves a vehicle is roadworthy), but it does show the supplier routinely inspects and tests equipment for safety.

Some venues (including some hotels and clubs) will not allow you to use equipment without a certificate.

4. The equipment will be set up and used safely

Ideally this means someone should carry out a Risk Assessment (see the section on safety for further information).

This doesn't mean that Health and Safety is getting in the way of a Good Night Out, or that Bureaucracy has Gone Mad. It just means someone should look at what is going to happen with a mind to avoiding potential hazards and risks that might be involved.

Preventing or minimising obvious dangers can usually be achieved by commonsense and observation: it doesn't require a degree in Health and Safety to realise that running cables on the floor across a doorway is a Bad Idea, or to notice somebody doing it and look for a practical way to do it differently.

Also:

•  Make sure anyone in control of setting up or operating equipment has suitable qualifications and/or experience (and, if they need it, knowledge of Health and Safety)

•  Make sure you have all the resources you need (time, equipment, personnel, power sockets, work lights...) to get the work done safely