Facility, equipment and event management
What the examiner expects
Facility, equipment and event management tests planning, checking and control: safe venues, serviceable equipment, clear roles, medical cover and contingency plans. Expect checklist, inventory and event-scenario questions.
Core rules
A safe facility has suitable surfaces, lighting, ventilation, access and exits, boundary control, shade and drinking water. Check for hazards such as glass, stones, holes, slippery floors, loose fittings and poor drainage, and record and act on them. Equipment must be age-appropriate, inspected before use, stored correctly and maintained; damaged items are tagged and removed from service. Keep an inventory and maintenance log. For events, plan the date, venue, events, entries, officials, equipment, marshals, medical cover, water, refreshments, transport, permissions, safeguarding arrangements and waste management. Brief staff and volunteers, use checklists, communicate the schedule, and hold a debrief with actions.
Worked example
A school inter-house athletics meet is planned for 200 learners. Reasoning: confirm the ground and track are free of hazards, arrange a shaded first-aid post and water points, list equipment such as stopwatches, cones, measuring tapes and flags, assign officials to each event, prepare entry lists and a running order, obtain consent, and write a contingency plan for heat or rain. A marshals' briefing and a post-event debrief close the loop. The reasoning links each control to a specific risk rather than just producing a list.
Traps that cost marks
Do not assume equipment is safe because it looks new. Do not run an event without medical and water arrangements. Do not leave contingency planning until the day. Do not skip the debrief or the maintenance log.