This page provides links to some health and safety resources, standards, guidelines, and notable practices in Canada and internationally. The Event Safety Alliance Canada (ESAC) does not enforce safety legislation, codes or standards. 

ESAC serves as a support organization for discussion of reasonable practices that rely on regulatory documents. We're focused on finding ways to improve all aspects of safety, security, and health at live events. We are always looking to add more resources to this list so if you have a resource link that isn’t listed, please let us know. You can also report a broken link to us at info@esacanada.ca.

As you know, information is changing all the time. ESAC is not responsible for and cannot guarantee accuracy of information on sites that it does not manage.

To view French resources, CLICK HERE

Audio (Sound Levels & Hearing) 

A Guide to Noise Regulation (Ontario, Canada)

Musicians' Clinics of Canada (Canada)

Associations, Foundations, Services 

Actsafe Safety Association (British Columbia, Canada)

Canadian Association of Exposition Management (CAEM) (Canada)

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) (Canada)

Canadian Institute for Theatre Technology (CITT) - Health & Safety at Work (Canada)

Event Safety Alliance (ESA) (USA)

Global Crowd Management Alliance (GCMA) (World)

Infrastructure Health & Safety Association (IHSA) (Ontario, Canada)

Institute for Work & Health (Ontario, Canada)

Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Worker Inc. (OHCOW) (Ontario, Canada)

Public Services Health & Safety Association (PSHSA) (Ontario, Canada)

Safe Events (Ireland)

Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) (Ontario, Canada)

Workplace Safety North (WSN) (Ontario, Canada)

Communication 

ANSI ES1.6-2025 - Event Safety - Communications (ESTA) (USA)

Control Rooms 

Control Rooms Guidance (United Kingdom)

Crowd Management

ANSI ES1.9-2020 - Crowd Management (ESTA) (USA)

Be Crowdwise Campaign (GCMA)

Global Crowd Management Alliance (GCMA) (World)

Global Crowd Management Alliance (GCMA) - Field Guide to Crowds 

Managing Crowd Safety (Health & Safety Executive) (United Kingdom)

Public Behaviour in Response to Perceived Hostile Threats (United Kingdom Economic & Social Research Council)

Report of the Study Commission of Inquiry into Community Events Safety (British Columbia, Canada)

Safer Crowds Safer Venues (United Kingdom)

Words Matter: The Language of Crowds (GMCA) (World)

Working with Crowds (United Kingdom)

Electrical 

ANSI ES1.17-2025 - Event Lighting and Electrical Safety

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities

Get Prepared (Canada)

Performing Arts Readiness (USA)

Event Structures 

ANSI E1.2-2021 - Entertainment Technology - Design, Manufacture and Use of Aluminum Trusses and Towers

ANSI E1.50-1-2025 - Entertainment Technology - Requirements for Temporary Display System Structures

ANSI ES1.19-2020 - Safety Requirements for Special Event Structures (ESTA) (USA)

Design Evaluation & Field Review of Demountable Event & Related Structures (Professional Engineers Ontario) (Ontario, Canada)

Ontario Building Code Amendments - Demountable Stages & Support Structures, February 2023 (Ontario, Canada)

Fire Safety

ANSI ES1.4-2021 - Event Fire Safety Requirements (ESTA) (USA)

Fire Smoke Canada (Canada)

Healthier Workplaces: Episode 16 - A New Normal of Hot & Smokey Environments

Hot & Smoky: A New Normal - Webinar presented by Mona Shum, MSc, CIH

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) (USA)

National Fire Code of Canada 2020 (Canada)

Wildfire Smoke (BC Centre for Disease Control, Canada)

Wildfire Smoke (Canada)

Wildfire Smoke: Frequently Asked Questions (WorkSafe BC, Canada)

Heat Stress 

Heat Exposure Control Plan (ActSafe, British Columbia, Canada)

Heat Stress Toolkit (OHCOW, Ontario, Canada)

IATSE 891 - Heat Stress App (Andriod)

IATSE 891 - Heat Stress App (Apple)

Managing Heat Stress at Work (Ontario)

Outdoor Venues Safety Guidelines (Ontario)

Guidelines, Manuals, Fact Sheets

Arts, Crafts, and Theatre Safety (New York, USA)

Bouncy Castles & Inflatables at Your Events (Ireland)

Construction Health & Safety Manual (IHSA) (Canada)

ESTA Technical Standards Program (USA)

Event Production Guide (Texas, USA)

Event Safety Guide (USA)

Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (United Kingdom)

Health & Safety Executive Guidance (United Kingdom)

Health & Safety Executive Resources (United Kingdom)

Health & Safety Best Practice Guidelines for the Exposition Industry in Canada (Canada)

Life Safety Code (NFPA 101) (USA)

Major Planned Events Fact Sheets (British Columbia, Canada)

Major Planned Events Guidelines (British Columbia, Canada)

OSHA Fact Sheets, Info Sheets, and Hazard Alerts (USA)

OSHA Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Information & Standards (USA)

Play It Safe - Safety Manual for School Theatres/Studios (Actsafe, British Columbia, Canada)

Purple Book (United Kingdom)

Safe Stages (Alberta, Canada)

Safety Guidelines for the Live Performance Industry (MLITSD) (Ontario, Canada)

Small Business Centre - Safety Road Map (WSPS) (Ontario, Canada)

Working in Live Performance Theatre (CCOHS) (Canada)

Youth Theater Consent Guide (USA)

Investigation Reports 

2024 - Impact of Injury Report: The Show Must Go On Safety

2021 - The Impact of Injury on Theatre Performers

November 5, 2021 - Astroworld Festival: Governor Greg Abbott's Task Force on Concert Safety

May 22, 2017 - Ariana Grande Concert at Manchester Arena: Inquiry into Arena Bombing

December 2014 - After Action Report for the Response to the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings

September 2012 - Hillsborough Investigation 

August 13, 2011 - Indiana State Fair: Collapse Incident Investigative Report

June 15, 2011 - Stanley Cup Finals: Vancouver Police Department 2011 Stanley Cup Riot Review

February 20, 2003 - The Station Nightclub & Music Venue: Report of the Technical Investigation Volume 2

February 20, 2003 - The Station Nightclub & Music Venue: Report of the Technical Investigation Volume 1

Mental Health

CAN/CSA-Z1003-13 - Psychological Health & Safety in the Workplace (CSA Group) (Canada)

Canadian Suicide Prevention Service (Canada)

Gender, Work, & Health Portal (CCOHS) (Canada)

Mental Harm Prevention: 13+ Workplace Factors Toolkits (WSPS) (Ontario, Canada)

Mental Harm Prevention Roadmap (WSPS) (Ontario, Canada)

Mental Health Safety Talks (IHSA) (Ontario, Canada)

Mental Health Initiative (Behind the Scenes) (Canada, USA)

ResilientME (PSHSA) (Ontario, Canada)

The AFC (Canada)

Wellness Together Canada (Canada)

Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) and Ergonomics

eOfficeErgo: Ergonomics E-Learning for Office Works (Institute for Work & Health) (Ontario, Canada)

MSD Prevention Guideline for Ontario (Ontario, Canada)

Setting up a Temporary Home Office (Institute for Work & Health) (Ontario, Canada)

Occupational Disease 

Prevent Occupational Disease (Ontario, Canada)

Parades 

ANSI ES1.42-2025 - Parade Safety (ETSA & ESA) (USA)

Performer Flying Systems

ANSI E1.43-2025 - Entertainment Technology - Performer Flying Systems

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Canadian Women's Experiences with PPE in the Workplace (CSA Group)

Canadian Women's Experiences with PPE in the Workplace - Webinar (CSA Group)

Entertaining Health - PPE for Women (scroll down home page) (Canada, Irish, UK, USA, Other)

Podcasts 

Event Safety Podcast (ESA) (USA)

Health and Safety to Go! (Canada)

The Art of Mass Gatherings Podcast

Props, Costumes, and Make-Up

Props, Costumes, and Make-Up (MLITSD) (Ontario, Canada)

Rigging 

ANSI ES1.8-2022 - Event Safety - Rigging (ETSA & ESA) (USA)

ANSI E1.6-2-2013 - Design, Inspection, and Maintenance of Electric Chain Hoists for the Entertainment Industry (USA/Canada)

DeLong Rigging Solutions

International Code of Practice for Entertainment Rigging (ESTA & Plasa) (USA)

Risk Management

ISO 31000 - Risk Management

Security

ANSI ES1.40-2023 - Event Security (ETSA & ESA) (USA)

Guide for Premises Security (NFPA 730) (USA)

Special Effects

Fog and Haze Effects (MLITSD) (Ontario, Canada)

Sporting Events 

2024-25 NCAA Safety and Security Best Practices

NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook


Sustainability 

ISO 20121 - Sustainable Events

Training

Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP) (Canada)

Event Safety Access Training (ESA) (USA)

Pathogen Prepared Professional Training (ESA) (USA)

ResilientME (PSHSA) (Ontario, Canada)

Workers Health & Safety Centre (WHSC) (Ontario, Canada)

Vehicles & Transportation

Hostile Vehicle Mitigation Measures (Ontario, Canada)

Public Realm Design Guide - Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (United Kingdom)

Vehicle Incident Prevention and Mitigation Security Guide (USA)

Water 

Cold Water Boot Camp (Canada)

Weather 

ANSI ES1.7-2021 - Event Safety Requirements - Weather Prepardeness (ETSA & ESA) (USA)

Earth Networks - Severe Weather Detection Technologies (USA)

Event Safety Alliance - Concert Safety During Dangerous Storms

Event Safety Alliance Podcast Episode 5: Severe Weather and What to Do About It (USA)

Event Safety Alliance Podcast Episode 6: Severe Weather Trigger Charts Explained (USA)

Lightning and Hail (Actsafe) (Canada)

Management of Outdoor Activities for Severe Weather Conditions (Australia)

National Weather Service - Event Ready Guide (USA)

National Weather Service - Lightning Safety Toolkits (USA)

News: Festival Evacuated Due to Thunderstorm

News: Guide for Debunking Lightning Myths

News: Heavy Rain Cancels Festival

News: Lighting Strike Injures Six People at PGA Championship

News: Three Trees Falls at Masters Tournament Due to Wind

Severe Rainfall and Flooding (Actsafe) (Canada)

Severe Weather (Canada)

Snow Storms and Ice Storms (Actsafe) (Canada)

Weather Safety at Venues and Public Gatherings (American Meteorological Society) (USA)

Wind (Actsafe) (Canada)

Working in Wet or Cold Weather (Actsafe) (Canada)

Worksites 

Working in the Dark (MLITSD) (Ontario, Canada)

LEGISLATION (CANADA)

Canada (Federally-Regulated Workplaces)

Canada Labour Code

Canada Occupational Health & Safety Regulations

Canadian Electrical Code

Canadian Requirements for Tents

Workplace Health & Safety

Alberta 

Occupational Health & Safety

Workers' Compensation Board - Alberta

British Columbia

Work Safe BC

Manitoba

Safe Work Manitoba

Manitoba Workplace Safety & Health

Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba

New Brunswick

Work Safe NB

Newfoundland & Labrador

Workplace NL

Northwest Territories & Nunavut 

Workers' Safety & Compensation Commission

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Health & Safety

Workers' Compensation Board of Nova Scotia

Ontario

Building Code

Electrical Safety Authority (ESA)

Electrical Safety Code

Fire Code

Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, & Skills Development (MLITSD)

Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHSA)

Regulation for Construction Projects

Regulation for Industrial Establishments

Technical Safety and Standards Authority (TSSA)

Workplace Safety & Insurance Act

Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB)

Prince Edward Island

Workers Compensation Board of PEI

Quebec

An Act Respecting Occupational Health & Safety

La Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST)

Saskatchewan

Government of Saskatchewan, Safety in the Workplace

Saskatchewan Workers' Compensation Board

Work Safe Saskatchewan

Yukon

Workers' Safety and Compensation Board

LEGISLATION (INTERNATIONAL)